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agillgren

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Everything posted by agillgren

  1. agillgren
    I meant about Kiroro and Tiene. I can only imagine how messy Niseko is getting now after 5 days of no snow.
  2. agillgren
    10/2/14 Woke up to about 15cm of fresh fluffy stuff at Tomamu with a mostly bluebird day. Registered to get our hideous bibs allowing off piste riding and set out. I do like the off piste policy here-- your pretty much allowed everywhere as long as you accept the risk and where a helmet. If there is a rope it's for a reason. They have good terrain for it with open tree runs all popping nicely out onto groomers at the end. In most places you could still feel the firm base under the powder-- but there were some very nice runs to be found in the trees which where deep enough to prope
  3. agillgren
    Don't tell the hoards….. they might start fighting for freshies.
  4. agillgren
    Booked onto the Aurora for tomorrow morning.
  5. agillgren
    Thanks Goz. Any hotel recommendations around there-- sorry wrong person to ask--- you were in the car weren't you….
  6. agillgren
    Wow. Lucky Teine. That came out of no where. Blue skies here in the east of Hokkiado - but powder was found easily enough at a quiet resort (well so I was told).
  7. agillgren
    Nice pics… that does look good.
  8. agillgren
    Thanks guys. We're going to head east through Abashiri to hopefully see the drift ice, then back through Sounkyo and the spa ice festival. We've stayed in Sapporo and Otaru before so decided on somewhere different whilst we have some time. After that if still no snow then beer and sushi it is...
  9. agillgren
    Ideas please!!! I'm slightly injured… and the forecast looks woeful (read not good enough to make any pain worth while). So the question is…. what do you do in Hokkiado in winter if not snowboarding. Seriously, I've never thought about anything other than snowboarding here. So any suggestions would be welcome. We have a car are willing to drive around and have about 5 days to kill.
  10. agillgren
    Nice! Yeah we stopped in and had a walk around the base station. Looks like there would be some OK terrain there.
  11. agillgren
    Saturday was a lovely day at Kiroro! Nice pics again Mike.
  12. agillgren
    9/2/14 No new snow Niseko way for 2 days… but a promising forecast to the east. We took a gamble (price was a nights paid accom in Niseko we gave up) and decided to make a drive toward Tomamu. So today was a sightseeing/driving day. Morning drive had some nice sightseeing around Toya lake and a mountain pass on the "scenic" route we thought we would try. The GPS seemed to think the mountain pass wouldn't be open and got really angry when we kept going the wrong way . Must learn how to shut that thing up.. but all the menu is in japanese writing. We stopped at Sunlavia
  13. agillgren
    We took the risk and drove to Tomamu way.. and it seems we found the new fresh snow in Hokkaido. Over 5cm here already and it looks like it's setting in for the night. Fingers crossed by tomorrow morning should be a nice covering. I've never seen a front here where the snow comes from the east/south before. Have a look at the JMA radar...
  14. agillgren
    After seeing that there may have been snow closer to Otaru we decided on Kiroro this morning. It was well worth it. We had one of those rare beautiful bluebird days. Even though there wasn't much overnight snow the cold temps kept the snow in great condition and there was still plenty of fresh lines to be found in bounds. I'd say maybe all those don't ride off piste signs are working-- but more likely that there is just so much terrain). The resort was busy but mostly with locals form Sapporo. We could see the more adventurous choosing lines in the back country-- a few riders may
  15. agillgren
    WV it was busier than I've seen it in previous years. There was a wait for the quad at times… but it was on go slow from wind. And there is plenty of terrain available.
  16. agillgren
    Well. 2014 trip has begun with style. 5/2/2014 Picked up our trusty wagon and ready to go. Seemed clear as we landed but as we headed towards Niseko the snow got heavier. Probably the heaviest snow we had driven in… so slow going but no complaining here. We're basing ourselves at Higashiyama for the first 5 nights and then we'll see how the forecast looks after that. 6/2/2014 About 20-30cm overnight. With forecast of wind to pick up we decided to head to Rusutsu to find shelter in the trees. Along with what felt like half of Hirafu…. defiantly seemed busier than in
  17. agillgren
    Actually both those places are just as busy as Niseko now. May as well stay there everyone!!
  18. agillgren
    I concur.. Only two days here so far. Rusutsu and Moiwa. But both places looking much busier than in previous years. The hoards are spreading! Still great fun though… I suppose still quiet relatively speaking.
  19. agillgren
    Great. The one I found must have been an older copy without the coordinates. Thanks everyone
  20. agillgren
    Two weeks till our 2014 trip and the snow stalking and general frothing at the mouth is in full swing. One of the things I always like to do is start reading the area/avi reports to get an idea of what condition the snow pack is is. This was in today's niseko now avalanche report: "The upper sections of Annupuri West Ridge are often glare ice, ice crust and generally very difficult snow conditions. Yesterday Hirafu Patrol rescued a guided tour customer on West Ridge. This is no place for guides to be taking customers. If you want to ride the west face and sidewalls please take the North
  21. agillgren
    Nice thread OzSB. You've definitely been getting around. I take it this part of the trip more for the sight seeing then the snow? How long was the drive out to Shiretoko from say Tomamu or Sapporo? And was the sea ice worth it?
  22. agillgren
    We stayed in one of the standard middle of the range hotels (western room with japanese breaky) last year for around 8000 yen per night twin share (so 4000 each) in the centre of Asahikawa Was nothing flash but did the job. You can probably find cheaper if you look around. We were 5min walk from a heap of restaurants. So loads of good value choices for dinner. When we went looking for coffee/other breaky options not many places were open till after 8am.
  23. agillgren
    We got lucky and had a nice 2-30cm day in Tomamu and then followed it to Sahoro last year. Loads of fun. But then when we were in Asahikawa we had a dry spell.(had a good day in Kamui the year before). Hence this year was thinking how we could do it better. I think the problem is my Australia driving brain doesn't factor snow and mountainous roads so interprets a 110km drive short 1 hour spin.
  24. agillgren
    Thanks everyone. Maybe we'll compromise. Base ourselves Kutchan way for the first 5 days (easy drive to Rusutsu, Moiwa, Niseko, Kiroro ect) and then see where from there for the last 5 days. I'm thinking if it looks like a good coming head north to Asahikawa or inland to Sahoro way. Otherwise stay in Otaru or Sapporo and be close to the other places there. Goziamaas what your saying with the nightly travel. Was more thinking of which city to base ourselves in for a few days at a time. The northern and inland resorts can be good I reacon...but you can also get skunked with a dry sp
  25. agillgren
    I figure in the cities we'll be fine. Last year we changed our accommodation dates on the fly in Otaru no problem. Pretty nice/fancy hotel for only $100 too. We're happy staying in the cities and not always at resorts (although I'm not sure about love hotels)... just wasn't sure if there are many business hotels in Kutchan? I can't see much on hotel search sites.... And we are booking flights now

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