Gate 3 – Hirafu peak gate

Location 

Take Ace Gondola, followed by King Hooded 6 and King lift #4 to access gate #3 

20-30min hike required to get to the peak 

Gate 3 sits at the top of King Single Lift #4, also known as the Pizza Box. It is also accessible via Ace Pair Lift #4, followed by a short traverse/walk to the gate entrance. From here, a 20–30–minute hike will take you to the summit of Mt. Annupuri (1,308 m). This gate offers highly diverse terrain, with a wide variety of route options and exit points. 

• Finish Point 

Multiple options  

• What is the vertical meter difference. 

1308-408m 

Terrain 

• What kind of terrain is it, why is it a certain challenge level 

East Ridge  

From the summit, near the hut, the terrain drops back toward Hanazono via the East Ridge. This is the most accessible descent from the top — a wide, open face with roughly 300 metres of vertical and no tree cover, allowing for clean, uninterrupted lines. The pitch eases as you approach the tree line, merging into terrain commonly reached from Gates 4 and 5. From there, a traverse skier’s right leads back to the Hanazono #3 lift without requiring a hike. 

East ridge terrain (Fujiwara no sawa): 60% trees, 40% open terrain 

North Face  

From the summit, move past the hut and orient toward Weiss Mountain to access the North Face bowl. The aspect is exposed and frequently wind-affected, so expect variable and often firm conditions on entry. 

Line choice is critical. Staying higher keeps you within manageable terrain, while committing too far down the face will push you beyond the standard return routes. Exits from lower on the face require a hike out, unless pre-arranged pickup is available from Route 58. 

North face: 20% trees, 80% open terrain  

West Face 

This zone sees minimal traffic due to the effort required to return to the resort. Access back to Hanazono or Annupuri involves a long exit, making skins or snowshoes essential for efficient travel. 

For those willing to commit, this area consistently holds untracked snow well beyond the last storm cycle. 

Access begins at the summit, following the ridge line away from the hut. The North Face remains to one side, with the back bowl on the other, as you continue along the ridge. The terrain gradually opens out, leading into the broader western face with multiple descent options. 

West face: 10% trees, 90% open terrain 

Back Bowl 

As the Gate 3 bootpack begins to level out near the summit hut, Kozan No Sawa opens up to skier’s left. This is a more technical zone, best suited to advanced riders, with convex rollovers, exposed rocks, and steeper gully features shaping the descent. 

From the top, the ridge line toward Annupuri and Moiwa offers multiple steep entry points for more direct lines. Alternatively, staying left off the track provides a more moderate pitch into the bowl. 

The terrain here naturally gathers snow from multiple aspects, often delivering deeper and more consistent conditions. All lines funnel into a defined gully system, leading back down to the base of the Annupuri resort. 

Back bowl: 50% trees, 50% open terrain