Method
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Posts posted by Method
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The first picture is from the base of Mt Annupuri (looking up the Nth face, that which faces Iwaonupuri) just off where the road would normally go through past Goshiki,(Goshiki is to the right of frame) the ridge on the right is what you would need to hike over to the back bowl. The second picture is just a closer view of the gully on the right just below that ridge.
Nice 1 TEX!
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If nothing else do the level 1 course and read bruce trempers book staying alive in avalanche terrain. The knowledge is your biggest tool.
Another one for reading that book (or another similar one) and doing an AST-1 course. Would also go beacon, shovel & probe before the bag if you plan to ride with others..
Also, you can not fly with or air freight the ABS air canisters (even empty from what I hear). So getting it to Niseko would be a mission.
Also, you can not fly with or air freight the ABS air canisters (even empty from what I hear). So getting it to Niseko would be a mission.That's incorrect, as I said in my original post, a FULL gas canister can be taken, but it must be taken as carry-on and you must inform the airline beforehand.
The USA is the exception, where you can only take an EMPTY cylinder, which is a TSA requirement so they can check inside the cylinder, NOT an airline requirement.
So in the USA is not a problem if you are taking self re-fillable cylinders (e.g. BCA), but ABS (non-refillable) you will need to get a cylinder locally.
If I was taking an ABS brand (they are nitrogen filled so there's no risk putting it in your checked bag), I'd be tempted to put it in my checked luggage.
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goz
I will be in hokkaido alone also and looking to ride with like minded peoplewhen will that be? I will be there on the 26th for a week and then late january again.
Yes, I have a beacon, probe and shovel!
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Thanks for the info guys.
To get back to Niseko, you can hike past goshiki onsen (leaving the road on your right) and over the shoulder to drop back into AnnupuriI didn't even think of this, I'd like to do this in reasonable weather (and get an early start).
I'm guessing after leaving the road near goshiki you would just traverse around to the left and that would spit you out at the bottom of the back-bowl (kozan-no-sawa) roughly where it flattens out and the big rolling half pipe starts.
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I'd buy the transceiver, shovel, probe etc before I bought the ABS bag
I'd actually go the other way, if you had to choose between one or the other, I think I'd take the airbag - well the reality is, if you can afford an airbag then you can afford a beacon, probe and shovel. You going to pay all this money for a holiday, airfares, snow gear, accom etc and you can't spend an extra $300USD on a beacon, shovel and probe? I'm not criticising btw, I bought a new shell/pants this year for a cool $700 and I remember baulking at the airbag (which I haven't bought yet, but will do) because of the price - how silly!
RE: the weight factor. If you can't carry an extra 5kg worth of safety gear in the backcountry without major discomfort, I'd question what you're doing out there. Your board or skis/poles + clothes probably weigh more than that!
Branching slightly off topic - I've gone out in the backcountry with people I've met only "briefly" and in retrospect I think it was a mistake not to at least spend a few minutes talking honestly about your level of experience and knowledge should there be some problem i.e. avalanche. Remember, if you are buried, you're TOTALLY 100% dependent on the people you're out there with. It's like drowning in slightly slow motion. I think I'd rather be floating on top of the snow not relying on someone to dig me out, to get back to your "airbag or beacon" question.
Having said all that, I find, GENERALLY SPEAKING (i.e. not all the time!), that the avalanche risk on Hokkaido in mid-winter is much lower than other northern hemisphere locations. The snowpack is deep, it's nice and cold pretty much all the time, there's rarely any cold still nights that encourge surface hoar. The major problem is probably wind-loading loading of leeward slopes or cross-loading (kozan-no-sawa is a good example, although that gets plenty of skier compaction), although, of course people have died in the niseko BC, fujiwara-no-sawa (named after someone who died there btw), kozan-no-sawa etc.
Regarding transportation with a full gas cylinder, you must carry the cylinder as carry-on baggage and you must inform the airline before-hand. The exception to this is the USA, where you'll have to have the cylinder empty and open for the homeland security people to inspect inside, which creates it's own set of logistical problems. Do a google search on this for IATA documentation, particularly when it comes to somewhere like Japan.
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I wouldn't bother, weiss is flat and boring. On a nice day you can see it from high up on the hanazono side of mt niseko-annupuri and you will see what I mean.
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Hi anyone skinned Iwaonuopuri?
From the looks of things, Route 58 is closed (in winter) past Goshiki. I'm guessing you could just park the car at Goshiki and skin from there. Anyone got any relevant info e.g. creeks to avoid, best aspect to skin up and ride down, time needed etc + any other relevant info?
I've done Nitonupuri (1 peak back towards chisenupuri).
Thanks.
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If you're under the impression Australia doesn't have any good mountains / snow, think again... This is Mt Feathertop in Victoria on the 1st of September.
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Mike Pow,
Fabulous image.Tilt shift?
Glad you like it, the tilt/shift effect was done in photoshop.
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NZ had a pretty average year, apart from early september that is!!
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Yo d2, dont live in japan but go there at least twice a year in winter (for last 5 winters in a row) i am in anchorage now heading billy mitchell way this fri 9 march for heli, but want some earned turns too (splitboarder), this stupid thingy wont let me pm you.
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Sick!
The first song had me going out of my mind trying to recall it but its chemical bros.
How long did it take to get up? How long did it take to get down?
Yes, 1st track on the video is chemical bros.
To the top of the volcano (which is not the top of tokachidake, but close) it took about 2-3 hours from hakuginsou (onsen/hotel). We did 2 laps of the volcano, if you got there early you could easily crank out 4 descents as you are not going all the way to the bottom each time (unless you like flat, deep powder). Descent took all of a few minutes, the top section of the volcano is naturally quite icy as it's exposed and we only really went to the top of crater just for the experience, not the snow. Lower down where it's less exposed the snow was really nice. The ski back to the car was mega flat, but that's where skiers suddenly become your best friends and cut you a nice track!
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... sat in an onsen (quietly ignoring the fact that there are old naked men near you) with a couple of tins of [insert name of your favourite alcoholic bevvy here] and seen the exact line you took down some of hokkaido's finest epic fluffiness...
The onsen at Hakuginsou looking up at Tokachidake
Niseko is just a small hill compared to this!
Hakuginsou looking down from the Volcano
Near the top of the Volcano
Made it to the top of the volcano!
Just another average morning cleaning the snow off your car in Hokkaido in January!
Mmmm, the journey down...
Just my glove!
More fluffy goodness!
Token skier shot for you 2 plankers...
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Karakorams are the shiznizzle in splitboard bindings, they make voiles look like some relic from the 15th century. I just spent half of January touring around hokkaido using them.
They're not especially cheap (like any bindings I suppose). I can't understand the japanese obsession with snowshoes (perhaps when gentem come out with a splitty things will change!), once you "split", you will never go back, trust me!
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If you're gonna go BC near rusutsu, shiribetsudake is the go! I did it the other week and i've gotta say, it was insane. Nice and steep (so pay attention to the snow stability and route finding). I always thought the easiest way would be via the west mountain lifts then skin N/NE along the ridgeline, but this would be potentially icy and exposed, and you're not gonna come out where you started which makes the runout on the flats that little bit harder. There's really easy access from the 257 road (runs north/south) on the western side and the hoof up takes no time at all. We climbed and descended the gully on the north side of the west peak. It's a solid 40 degrees on the top part. Unless you go over one of the ridges, that gully will funnel you back the way you came up, so it's fine in low vis and all below the treeline. the runout's flat but as long as you get back in your skin track (boarders), you'll be fine.
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Try snowshoeing (just to see how painful it is), then try splitboarding and you will throw your snowshoes in the bin 3 seconds after you get back from your first splitboard hike.
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Anyone here hiked shiribetsudake (1,000 meter peak next to Rusutsu)?
I am guessing in good weather there's not even really any need for a guide.
Looking at a relief map it appears the best way would be to take the west tiger pair up to the top of the West Mountain and strap those skins on your splitty and hike along the ridgeline towards the N / NE. It looks like about 400 meters of vertical and maybe 2-3 km.
As for the descent, is it best head back towards rusutsu down the gully skiers left of the ridgeline you come up? Or can you drop slightly more to skiers left straight towards, say, the golf course and when it flattens out strap the skins back on until you get to the golf course access road and then head out to the main road and walk back to the car park?
Any other pitfalls for route-finding on the way down? The fall line looks pretty even, except at the bottom where it's obviously quite flat.
Any other hints appreciated.
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Yes, it's not hard to see that some of this was filmed at Asahidake if you have been there. There are 7 other locations (3 on Honshu and 4 on Hokkaido) where this was taken, so get out there and find them this winter!
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Name: Japan 2011
Category: General Videos
Date Added: 12 October 2011 - 02:34 PM
Submitter: Method
Short Description: The White Room's out there - all you need to do is find it!
The Ski Patrol slackcountry thread
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
bout the worst thing that could happen to you at rusutsu is having to posthole out of a flat bit or creek bed, nothing that won't put a few hairs on your chest!
The reward could be this - (rusutsu last year)