Matt

I've spent over 180 nights sleeping in my car (Toyota Estima van) over the last three years and it RULES!! I was always toasty warm and you wake up in the car park ready to hit the lifts the next day. Make sure you crack a couple of the windows to avoid CO2 grogginess the next day, lock the doors and keep the keys in the ignition so you can turn the engine on and warm the inside of the car up 10 minutes before getting out from under the covers in the morning and getting all your stuff on. I found that a foam mattress laid over the folded down chairs worked best. On top of this a futo

Snow-forecast gets WHEN its going to snow fairly right but they totally underestimate the AMOUNT of snow. I think their system is calibrated for frontal snow and they don't take into consideration the lake-effect part of the snowfall which is usually the biggest component in snowfall in Japan. My favourite weather website - never lets me down!! Unisys MRF

Its about 40mins from Nagano city to Hakuba but that may be the way I drive!

What Two pints is trying to tell you is that Hakuba has better nightlife than Yuzawa. Also there are plenty of beginner areas in Hakuba too. If your only plus point for Hakuba is that its close to Nozawa onsen then why don't you go Nozawa instead...its definitely closer to Nozawa!!

It ain't skiing but it sure is Sick!!

Usually get 60+ days in most seasons but this coming one is going to be a lot less by the looks of it...oh well

Those pics are from a good 3hr hike from the top lift at Tenjindaira. The resort itself is a complete waste of time but the backside of the ridge bounding the north end of the resort has some nice runs down into a long valley that takes you to the bottom of the gondola. Medium steep mostly with some nice wee cliffs to huck off but quite short unless you count the long valley out. Its worth going to if it hasn't snowed recently in Hakuba but has at Tenjindaira (They get a lot of snow!) but otherwise I would say Hakuba has better, longer more varied backcountry runs.

Hey Thursday! Just got your last post after I posted mine. that sounds great! hope its true!

Just checked the Matsumoto airport website and it seems they can take international flights and since 2 years ago the number of Hong kong charter flights has risen. Last year the number doubled from 230people to 460 people (although that sounds like it went from 1 plane load to two plane loads...)

Quote: Incidentally there will be direct flights from HK to Nagano soon. Are you serious!!? Where did you find out this information? Sounds slightly unbelievable to me....I thought Matsumoto airport wasn't set up for international flights..

Everythings sweet Fattwins. No worries with the insurance...just need to change a set of curtains in one room..

Quote: Would be happy to be proved wrong but it looks there is a weak El Nino this year. This means below average snowfalls doesn't it? In the western United states yes...

Ahoy there TJ! Met up with your mate Tim a couple of weeks back at a wee BBQ outside your place. Looking forward to meetin you sometime. Gonna be up in Hakuba in a couple of weekends time. Also a shout to Eskimobumcramp...Good seeing you at Kareys event. And Fattwins..I'll hang out for longer next time when I'm not so ridiculously snowed under with things to do! Later

Parksie, Why don't you check out the accomodation section on this website. Theres loads of accomodation available.

Its a hotel..thats probably as much as I should say here. I've been riding in Hakuba seven seasons now and been looking for a place for three years and was beginning to think that I would never find it but..finally!!

I just bought a place near Happo!! stoked!!

How about the pub at the mominoki. They even have real ales there..

I feel your pain! I had a haemotoma in the exact same place as you. Lasted for a couple of months and I couldn't sleep at night for a while because of intensely painful cramping. Had to take suppository painkillers up where the sun don't shine just to attempt to sleep. I just rested and recuperated and eventually it went away. I think I have quite good circulation in my thighs though...Good Luck!

Looks like Nantai san near Nikko. The lake in the background is Chusenjiko I think...

I'm in Hakuba now and its cold, dumping and looking like staying that way for the next few days. The consolation prize for a crappy mid-season perhaps...

Got the 47/goryu pass as I have for the last 5 seasons. Although the tree runs are terrible, the backcountry sucks and the snowpark is pathetic In fact why do I still go there year after year?

I was thinking about taking the car ferry from Tokyo. looked into it and its 2man each way from Tokyo to Tomakomai. seems steep but was planning on spending the whole time up there sleeping in the van. Maybe do a road trip and check out Rusutsu and Teine as well as Niseko. Now it looks like its going to start dumping in Hakuba so I'm going there instead. Already got a season pass there so its going to work out a lot cheaper plus all my mates are gonna be there. Wasn't looking foreward to spending a lonely Christmas day in Niseko! heres some ferry information http://www3.tky.3

check this out! http://criepi.denken.or.jp/en/e_publication/a1998/98seika13.pdf It seems like these guys think that global warming will strengthen the siberian high pressure system, meaning more winter storms... So apart from a quarter of the world sinking under the sea global warming may have its good points

Hey Sheep! See you in January mate!

woah....$35,000 doesnt strike me as particularly cheap! wouldnt it get a bit soggy in there...