Mick Rich

I've just tried to call the big G on the number listed on their resort page but am getting a recorded message that my poor nihongo can't follow! Their web site also doesn't appear to have been updated since last year, which I can only assume is due to the staff now being too busy due to the influx of international punters, though does make me wonder whether it's actually open!! Can anyone confirm whether it's:- 1) still open; 2) open on Monday, namely this Monday 10th? Thanks in advance Granview fans!

Hadn't heard of them before but looking at their website, I see there's a branch in Kanda, which means you could have a browse through the nearby snowboarding shops then wander over for a beer and pizza pie! Hey Tubby, are you at liberty to confirm or deny the continued existence of the afore-mentioned gloves sale?

Did someone mention Gassan? This might help:- http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/21609-lets-gassan/page__hl__gassan__fromsearch__1 I could well be persuaded to make this year the year that I finally make it up there!!

Wrong Peetan, wrong!!

You (or Peetan) need help, pies!!

ki wo tsukete, ne Tubby!!

I don't want to wake her up!!

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think someone said the big G was now only open at weekends?? That being the case (and excluding hiking options, as it's way too high for that!), it looks like tomorrow or next season!!

Well the weekday closures aren't helping but I'm currently looking at possibly getting up there tomorrow afternoon, then staying 2 nights for 2 days of riding at Maiko and Kagura/Naeba!! Possibly!

So what you're saying Muika, is that I really SHOULD repack my snowboard bag and get myself up to Paradise Valley pdq!!

Though that is a delicious, if rather interesting-looking "pizza"!

Well providing my legs recover in time after today's fun at Myoko, on Sunday I'm tentatively planning to kick off a Niigata trip with a long-anticipated trip to the biGgest, gReAtest aNd Very possIbly thE Wildest resort in the prefecture, if not the country! Maybe ;-)

Cheers Muika! Am trying to put together a 2-3 day trip to Paradise Alley on or around Sun/Mon/Tues/Weds next week, but the wind looks like it's going to cause problems :-(

Muika, how about Maiko?

Nice one Tubby!!

Update: my legs have called it a day! The snow clouds and wind came in after lunch which also made it much colder but still fun :-) The top lift has been open all day so I've basically been lapping that. Only used the gondola once, first thing this morning and the gondola side runs on the way home. To give you an idea of how busy it's been, on that run down to base (at 2:15) I was still slashing untracked powder on the sides and in the trees just off-piste all the way down :-))) Oh, and it's dumping now!!!

Update from Suginohara:- it's on like donkey kong!! Never been here b4 but with a foot+ of new powder on a weekday, I'm getting fresh lines all over the shop and the top trees runs are some of the best I've ever ridden! Following the advice in the reviews and above, I've stayed over in the Mitahara Zone and have yet to explore all the tree areas, which I'm going to do after I've finished this katsudon ;-) More later!

Morning all from a calm, semi-sunny Myoko!! Am currently the only punter here but then it is only half seven!! The bus dropped me off about 2km from the resort (worryingly, I was the only person who got off) but a local ojisan who I asked for directions, kindly got his truck out and gave me a lift - I love this country!! Back to the bus, for some unknown reason it was half empty, so I had the luxury of a double seat to myself which meant that I could actually get some sleep for a change! & ippy, I don't know what you paid but a big locker here is 500Yen, which was about par for the cou

In a hut, per chance??

Nice face-plant!!

Flippin' hope so! Sounds as you've got a Marmite kind of relationship with the place ippy! Thanks for the cliff warnings though! Hopefully the current return to mid-winter conditions will make it more surfy than sticky!! Reports to follow in due course :-)

yokatta! But don't you mean pizza dough!

Please feel free to delete this David if it falls foul of forum rules (and apologies if it does) but Tubby's trip to Teine today reminded me that I saw a decent gloves sale in the shop at the Highland base when I was there last week! There was 50% off the whole range from the company that share's the same name as the capital of the country that is the home of pizza and pasta, if you catch my drift! I would have bought some if I'd had enough cash on me and now regret not using my flexible friend!! I hasten to add that I neither work for the afore-mentioned ski resort or snowboarding brand b

Damn those non-payers!! Will take some cheesy photos for you David! As for Faceback or whatever it's called, sadly (or not, as the case might be!) I'm a firm non-believer!

I think I prefer the anagrams: SOLD FAT or OLD FAST or even SOD FLAT!