Mr Bob!
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Posts posted by Mr Bob!
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Quote:Originally posted by hutch:
..... skiing a ridge within the gondola area of Hakkoda I dropped down a beautiful uncut slope of about 45 degrees....
Wondering if anyone else has had any other instances such as these (at Hakkoda or otherwise)..... in nadare prone areas....and where to stay away from.
Well, stay away from 45 degree slopes for a start. Did you pit the slope first? Have a spotter? Cut the slope? Transceiver?
*Anything?!*
If you want to learn how to be comprehensibly safe then do a *recognised* avalance course, which means outside of Japan.
And follow what you're taught: simply dropping onto a 45 degree slope that's had decent sun exposure after a dump without checking it first is tantamount to suicide IMHO.
Places in Canada, Australia and New Zealand all do good courses to international standards, at better prices than you'll find in the US or (most of) Europe.
Mr. Bob!
YMMV -
Haus St Anton. Accept no substitutes.
Mr. Bob!
YMMV
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Quote:Originally posted by zwelgen:
One thing you should consider is that its a helluva lot easier to get to Hakuba than Shiga. The road to Shiga is nasty, steep, winding and prone to ice and lots of cars leaving at the same time. Esp when your knackered after a hard day its not much fun. Also I found the runs at Shiga werent that long not steep compared to Hakuba.
Just my opinion though!
There are several roads into Shiga, but as far as I know, only one into Hakuba. The old road into Shiga (through Yamasomethingorother) is indeed prone to heavy traffic, but it isn't anything like steep! The expressway that was put in through Okushiga for the Olympics handles a huge amount of traffic. Take your pick.
As for runs, Shiga has plenty of short runs, yes. And plenty of long runs. Eg. the Higashidate Super G/downhill course is something like 4 kilometres. If you want more then you'll have a hard time finding it in Japan at a commercial field.
Steeps are available if you want, off-piste just like Hakuba - there are a couple of slopes out the east end of Shiga that are upwards of 45 degrees that load up with powder heavily, if you feel a need to ski unsafe terrain, and plenty of stuff in the 25-35 degree range that skiable if you have a clue about mountain safety.
Mr. Bob!
YMMV -
Quote:Originally posted by rachael:
Interesting, is this.
I also didnt know about this thing, so its cool to find out.
But there seriously arent many of them are there?
The onsen guide I've got (four years old) lists over 300 mixed onsen throughout Japan.
Most of them seem to be outdoors too.
Aoni onsen at Hakoda is excellent, but only open in weekends during winter.
Mr. Bob! -
My dear Chaps, beer is for philistines. The drink of The Masses.
When one is done gliding upon the slopes for the day one should partake of a relaxing and convivial wine.
To unwind and ease those tired, but satisfied, ski muscles, a tasteful white wine is the treat that all can enjoy.
Except in Japan, where you can't get decent wine.
Mr. Bob!
YMMV
[This message has been edited by Ski Japan Guide (edited 10 December 2001).]
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Quote:Originally posted by Wade:
Thanks Mr. Bob! I'll give Shiga a shot. I was stuck with Hakuba due to a convenient bus from Nagoya last year. And I like the guys at Snowbeds. This year I've got wheels of my own. Does Shiga run on the magenetic ticket system that you return when your done? I plan to make my first trip this weekend (read: on knees praying for a dump), any cheap lodging recommendations?
Last time I was there they were running the magnetic passes, yes. Which you should *not* have next to yr MD player when yr skiing... ;-(
Errr, pass on the places to stay bit - I know one of the families that owns some hotels up there so I stay for free :-)
Talk to JTB - some of the Sun Valley hotels run package deals incl meals, tickets and rooms, I think. Failing that, try Ichinoseki as the second place to stay. Both are central in the area (great for gettin around) and both have bars/clubs if you want to go out for the night. I-sek has a lot of pensions that're nice.
Good luck on the snow - I have a feeling that it'll not be good at this point. Shiga doesn't tend to get it's "dumping period" until the first week of Jan.
Mr. Bob!
YMMV -
iwate.
six fields within one hour.
eat your hearts out. ;-)
Mr. Bob!
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Quote:Originally posted by Wade:
I want findable powder, and I don't want to wait in lines. I don't mind doing the same slopes a lot, at least not for a day or two, as long as its wide enough that I don't have to follow in my own tracks. I've been to Hakuba several times, usually Hakuba 47, and I can forsake nightlife (and NoFakie's right, its not like Hakuba is jumping unless you want it to be), for better conditions. So given these things: powder seeking, but not yet backcountry, can Shiga outdo Hakuba?
ps. my school rerouted to Kyushu for the school trip.
You'll wait in lines at both! As others have said, hakuba is louder. If all yr really after is unskied powder then Shiga is the go simply because it's *so* freakin' big. I happen to think the snow's better there, too.
In terms of value for money, I'd pick Shia any day, with Nozawa coming #2. Screw Hakuba. :-)
Mr. Bob!
YMMV.
Ever been in an avalache?!
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
delusional I'm afraid.
No blasting really necessary.....that small slope I was on is the only nadare susceptible slope really 'in bounds' and by in bounds I mean between the routes (not courses) that run down the ridges to either side.
(working on getting a map of Hakkoda on the SJG site as we speak)
If they had a slide inbounds and it was big enough to injure (let's just say anything over L1) then they weren't doing their job. EOFS if they're professionals.
Which is the point really: Japanese patrollers *aren't* professionals. Some of them *are* very good, but those are few and far between and they all work with two big handicaps: They're not *allowed* (by law) to do what it might take to save you if you really need it and they don't need *any* qualifications to work as patrollers and so a lot of them don't have any quals.
On a field the size of Hakoda (small) and the number of patrollers you say they have there should be no chance of that sort of thing happening. Let me ask a simple question: Do the patrol at Hakoda have and use transceivers?
You cut the slope, it's small and it still let go? Someone dropped in when another person was on the slope? It'd 'been safe countless other times'? Well done on having the spotters, but did they have avi equipment for a rescue (which, obviously, they might well have needed)? Did you? Why'd the spotters let someone drop in like that?
I'm reminded of the two moron kiwis who died in Hakuba by being stoopid. It's no good 'planning on doing an avi course sometime soon' if you're going to go skiing that sort of terrain.
Yes, I'm grumpy about this. It *really* makes me angry. I gave up patrolling because I got sick of fishing morons out of situations they wouldn't have got into if they had any sort of clue, all because they thought being a reasonable boarder somehow meant they "knew what they were doing in mountains".
Mr. Bob!
YMMV