IM

It looked like it was snowing really hard today. Most of the chairs were stopped earlier.

Live cam http://www.niseko-alpen.com/e/index.html

Fattwins, I found Barryvox is good for a single burial, but for multiples, it got really confused more than F1, tracker, or SOS. But, that is a personal feeling, it is far more important that you are comfortable and used to using your beacon. There are bunch of web sites comparing different pieces, but aside from its physical performance differences such as range, I do not think one is better than the other.

We put everyone thru a burial experience under very controlled fashown of course (breathing room, radio)for about 10 min. under about 1 m. Then rest will practice probing feeling of human body vs ground, etc.. It is pitch dark, and you can hear people call you, but your scream is heard extreamly faint. You are stuck in whatever the position you were burried can't even move an inch of anything, can't expand lungs to braath even half way. This practice is to give a person what it is like being buried and believe me you do not want to be down there more than 10 seconds. My case was we want

I could only find a J site, but here it is http://www.yamagatakun.org/gassan/lift.html

I prefer Denali Ascent (w/ climibing support). Denali's rails make it easier to traverse than other frame/web designs.

The stats say that till 15 minutes, survival rate has a setady decline to 75%, after that it drops off very steep. I was always taught to dig a person up within 15 minutes for the maxmimun possibility of live recovery. Once I was buried with an Avalung for 30 minutes as a part of the avvy training/experience.

There was a telemark fun race last Sunday. A single staff race with gates, jump, a bar where you have to take a drink and a hike. There was an extra points fo those who dress up in some fashion. Some ladies skied in bikinis and they've got yet another bikinis for the next year!

At Avalanche trainig session to locate multiple burials, the fastest one was Ortovox F1 Focus, with an experienced user. For a starter, Tracker probably the easiest to use and fast. Barryvox is most confusing with too cluttered display. Peips has less range than F1 or SOS, otherwise pretty much the same. For me I use Tracker and X1 (not at the same time)and I like them both.

Riddle w/ Fun, You missed it! Last Sunday at Myoko Suginohara!

When I spoke to a local last night, there is still a plenty of snow, but Spring condition. Resorts remain partially open till the GW. Kogen, no1,2 are alrady stopped. Going this weekend,hopefully to do Yotei.

Green, I didn't mean it that way. The place just is not big enough to warrant a guide (we did not carry anything with us, either) The size of the powder zone is about 2X of Saws and runs right next to the top quad chair and you can see the entire place from it. It like the mogul field at the top of Kagura, if you know what I mean.

You really do not need a guide. There are basically two places you can ride for this. I was the only guest so the guide and myself just rippped the hills, but if you have others do not match to your speed, you are into verrry slooow rides. After this they'd open the top part (okenashi) for hike ups. By then, the runs were pretty much ripped up within 30min of opening the gondola to the mass.

I have not seen any so far. The only thing that I know of is MSR with K2 Clicker bindings (snow board). Some people modified them so that they would clip onto ski boots.

When I went last season, it only covered the morning session. The gondola stopped frequently,while they are testing it before opening, so I was able to do about 4 runs before all the people started show up.

Yeah, Rapid Fire is the thumb/index finger gear shifter from Shimano, if I remembered correctly. Shimano bidings were also marketed under K2 Clicker outside of Japan. I use Burton SI myself, but a lot of my friends use Shimano and they seem to like them on or off piste. If you have time, go check them out. They say, between 9:00-4:00PM.

You may already know this but Shimano will have demo days at Hakuba 47 4/5,6 for the next season boots and bidings (rapid fires). Bring your ID and a board.

Aloha, as in Aloha shirt from Hawaii. But Sunny day only.

Shorts and a aloha for me

Single staff telemark race on Sunday at Myoko. Extra bonus for those who dress up in a classic outfit. Looks like the weather pattern is moving faster than predicted and Sunday may turn out to be a fine race/picnic day.

1. Get solid on air - grabs 2. Able to have fun on rails w/o fear 3. Mt.Fuji 4. At least one ski tour 5. Gassan

FOMA: I am trying to get rid of Docomo: The new one I am going to keep AU: company one, don wanna mix biz/private

Have three(Docomo, FOMA, AU (biz.). But never ever convert to FOMA - reception bad, coverage - nill. Now I can't get rid of it, since this is the number all of my friends call me on.

Anyone has info. on long range weather forecast for NZ and South America? Web site, etc... NZ has been dry for sometime, and no idea on Chile.

I will be riding till May Fujisan, then possibly, July at Gassan. Gotta surf, too.