Archives: 2010年8月

§16. Early slope maintenance

 Slope maintenance just after the opening of business would be what kind
of thing. By all-Japan ski championship Alpen tournament held in March,
1962, cooperation of the Self-Defense Forces was indispensable for
course maintenance and the snow removing.

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 Because there was not yet slope maintenance car, person carried out
course maintenance of all-Japan ski championship Alpen tournament.
Group of around 20 people who put on ski trod down on wall of the
second lift. Tool to use for competition was carried in horse sleigh
from Hirafu Station to venue. In addition, communication between start
and goals used electric wire not radio.

 Then how would about everyday slope maintenance. “Slope was hardened
naturally by skier”. Shinichiro Satake in charge of vehicle at the time
of to, the opening of business recollects. Because “there were many
good skiers, in Hirafu, lump of similar form was formed naturally”. 」

 It was 1968 seven years after the opening of business that slope
maintenance was mechanized. The domestic first slope maintenance car
which Ohara ironworks of Niigata joined in a technical tie-up with Swiss
maker and developed was deployed in Hirafu.
“Person in charge of slope maintenance got up at 2:00 a.m. or 3:00
before lift worked and maintained by slope maintenance car”. Because
there was not slope maintenance in the 1960s, work increased in
comparison with that time. 」

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 Let’s correct talk at the time of the opening of business. Satake
talks. Because “there was not night service of lift, service of lift
was finished at 5:00 in the evening”. During season, office work
director and most staff stayed overnight at office. Staff played a game
exclusively and spent night. Many people visited office for game. 」