Nagae
Katsuro was devoted to design of course of ALPEN lift and mountain
cottage where we could stay at. Some improvement based on experience of
4 seasons in KOGEN lift was considered to be. For example, they were to
do installing lift platform in low land where skier came into at the
last minute naturally and lift person in charge crew room and mountain
cottage office in one building. Nagae designed logo mark that
surrounded squirrel in circle.

　Lift place to get off was plan to set up at first in the vicinity of
“UMANOSE” in national forest. However, on account of the procedure,
setting place of place to get off will be changed in municipal ownership
place that permission has been already granted to.

　It was with half board, and the hotel charges of mountain cottage were
1,000 yen. Rate was more expensive than Guest House, but provided
luxurious supper which did pork steak in Maine.

　The staff of gathering the best people repeated strenuous efforts toward the opening of business in the night and day.

　However, achievements in the establishment of a business first year
were sluggish. As for the cause, it was thought about two. As for the
first cause, Saint Moritz Lift Co., Ltd. had only one lift to have two
lifts in NISEKO KOGEN KANKO Co., Ltd. The second cause was that there
was position of place to get off of lift to insufficient height not to
arrive to height of national land. On the other hand, good location of
mountain cottage was supported because sales staying thing of mountain
cottage were good.

　In 1966 of the second establishment of a business season,
construction of the second lift was urgent business. Nagae was engaged
earnestly in securing of fund. We took advice of Akiyama Aritoshi of
Director of federation of Niseko ski (the Kucchancho Konpira temple
chief priest) into account and decided to fix mountaintop station of
the second lift on 800 meters of plateaus. As for the high difference
of lift, 300 meters, lift extension are 1,000 meters. Construction was
started in September. Construction was pushed forward at a fast pace,
and aim of service start was in sight in the new year of 1967.

　However, problem of lack of electricity occurred suddenly.
Electricity of skiing area transmitted electricity with power line
which Yamada district had in those days. Saint Moritz Lift Co., Ltd.
was going to use this power line, too, but capacity of this power line
was insufficient so that two companies used.

　Therefore Saint Moritz Lift Co., Ltd. changed power supply to diesel
generation and started service of the second lift on 1st on schedule in
January, 1967.

　This thing was the beginning, and good relations between Saint
Moritz Lift Co., Ltd. and NISEKO KOGEN KANKO Co., Ltd. reached the end.
After this, both companies competed for expansion of lift each other and
built the basics as of thing of HIRAFU skiing area.

　The above is process that two lift service companies were organized
in HIRAFU district. Nagae Katsuro of executive director who led Saint
Moritz Lift Co., Ltd. for many years retired from company in 1986.