BoredRider

Not sure if this will get removed or not due to forum rules but....

No solid info, only conflicting reports on FB..

Was a good read/watch Gozaimass - looks like it was an EPIC trip. Good luck back in the real world!

The long range forecast (16 day) is looking sucky for Honshu IMO, not much on the horizon.... Spring switch been flicked?

Are they at the Russian Disney Land MB?

I got Jackson Hole, Cat/Heli in BC, AK or Russia, and a euro trip to one of the big resorts (Val d'Islere/Tignes, 3 Valleys, etc. on my list.

へThis Hiked Mai-Furunodake on Sunday, it had the goods! Was DEEP as soon as you got off the ridge. Pic from where we dropped in, vis was not ideal for photos

With you on that GB.. Luckily (unluckily?) they shut the blinds in the office so I can't see out after ~10am.. 8 days till I am on snow again...

Yodobashi Camera sell them (still have the GP2) and you can also order online through GoPro Japan. RRP is JYP40k for the Black but nowhere has them in stock atm; mid Feb is the expected shipping date. Been a few lost in the hills already this winter.. might have a better chance getting one with a shovel rather than a credit card.

With those choices and the current forecast I would be hitting Tenjin!

Heading up to Hakuba this weekend, plan is to hit Cortina/Norikura on Saturday and go for a hike on Sunday, probably off Tsugaike.

I'm heading up to Nozawa for the long weekend to meet us with some traveling mates. Hoping that Saturday night / Sunday morning produces a bit of fresh, but going to be bloody busy up there regardless.

Back in '08 the AU$ was worth more that 100JPY, for a time in March/April and September I think. Then it dove to 59JPY to the AU$ in Feb/Mar '09, just as we moved here... My bet is that the AU$ continue to climb to >100JPY by April '13 (when we are heading back to Oz)

Tend to agree with your review BM, I got the 160 hovercraft split (thinking I should have gone 156..), only been on it for 3 days (2 hiking and 1 resort) and still need to do some set-up tweeking I think.. Like you, found it great when you could open it right up and let it run but had a few issues when it was tight. Thought it handled hard pack/groomers really well too. A mate I was riding with has the solid hovercraft 160 and loved every bit of it, he was ripping the tighter stuff.. He also has a fish but rated the hover higher.

Great shots! Looks like it was a day to remember yesterday!

Pretty much how I am reading the forecast Ippy. This is a decent weather model for longer range forecasts, normally on the money. http://wxweb.meteostar.com/models/ipsm_looper.php?PROD=2012122500_KOJ_GFS_SFC_SLP_THK_PRECIP_WINDS

JFlash is ok for learning new vocab & kanji. Other good apps Google maps Tune in Radio Ski tracks

Cheers mate, you guys will get the same sort of shots if you head up there. The monkeys just hang out, not fussed by the hundreds of tourists that take photos of them each day..

Would recommend getting a car for the day and hit up some of the other places around, can get a car for the day for JPY 5-6k.. There are some great onsens in that area! The monkeys are pretty cool, very hard to take a bad pic.

Cheers, heading up to Myoko and Hakuba for 9 days over new years - Hopefully it will get a good workout. The 29th can't come soon enough, sick of looking at webcams/reports/forecasts from the desk! The bindings are the same as Gozaimaas's, should do the trick.

Great Pics!!

I checked and you are correct, my info was outdated... This was on the Powdermania FB page a few weeks back but. "Don’t ever send an avalanche airbag with a full cartridge with the DHL service of the German post office. In Frankfurt they opened it and now refuse to send it to Japan and not even send it back to Switzerland. I have to get it at the Airports International Post office. This is ridiculous and sucks big time. Anyone in Frankfurt and traveling to Switzerland soon?"

Picked up the Hovercraft split last night, got to tinker around with the set-up a little but pretty much good to go!

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.

Yeah got it at the Boarding Co in Hakuba, was trying to buy one on line and the shipping dates kept getting pushed back... Was in the shop a few weeks ago and found out they had just become a dealer and that there were currently a few boards in Japan, canceled the online and went with them. Should be getting my hands on it tonight. Buying local worked out a little more expensive than online US, but not too much more. The plus was I got some good advice about the rest of the gear & hopefully will get some good future tips about where to ride...