hutch

Does anyone know the dates and place of the Annual Ainu Fest this year in Asahikawa?? Hokkaido? I heard it is excellently chill (but usually the same weekend as Sado Island's Earth Celebration with KODO.....that is excellent beach camping) please post ! cheers Hutch

no JPOP at Hakkoda.....ok ...occasionally in the ropeway building but nothing so bad as morning murder musume blissful sounds of pow and that's about it

cheers everyone thanks particularly to Nick who said there's a map in the mail.....frig I love SJG in Bangkok airport right now...to Bangladesh tonight and then over to Kathmandu tommorow.... got a 10 day rafting trip down the SunKosi lined up!! betcha I'll see snow this year before you guys!!! hahaha (frig-should have brought my skis!)

skis: ATOMIC DEEP POWDER / SALAMON XSCREAM binding: SALAMON 900 series boots: who cares- they fit great and you can't see them for all the pow goggle: arnette jacket: MEC hydrophobia 2

After 4 awesome years with Hakkoda as my backyard mountain I am leaving the Nippon POW and heading back to BC. In fact.....I'm moving to Fernie. Anyone out there in the SJG world that has skiied Fernie since the new quads went in? Anyone willing to spill the beans on the mountain and the town? onegai peacethruPOW Hutch ps. wanna eat some real au naturelle Japanese POW this year....check out: "Hakkoda Ropeway Powder Mecca": http://www.skijapanguide.com/2002/features/general-46.html

Drew Full on you get busted. I had a buddy a couple of years ago who got done for growing a few plants in his house....taken wild and growing them in his house. Busted just like the Japanese mogulers in his car. He waited 6 months in jail before trial....then got a 2 year sentence....suspended for 3 years I believe. Swiftly left the country....not sure how long if ever he'll be allowed back in.

Ross was hardly an embarrassment. I a world that needs to get over their fear of pot.....our PM stood up for Ross (he himself said he smoked dope...as opposed to the lying 'didn't inhale' cigar lovin pres to the south).... FYI Ross full on smoked a crap load in Whistler....my old roomie used to ski with him. Can't believe the Japanese authorities bought that crap.

Hakkoda saw some major dumps this past season despite it being a crap year.... 2nd week of Feb is a guarantee in the 4 years I've been riding there.... as Jeff Mohr said in a review: Total backcountry paradise. One gondola gives you access to a whole mountain playground. One problem, my 158 is too short to handle the 60 cm of fresh we got last night.

the most HYPED and biggest let down Zao in Yamagata multiple owners (ex-farmers) make for crap design!

you need to check out the articles on http://www.powdermag.com they always do a big travel section in the spring.... Las Lenas mentioned sometimes

Gassan trip over Golden week is common for late season...check out a past SJG feature by Dean: Part 1 http://www.skijapanguide.com/2002/features/general-26.html Part 2 http://www.skijapanguide.com/2002/features/general-27.html There's always Fuji in June! (bring the rock skis and ice axes)

Hike Camp Single track (if I can find it) wait for winter

Good to hear from Ben Kerr again and the POWDER CONNECTION column. It looks like Niseko-Hirafu is going to be the starting point for a major shift in the Japanese ski industry. RIGHT ON! Ducking the ropes has finally paid off......just hope that making those area offical doesn't lead to too many new rules.... after all I've found in Japan it's easier to apologize than to ask permission eh?

BC Canada

SWASS? excuse my northern Tohoku ignorance kono imo! (I'm a potato aka northern hick)