Valve Bounce

Originally Posted By: loaf of bread The 4man chair, what's that Valve Bounce? What number are we up to? Here's a simple one. 45 Don't laugh at the idea of a good day trip from Tokyo. You can get a full day in using the Shink to a place like Yuzawa. Ace Quad. It took us 10 minutes to stagger 25 yards towards the green run. Wife said "let's go back to the cafe", so I turned around and the wind took me back in 5 seconds. I do think the runs could be better defined with colored disks like in Europe. The powder here is awesome. Lack of queues is Amazing.

Originally Posted By: Ocean11 danz, Have you got a full URL for that shop you mention? I like the look of Smith groggles, as they're designed for use with helmets (Oakley useless here as my skidlid has a chin guard and peak). I'm going to try playing big wraparounds that go over my glasses and hope to beat fogging that way until I can get groggles that work. Double fogging is twice as worse as single fogging, that's fer shuwa. Bought my Smith goggles 4 years ago. Still work. Only take them off once inside cafe.

Originally Posted By: Go Native I've never taken out skiing insurance. The insurance thing to me is as I said just the thin edge of the wedge. I hve to disagree. I was at Lake Louise when this huge guy hit me from behind as aI was about to enter the lift queue. Short story, I ended in Calgary hospital after 2 ambulance rides, and two weeks later, had further treatment on my return to HK. The cost in hospital n Canada worked out to $1000 approx per day. Then there was the doctors' fees, and ultrasound, and monitoring and numerous tests. Better to make sure you are insured than fin

Got caught in the blizzard above the 4man chair this morning.

Sorry for bad spelling, I have not worked out the edit properly.

OK, my view! Don't let the prices you. Work out the exchange rate first! Generally anything is less expensive here than in other ski resorts. Best value are the Chile wines., which are superb for apre ski at around 500Y. If you think food is costly at a top quality restuarant, then just think of the restuarant prices at home. This is a great resort, without the ripoff of the Trois Valles. I have ski-ed in the top resorts of Europe, and I think Niseko is just great. The snow is sffuperb.

Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads And presumably, the Apple Ipad not being as 'goor' is why you bought one. No! Very cheap! Got it at the PC "emporium" in Wan Chai. $220 US seemed OK

Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads If only the real ipad were 'useful', hey? Then the many millions of people who have them would be happy with them. Dissapointingly for the people who want it to fail, ipad till has no meaningful rival. Well, I paid $220 US for it and I have sent off 5 emails in 2days. I can also play youtube of Alwyn Davey of Essendon. Go Iped!!!! Apple's Ipad is not as goor as my Iped.

Trying to post using an android 2.2 Iped, and finding it difficult to edit. So sorry for mistakes.

Originally Posted By: Slippery Jim Valve Bounce, can't PM you for whatever reason. Orange jacket and either fuzzy red-orange or rabbit-fur hat; probably helmeted wife in tow. Yell if you see us. Sorry but I look different now. Went to Stanley Market and bought a Helli Hansen jacket foor $750 and a Spyder pants for $380. Both grey. That works out at aud$150, so junked the one piece. Am staying at thee Vale, room st403. Just fin ding our feet and we ar a bit shakey on first day.

Many thanks guys!! I'' write all this down before I leave Oz on Wed for 4 days in HK, then onto Niseko.

OK!how about some suggestions for where to eat in Niseko?

Send me an PM if you like.

Originally Posted By: Slippery Jim I'm also up for a few days from 28th, so I'll look for you! What color? Some sorta metallic greyish blue. I actually took it down to St Vinnies but they would accept it. True!! Then I was about to water proof the old red suit and found it was torn around the shoulder. So I binned the red suit and kept the metallic blue one.

Originally Posted By: Slippery Jim Will depend much on where you land, prospects are NOT good in Okinawa! Forgot to say we will be arriving Niseko. I will be the most outstanding skier on the slopes, no question. Outstanding as in standing out because I'll be the only person on the slopes with an old fashioned one piece ski suit which I bought about 15 years ago. So if you see me, please don't laugh; just wave.

I will arrive on Feb 28 and I expect lotsa snow.

Basically, you are paying a lot of money to go ski-ing at the wrong time of the season. If you can get there earlier, I would say :GO NOW! when the snow is in fantastic condition all over Japan. Basically, April sucks!! You are ski-ing on either slush, or grass and mud. Your choice. Save your money and go when the snow is good - like next January..

I may be outaline here in suggesting this, but I feel that it is always better if you ride with someone. Even the best riders can do a knee or meet a tree in the back country, and having a buddy there to help out and contact and direct ski patrol is always a bonus.

This continuing debate and argument surrounding accessing closed areas in this and other threads in this forum has me intrigued. Are skiers and board riders excluded from fenced areas because of safety concerns in such areas? or are such areas fenced just for the heck of it?

I'm going to enjoy my trip come Feb 28.

Originally Posted By: VeryNice Well I paid so fingers crossed it's all good and fingers crossed there's some powder set to fall. None on the forecast as yet... Colorado was heaps good though!! Good luck, man!! keep us posted

Originally Posted By: Chriselle Saw a guy get nabbed for ducking ropes by patrol at Happo last year. Patrol insisted he hand over his lift pass. The guy played dumb...maybe he wasn't playing...and would not give up the goods. I watched this go on for about 10 minutes as it was rather amusing. The patrol getting more and more pissed and the dude refusing to give up the pass. The really goofy thing about it was it was 3 in the afternoon and the day was about done anyway.. I said,,... It's 3 oclock and you're both morons.... and skied out... Well, I could try to say some rude s

Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps Interesting, never heard of that. Me neither; that was until we went looking for a new ski outfit for my wife. The Helly Hanson jacket has it, as well as many (if not all) of the North Face jackets, and many of the other top brands also. So I was impressed and looked up their website through Google and here it is: http://www.recco.com/ I don't need it I suppose, as I am well past the adventurous stage of life, but I guess many of the gung ho brigade might benefit from it.

Originally Posted By: Schneebored Just finalized by insurance for my Japan trip. Interesting how some insurers claim off piste insurance, but when you dig deeper you find that it is only off piste within resort boundaries...i.e no back country. Anyway found a good insurer (Insure4less) who have quiet clear literature which clearly states back country cover. Here's hoping you won't be needing it. Do you have a RECCO reflector for your jacket? It would be useful for off-piste riding.

Originally Posted By: MikePow As of Monday 31 January 2011 Niseko Hirafu village level measurements January snowfall - 6.0 m Season snowfall SO FAR - 9.02 m Keep this up man, please keep this up. I'll be there last day of Feb.