SerreChe

One of my colleagues went to Kagura last w/e. 1h in the queue for the ticket + 1h for the gondie + packed slopes. Can wait for additional snow and other resorts to open up. It will be less congested.

apparently re-entry permit holders now have a separate line which is the fastest of them all. Still have to separate from wife & kid @ immigration I think.

Nice one Dizzy. I know what you mean FT. my bag is huge as well, need to get a compression sack over the w/e. I put it in one of my packs as a test, takes a lot of space.

It sucks when you're ready and on time and others aren't. Regardless, you get an A for effort and thanks for the pics. You still managed to get a few lines. Did not know they had an onsen over there. That first picture seems to have some nice peaks in the background. Thankfully it did not seem "too" cold or windy.

Dizzy, were you using FT's bag or your friend was? Hope you guys were not cold. Wind-chill can be nasty, so tent protection always feel nice. Good effort for going to Tateyama!

Cheers Samurai and thanks for the advice, really eager to give it a try!

Thanks for the inputs everybody. Got the MSR whisperlite International version for different fuels. I got some white fuel. All I gotta do now is test it out!

Originally Posted By: Fattwins That helps TSU alot actually. He isnt the richest guy at least not untill he gets his PHD. Congrats to everyone. I was thinking the same thing. good stuff all along.

Originally Posted By: moloney The question I have is why women are outliving men??? They drink less, smoke less, drive slower, have less dangerous hobbies and are genetically more resistant than men to disease (hemophilia etc...). Would be weird if it was the other way around. Good for them.

By the way, I think MH is pretty good for tents (a bit off topic). Check this out ! http://www.flickr.com/photos/hardwearsessions/478975973/

Sorry Tsonda, not an outlet with last year's stuff but the big shop between yoyogi and shibuya. Quattro, I got it at backcountrygear. Bent gate is pretty good in terms of selection as well, not sure if they had WM bags though. Thanks for the feedback on the stove as well. MSR it will be!

Well done Tsonda, Torihada & Joshnii. Tsonda, never thought that one would end-up winning the SJ contest when I snapped it! It was more like, zap, let's take a pic and hit the snow, no after-thoughts. There were some other nice pics of Kagura and area indeed, but some of them were stealth pics What make that photo a winner is not the photographer but the fact that the place is very nice looking but also that you look so happy and cheerful to be out there enjoying the snow. I am also very happy that you got tickets and will be able to take your gf on the slopes very often. It am

Samurai, FT, cheers for the feedback on the stoves. Tsonda, I'am gonna go probably to the outlet close to yoyogi park. Probably fairly close to where you live. I am so bummed they closed the Ebisu outlet, used to waste a lot of time there. They are a quality brand. Quite well known in the US as well where they sell as MontBell North America. Theri bags are quite popular as very light.

yup, they both take awsome pics. Always great to be able to see them.

Welcome back onto the forum, it's been a while indeed. Those pictures look great (as usual). Is it me or the snow looks more abundant and fluffier than in Hakuba? Just kidding guys, not wanting to start another one of those neverending debates.

Not quite moguls yet , but fairly tracked out indeed.

Cheers FT. Will have a look over the week-end.

Quattro, I got it shipped from the US, bought online. There is very often a wait of a few weeks to get a bag from that maker, but I was fortunate enough that they had it in stock. I am not sure whether yo can get it in Japan. PM me if you're interested and I'll pass you the site from where I ordered it.

Had a good laugh reading about FT's olfactive prowess & the different perspectives. I prefer FT's purple Jacket to his old "kaki" one. The pants on the other hand.... FT, you've been in Japan too long.

I think it is gonna be fairly crowded once the top of the mountain fills-up a bit more. I am not sure anybody went hiking on friday as the weather was foul. I did not see any old tracks on Nakaone on Saturday but they could have been filled-up overnight. Seemed like ours were the first of the season on the moutain.

FT, I got a Western Mountaineering bag in the end. Really expensive, but I hope it will last me 10+ years. I was surprised at how light the bag is given its scary volume. Some serious compression action is gonna have to happen with that bag. I am gonna get stove + pan over the w/e. Do you have any recommendations for fuel efficiency/weight etc FT? Probably going to Montbell over the w/e. The plastic trash bag idea is a very good one. Was thinking about those long-lasting tiny candles in case of emergency as well. Not sure how muc h20 I wud be able to melt with those those (if anyt

Thanks SC. That top layer looks like not fun at all to get hit by! Hurts just thinking about it.

I do seem to remember FT wanting to learn snowboarding in an older thread.

Yes, there were exactly 5 other peeps who climbed on that day.

last ride of the day, made every turn count. Not the whole mountain looked nice though, lower down was a sasa feast. (can already see some poking out on that pic).