miteyak

NOt that it's relevant... but I will be dusting them off in 6 days and reintroducing them to deep powder (good falls forecast for my NZ arrival)... will let you know if they still hold up...

Vector Glide tele skis - bought a pair five years back and they rocked. I am a heavier rider so Fattwins could be right but I loved them; awesome in powder.

Thanks Hotaka Scott; have doen a bit more investigating and seems I am spoilt for choice! Only have 8 days, although am tempted to try and extend the trip! So far looking like Craigieburn/Mt Hutt/Broken river for the first few days... (even looking into a bit of heli-skiing, esp. if I cannot extend!... although Mrs Miteyak has her own opinions there) Heading to Remarkables after that for a few days... still eveolving. Will keep you posted and poss some pics through the trip... could be interesting as I find out if telemarking is like riding a bike!

So I drop into this site for the second time (the first being last night) in four years... deja vu... Badmigraine; this thread? Six years and going strong; phenonenal

G'day BoC, been a long time! Thanks for the welcome! I'm guessing you're still in Japan!?! (seems like a long time ago, but I guess I was there for nine years myself... actually dropped into Tokyo on business a few weeks back for a night... enough time for Matsusaka gyu yakiniku and some sushi!

Four years in the desert and finally about to slip on the telemarks again for the winter down under. Got a week in NZ with a campervan. Looking for the best spots for a good mix of kind off-piste and good 'campervanning'

They've changed their prices since I was using it, and they have different packages... just scoot on to their website to find out http://www.snow-forecast.com You may want to contact them and exchange your Japanese skills for a free membership... they were looking for a Japan contact not so long ago.

I was a paid up member when in Japan. Living in Osaka it was an invaluable tool in judging the worth of a weekend trip... the membership fees saved me many a wasted trip/guided me to the best spots, even set it up through the mobile/laptop and did a few 'stormchasers' Looks like you chaps are in for quite the start to the season...

Whats the little powder resort... some frenh sounding name, anyway, season pass for there is about 20,000 yen, that and Higashiyama would be pretty good.

No Fattwins, you haven't, but it was a bit of a thread hijack this time... But now it's well and truly hijacked, I have to admit that, since being in Oz, I have been educating Ozzies about Hakuba, and sending them that way, esp. if they aren't coming early season/are expert.

The tenacity with which you go after the Niseko 'myth' is praiseworthy, Fattwins... it's almost like you have a vested interest in converting all to Hakuba affectionados... In the spirit of the topic title... I'm stoked for you Nisekans, and the sight of all that powder makes me wish I was back in Japan; for this non-extreme telemarker, the memories of deep mellow turns through the trees still linger...

I went for a day trip last winter from Osaka, during the week and got good deep powder off-piste. I had a fun day. Definitely worth a trip for a couple of days if the snow forecast is good.

Quote: Originally posted by fb_steve: but that got me thinking, with trillions upon trillions of bacteria in the world, could these instances of development be from sheer randomness, instead of evolution. fb_steve... in evolution, the changes are random, it's what follows, natural selection, that is not. If a random change places an organism at a disadvantage, the changed organism will die out. If a random change places an organism at an advantage, the changed organism will flourish, competing with and replacing similar but inferior organisms. Take ol' Kevin in Water World... livi

Quote: Originally posted by Mr Wiggles: A little bird tells me you get a letter, not a "hagiki". Are congrats in order?

Oh, and as for crowds, If there's any natural snow to speak of (90% chance) you can always escape the crowds at smaller resorts in Hakuba early season.

In a regular year mid-december in Hakuba can see some great snow, I've had many early season trips at this time that were memorable. Occasionally there's nothing to speak of. I'd take the risk with Hakuba, though, and book a trip there. Chances are it'll be at least respectable.

Fishing, sea kayaking, MTBing... I even skied Mt. Welly back a while. No surf yet, but I've got the boogie boards... Anyway, back on topic, looks like you guys should get a solid start to the season well before Chrissy... Good luck in Tats.

Part-time - I'm finally getting fit, de-stressed, and lots of ME time. Life is good!

Didn't think it looked like you, but having only seen you once, the cap and the beard... montoya, the man's right, I skipped town in July... I've finally updated profile accordingly.

Yeah, nice place, nice beard (that is you, right?) I'm just starting to miss Japan, as the snow starts to fall...

Quote: I spent a lot of time as an undergrad doing fieldwork in NW Scotland. It was nice to spend a week working from one end of the line of single malts to the other. [/QB] Fieldwork on Skye... although if I remember correctly, the scotch stacked on four shelves over two walls (if I remember correctly) of the Sligachan were far more than I could handle in a week.

I would always eat out for lunch in Osaka for around a thousand yen. Here, in Hobart, a similar experience (food quantity, quality, ambience), seems to run at least 1500 yen. I'm more inclined to knock up a packed lunch now.

BPC, you'll be pleased to hear that the Tassie Govt are trying very hard to invest in a new biofuel power station; why let old growth and temperate rainforest just sit there and do nothing, eh? Put them to work! (not knocking the Welsh boys, just venting on some local bright sparks...)

Scotch, single malt...hands down.

Gotta run...???