We got more snow in the afternoon after we left, so we though that Sugi would have another powder day. We were still high on the previous day. The weather cleared and we thought, finally some visibility with powder.

The top lifts were open unlike the previous day we were there. We thought the strategy would be to go where others hadn't gone yet. Every year I go to Sugi, every year I regret going to the top runs. They're much steeper, more bumpy than the runs below. Sure enough, every time I go, every time I get disappointed. 

In the end we went back down to the Panorama runs and did the trees and the wide open mellow fields of powder. Still lots of powder lines to be had on a blue bird day.

The other reason I like Suginohara is because not all the restaurants on piste are operated by the resort itself. At the bottom of the high speed lifts is a set of three four restaurants that are independent, my favorite being the St Anton. Along with delicious Japanese pork cutlet and the usual, it features a caramel popcorn machine!