SnowStash
ForecastsCompareNews
SnowStash Logo

Live snow, webcams and expert resort guides for the world's mountains - plan your next day on snow.

hello@snowstash.com
Download on the App Store

Destinations

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • United States

Company

  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Privacy Policy

Explore

  • Compare Resorts
  • News & Updates
  • Snow Forecast
  • Mobile App

© 2026 SnowStash. All rights reserved.

    Hokkaido, Japan · Indy Pass

    Mount Racey

    404m vertical, 22 runs, 8m annual snow. Central Hokkaido's most accessible resort, 55km from airport. Indy Pass.

    Season 2025-2026
    Opens
    6 Dec 2025
    Closes
    30 Mar 2026
    Days open
    114
    Annual snow
    8m
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Mount Racey operates 22 runs across 185 acres with 404 metres of vertical drop, rising from a 298-metre base to a 702-metre summit. The ski area receives 8 metres of annual snowfall and divides terrain 20 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, and 40 percent advanced. The longest run stretches 3,500 metres from summit to base, whilst tree skiing opportunities exist throughout the mountain's northwest-facing slopes. Indy Pass holders receive two days of access each season.

    Terrain spreads across primarily northwest-facing slopes below the treeline, with Beginners A and B courses occupying wide groomed zones near the base. Intermediate trails wind down the mountain's midsection, whilst advanced runs include a 43-degree pitch on the Raccoon Line. The resort features a freestyle park and dedicated kids park, with tree skiing drawing those seeking ungroomed powder between marked trails. Lower elevation compared to neighbouring resorts means sheltered conditions during stormy weather.

    The mountain base sits in Yubari, a former coal mining town in the Sorachi region with a population around 6,000. Hotel Mount Racey connects directly to the gondola station via an enclosed bridge and offers onsen facilities. School groups frequent weekdays during winter months, but the mountain rarely sees significant crowds. Tanpopo restaurant operates at mid-mountain, serving ramen and Japanese ski lodge staples.

    Indy Pass inclusion makes Mount Racey accessible to international visitors touring central Hokkaido alongside larger resorts like Furano (94 kilometres northeast) and Tomamu (85 kilometres east). The 2025-2026 season runs 6 December through 30 March. Lower elevation and sheltered positioning suit skiers seeking reliable operations when wind shuts higher-altitude lifts. The resort serves beginners well whilst offering sufficient challenge for competent intermediates and off-piste exploration.

    404m
    Vertical
    22
    Runs
    185 acres
    Skiable
    8m
    Annual snow
    Indy Pass
    Pass
    The Terrain

    22 runs across 185 acres skiable

    Mount Racey spreads 22 runs across 185 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 4 beginner runs to find your feet and 9 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.

    Terrain split
    22
    runs
    22 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner4 runs · 20%
    Intermediate9 runs · 40%
    Advanced9 runs · 40%
    Expert0 runs · 0%
    Time it right

    When to visit Mount Racey

    The 2025-2026 season operates 6 December 2025 through 30 March 2026, spanning roughly 16 weeks. Mount Racey typically opens earlier than high-altitude Hokkaido resorts due to accessible terrain and reliable snowmaking. Operations run daily throughout the season, weather permitting. The mountain closed its season programme in recent years as budget constraints affected ancillary services.

    Annual snowfall averages 8 metres, typical for central Hokkaido but below the 10-15 metre totals at higher-elevation resorts. Northwest-facing slopes hold snow quality through midwinter, whilst western exposure limits afternoon sun damage. The 298-metre base elevation means occasional rain events during warm spells, though temperatures generally remain subfreezing December through February. Powder conditions peak January through mid-February when Siberian systems deliver consistent dry snow.

    December through January offers quieter slopes and reliable snow coverage, with peak crowds arriving during Japanese New Year holidays. February delivers the deepest snowpack and coldest temperatures. March sees spring conditions develop, with firmer morning snow softening by afternoon. Weekdays remain quiet except during school holidays, whilst weekends attract day visitors from Sapporo.

    The resort previously hosted night skiing sessions but discontinued the service. No major events currently appear on the calendar. The mountain's proximity to New Chitose Airport makes it suitable for arrival or departure day skiing when time is limited. Kids lessons run throughout the season for ages 3 to 9.

    Season 2025-2026
    6 Dec 2025
    Opens
    30 Mar 2026
    Closes
    114
    Days open
    8 m
    Annual snow
    Getting there

    Getting to Mount Racey, and where to stay

    Mount Racey sits in Yubari city within the Sorachi subprefecture of central Hokkaido, 702 metres above sea level at the summit. Yubari occupies a mountain valley in the Yubari Range, stretching 25 kilometres through coal mining territory that once supported 120,000 residents. The city now holds roughly 6,000 people following mine closures through the 1960s energy transition. Mountains surround the resort, creating a sheltered basin below the main Hokkaido ski belt.

    Yubari lies 66 kilometres east of Sapporo and 55 kilometres northeast of New Chitose Airport, making Mount Racey the closest ski resort to Hokkaido's primary international gateway. The city sits in a valley accessed via Route 274, avoiding steep mountain passes that affect higher resorts. Yubari gained recognition for melon cultivation and the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival before declaring bankruptcy in 2007.

    Route 274 provides direct access from New Chitose Airport in approximately 1 hour, whilst Sapporo lies 1 hour 30 minutes west. The drive from Furano takes 1 hour 30 minutes covering 94 kilometres. No major mountain passes obstruct winter access, keeping roads passable during storms that close routes to other resorts. Yubari IC on the Doto Expressway sits 20 minutes from the mountain base.

    New Chitose Airport serves as the primary gateway, located 53 kilometres southwest with international connections throughout Asia and domestic links across Japan. Yutetsu Bus operates between Shin-Sapporo Station bus terminal and the resort. Hotel Mount Racey previously offered free shuttle service from the airport for guests. The Yubari Line train service closed in 2019, leaving road transport as the sole public access option.

    Where to stay

    Search all stays →

    Hotels and lodges near Mount Racey, powered by Stay22.

    Latest News

    From the SnowStash desk

    View all news →
    Sugar Bowl, California, Rebuilds Its Historic Village Gondola

    Sugar Bowl, California, Rebuilds Its Historic Village Gondola

    The rumours are true: Sugar Bowl is tearing out its Emerald gondola, in place since 1983, and replacing it with a new 8-person Doppelmayr system - nearly doubling uphill capacity to 1,800 people an hour. It's the fourth generation of a gondola line that dates back to 1953, when Sugar Bowl became the first resort on the West Coast to run one at all, and it's just one piece of a $100 million overhaul touching lodges, parking and snowmaking. Here's what's changing, and what's staying the same.

    23 Aug 2026
    Two Confirmed Dead as Search Continues After Swiss Alps Fire

    Two Confirmed Dead as Search Continues After Swiss Alps Fire

    The death toll from Thursday night's fire at Restaurant Beverin in Thusis, Switzerland, has begun to firm up. One Swiss outlet, citing Graubünden Cantonal Police, reports that two of the five people initially reported missing have now been confirmed dead, leaving three unaccounted for. The building's collapsed stairwell and structural instability have slowed recovery efforts throughout. Here's what's changed since the fire broke out, and what's still unconfirmed.

    22 Aug 2026
    Selwyn Snow Resort Closes Early as Rain Ends Its 2026 Season

    Selwyn Snow Resort Closes Early as Rain Ends Its 2026 Season

    Selwyn Snow Resort has called an early end to its 2026 season, a day after Victoria's Mount Baw Baw did the same. Rain on Thursday stripped what was left of the snowpack, and the cold nights needed to rebuild it through snowmaking never arrived. It's a rough result for a resort that only just found its footing again after being burned to the ground in the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires and a multi-year rebuild. Here's how the season fell apart, and where Selwyn's been since the fire.

    22 Aug 2026
    Mt Baw Baw Becomes First Australian Resort to Close for 2026

    Mt Baw Baw Becomes First Australian Resort to Close for 2026

    Mt Baw Baw is calling time on its 2026 season this Sunday at 5pm, becoming the first Australian resort to close for the year after warm spells and rain wore through its snowpack. Lifts stop, but the resort stays open, entry fees get waived, and there's one last Bollywood Weekend before the lights go out. Fifty-seven days after opening, here's how the season ended and what it means for the rest of Australia's struggling snowpack.

    21 Aug 2026
    Arosa to Replace 40-Year-Old Hörnli Lifts With New Gondola and Chair

    Arosa to Replace 40-Year-Old Hörnli Lifts With New Gondola and Chair

    Arosa's Hörnli sector is getting its biggest overhaul in decades. The 1986 gondola and 1994 chairlift linking toward Lenzerheide are both being replaced, with capacity up, tower count down and a new base station lower on the hill. At roughly CHF 67 million, it is the largest single investment Arosa Bergbahnen has ever made - and the target opening has already slipped a year, to December 2028. Here is what is changing, and why the timeline moved.

    20 Aug 2026
    Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter

    Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter

    Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.

    19 Aug 2026
    Levi and Ruka Confirm October 2 Opening on Farmed Summer Snow

    Levi and Ruka Confirm October 2 Opening on Farmed Summer Snow

    Finland's Levi and Ruka open for the 2026-27 season on October 2, more than seven weeks before most of Europe sees a lift turn. Neither resort is waiting on autumn snowfall - both are skiing on snow buried since last spring, insulated through the Finnish summer and dug back out for opening day. It is not a shortcut. It is a decades-old system now spreading from the Arctic Circle to Idaho, Utah, Vermont and Colorado. Here is how snow farming actually works, and why it is catching on.

    19 Aug 2026
    Sölden's Old Einzeiger Chairlift Gets a Second Life in Montafon

    Sölden's Old Einzeiger Chairlift Gets a Second Life in Montafon

    Silvretta Montafon is replacing its ageing Freda chairlift - but not with something new. The resort is having a 1999 four-seater chairlift, retired from Sölden, dismantled, shipped to Vorarlberg and rebuilt with new electronics, cable and clamps. It has to be running before March 2027, when Silvretta Montafon hosts the FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships - the biggest winter sports event Vorarlberg has staged. Here's how a reused lift ends up cheaper.

    18 Aug 2026

    Live webcams

    1 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.

    About Mount Racey's live webcams

    Check live conditions across Mount Racey with 1 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.

    Camera guide

    Base Area1100m
    Stay connected to operations at Mount Racey through this essential Mount Racey webcam positioned at the base area at 1100 meters elevation in Hokkaido. This Mount Racey live cam captures the main lodge, lift loading zones, and arrival area, providing real-time views of current snow conditions and guest activity. Perfect for assessing morning conditions and crowd levels, this live snow cam helps families plan their visit to this local favorite, while this Mount Racey web cam showcases the welcoming atmosphere and consistent Hokkaido powder that makes this community resort a hidden gem for authentic Japanese skiing experiences.

    Mount Racey snow cams FAQ

    How often do Mount Racey snow cams update?+
    All Mount Racey snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Mount Racey.
    Which Mount Racey webcam shows the best powder conditions?+
    The high-elevation Base Area webcam at 1,100m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Mount Racey webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
    Can I see Mount Racey lift queues on the webcams?+
    Yes. Multiple Mount Racey snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
    When is the best time to check Mount Racey snow cams?+
    Check Mount Racey webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
    How can I check current conditions before buying Mount Racey lift tickets?+
    Use our Mount Racey webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
    Do Mount Racey webcams work on mobile devices?+
    Yes. All Mount Racey snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.

    More Mount Racey intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.