Mudguts
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Posts posted by Mudguts
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Hakkoda in mid January. I haven't riden Hakkoda for 5 years. Cannot wait to get back there for it's wonderful powder, terrain and wildness.
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I'm going to say straight out that I'm no nuclear expert and I failed physics in HS but I can't help but notice the similarities between the blown off roofs/structures when comparing photographs of Chernobyl and Fukushima no matter what governments are saying. And I believe people still cannot live within a huge range of the Russian ground zero nightmare for decades to come. I just pray that this stiuation gets sorted asap and Japan can find a viable alternate power source because as we are witnessing a geologically active country and nuclear power can't mix.
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K2 Cinch for me and I'll never go back to strap on style again. The best part is you don't have to sit down to clip in. A variation of the flow system where the heel section opens out and you just slot your boot in. Highly recommend!
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In my experience Cortina is never crowded and I have had fresh lines basically all day. Never been there on a weekend which I'm guessing is a different story tho. Some of my best ever days have been at Cortina....deep powder and steep lines!
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Rode Cortina on Jan 6th with 20-30cms of fresh which I consider to be in the dump range. Main lift opened at 8:30am. Further up the hill the lifts opened at 9 and the Giant Course at 10am which me a few mates were the first down.....sweet lines! Plus ducked the ropes and had the ridge at the top of the giant to ourselves all morning. The patrol are alot more chilled out at Cortina this season. They were absolute nazis in the past.
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My jacket and particularly pants have lost alot of it's water repellancy(is that a word?)/waterproofness so I'm wondering which method to use to reseal them. I can't afford new wear so I'm going to have to get through the season with what I've got. I've used the spray before and found it worked for a day or two then wore off and I was back to where I started. The guy at my local ski shop recommends the wash in stuff which you add to the washing machine with your gear. Has anyone had any experience with the wash in stuff and how does it compare to the spray? The ski shop guy also recommended that because my jacket is down I should add 3 tennis balls to the load to fluff up the down which was interesting and good advice I thought. Cheers
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186cm/66kg! Dude I think your concern should be whether the locals can see you when you turn side on. Go out and eat a big katsu curry right now!
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Deep down Japanese ski resorts don't want foreign tourists. That's way nothing changes to accomodate them. Underneath the friendly facade Japan is xenophobic. Sucks!
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Just to answer virgiles question without a tongue in cheek. Happo-one in Hakuba is the one resort in Japan which has continually challenged me. Most runs are steep enough to sort the men from the boys if you straight line em and the powder is generally consistent and quality. Location of downhill in 1998 Nagano Olympics speaks for itself I guess.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone rates a more challenging place to ride in Japan than Happo?
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Will defineately hit up Happo, Iwatake, Cortina, Myoko Suginohara, Kagura and Manza Onsen.
I also hope I can get to Nozawa and Hakkoda(two of my favourite places to ride in Japan!) at some stage, too.
Just bought a car so I'm keen to check a couple of places closer to Tokyo which I haven't been to yet in Kusatsu Onsen and Tenjindaira.
But honesty I don't care where I ride if the conditions and company are good. Bring on December!
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What about meeting some locals?
A welcome change in pace and attitude to alot of the Aussies you meet up there.
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Dunno if it still exists but try Wazzas World. It's located in Kutchan and was priced 1500yen a night. Fills your desire of cheap and a place to sleep(not much else tho!) Good luck.
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I spoke to some Belgium pro riders in Niseko a few seasons back and they said the same thing. That Niseko has the driest, lightest powder they'd ever experienced. These blokes had riden all over the world too, even in obscure places such as Iran, India, Chile and Argentina so I guess they know what they're talking about.
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Yep. Flew from Tokyo to Chitose with them a few years ago. Took a big wheelie type board bag and experienced no problems.
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20,000 yen for a private lesson (1-3 people)
Just wondering how does 1-3 people translate to a private lesson? I thought a private lesson means just one person?
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Big Cliff. Excellent Japanese!
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No damage whatsoever Rag-Doll. I'd never considered that so I just went and checked. The mechanism can't be pulled back far enough to touch the deck.
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I've got the K2 cinch and haven't had a problem. This is my second season with them. So easy to get into and most importantly I don't have to sit down to strap in. They are heavier than most bindings though. I had Burton missions before and I'd rate them as the best value for money bindings on the market. Stiff, simple and hard wearing. The only reason I got the cinch was for the ease of use, not because my missions wore out or anything. If I was to recommend any binding from experience then the missions would be the ones. However for ease of use and not having to get down on my butt to clip in-K2 cinch for me.
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Defineately can use a credit card: Taxi, meals out, bullet trains to/from Tokyo, dunno about local trains....hmm....maybe not?
I've never tried but probably can use credit card:Lift tics
Maybe can't use card:ski lessons
Shuttle buses are almost always free of charge.
Also, alot of places don't accept amex and mastercard but will always accept visa. Sorry I couldn't be more defineate with some of my answers.
Enjoy your trip!
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No apres ski as such exists in Hakuba. Alot of Hakuba locals insist that there's nitelife but from my experience it's really quiet in the evenings. I think if you live up there you would hear about upcoming events and parties but to the average triptaker you can't really walk into a bar and expect it to be full of people and atmosphere. Just from my experiences in Hakuba....unfortunately.
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Yep. I'll also donate 100 yen to the get Fattwins to Niseko fund.
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There is no nightlife in Hakuba unfortunately. Unless you happen to be there for a special event or something similar you'll find the European and Japanese apres ski worlds apart. Like eskimobasecamp said, Japanese go to there hotel rooms to drink with the people that they went skiing with rather than go out and drink. Bit sad really.
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I can't see any reason to nickpick over details in a recount of the event. They were in the right place at the right time in terrible conditions and SAVED LIVES!
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Thanks ebc. Looks like I'll be avoiding route 406. Will be doing the drive in the evening so thanks for the forewarning. Now I'm kinda interested in seeing route 406 for myself in the future, though. I love those wild, winding mountain roads with the sheer drops that you get in Japan. Maybe one day in the summer. Not to be messed with in the winter by the sound of it.
snowboard:why buy EST bindings?
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
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I've riden K2 Cinch for 5 years now and they are fantastic because you don't have to sit down to strap up. Put your boot in, pull up the strap and off you go. I'd never go back to trad bindings.