GordonFreeman

Related question... How much surface hoar is considered bad? Sitting on the lift today, you could see the hoar over the snow that hadn't been skied on, ie the glistening stuff.

Actually, I did Hakuba instead as there was a tiny bit of fresh snow and some cold days. All good

Bus stop 6 outside Nagano YEN 1,500 one way

I have a JR pass so that saves me on the Shinkansen.

Right...sod it, I'm going to Hakuba tomorrow, little bit of snow. Seems like the best route is shinkansen to nagano, then a highway bus. Where do the highway buses from Nagano leave from & What's the best way from Hakuba to Hakuba Goryu?

Any advice on these 2 backpacker accommodations? ...or others Annipuri Youth hostel YEN 3250 or 4930 with meals Kogen Youth hostel inc 2 meals 5935

Looks like rain Monday and Tuesday though? Any suggested cheap flight companies? Looking like YEN34,300 vs the 9,000 yen to get the night train there with my JR pass...

Maybe I should head up to Niseko Saturday night with all the snow forecasted?

So how many runs are worthwhile getting on between Hakuba Goryu, 47 and One? Gagging for some snow...

Cool - all good ideas. I guess the main problem is that this will take me up to around the 10th-12th. I doubt if there's gonna be enough snow by then

Done: Tokyo Kyoto Nara Hiroshima Matsuyama Beppu Onsens are cool but a lot of the hostels are empty outside of the cities. Not much good doing these things when there's noone about to share - not that sharing onsens is necessarily a good thing Takayama, Nagoya, then Hakuba...a thought

It shuts on the 15th I think, I'll be there tomorrow or day after. I've done Kyoto and Nara, I'm all templed out now, which is why I need a change It's a bit quiet everywhere and I think I'm actually running out of things to do...

I think I've seen all the temples I want to now. Just wondering on this itinerary if there's anything else I could add for the next few weeks: Day 1 Osaka around town/night out Day 2 Tokyo around town/night out Day 3 Tokyo fish market and wander Day 4 Nagano and to the monkey onsen. Possible skiing in following days, if not: Day 5 overnight to Sapporo Day 6 Sapporo Day 7 Sapporo Possible skiing in following days, if not ?????

Sapporo in winter, really? Long way back to Osaka I guess if the snow doesn't come by the 10th.

So, what are some good places to see in Japan while we wait for the snow? I've been everywhere SOuth that I want to go to, maybe Osaka and back to Tokyo for a few days but if the snow dfoesn't come soon I might have to leave for SE Asia.

So how many runs are worthwhile getting on between Hakuba Goryu, 47 and One? Gagging for some snow...

Munter works on angle of slop though. Are you saying because the snowpack is bonded better, then angle for an avalanche needs to be less or greater (I know there's lots of factors). Is there more moisture in the air in mountains next to marine environments?

Let's start one for each resort

Done Erm, the SJ site says the daytime temp in Hakuba is plus 9 but the snowforecast site says around freezing with snow coming.

I need a change from all these temples! Is Niseko good to go to now or still too early?

would Niseko be better now? Less snow but colder so no freeze/thaw crap

I'm only here til end December but just wanted to get some skiing in now to make a change of scenery. WouldI be better with Niseko then? I'm in my early career for off piste so looks like anything near the groomers. The report says there's 100cm snow at the top...

I need a change from all these temples! Is Hakuva good to go to now or still too early?

Originally Posted By: telehugh Local wind patterns are less predictable than in Europe, slopes are less steep and in most locations we are skiing on marine snow pack. Personally I wouldn't use the Munter method in Europe or in Japan. I take a much simpler approach - watch the weather, talk to people more experienced than me, think about the route, dig a pit, maybe dig another pit, watch the terrain. Marine snowpack as in hot air rising quickly and cooling on mountain ranges close to the sea? What's the difference in snow structure?

Can the Munter reduction method be used for off piste skiing in Japan. I understand the prevailing wind is Westerly so any wind slab would be deposited on eastern facing slopes rather than NE as in Europe. Just a theoretical question...