Smaller than Rusutsu, La Ponte is owned and run by a very friendly bunch of locals. From the moment they picked us up at our door till then they dropped us off again we felt like we were spending the day as the private (and only) guests of a family owned resort.

We paid the extra $13 to get a ride to the top of the resort before lifts opened and with our private guides we got first tracks within the resort. We split into two groups of 4 and 5 each with a guide. After some warnings about the avalanche danger - it had been snowing for days - each group went off in opposite directions to trash the powder on the main runs within the resort.

What's that - we ride on the back?

The facilities did have us wondering.

But then again there was this...

Paul
Meg
Georgina
Steve
Dan