Jump to content

Fattwins

Members
  • Content Count

    12700
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Fattwins

  1. Japan in no way needs 500 plus ski resorts. Many of the resorts are just there to get government money for the towns. Many of these need to close or else viable ski resorts will continue to loose money.

     

    Resorts need to better manage themselves for example. We are no longer in the early 90s and things will never be that busy again.

    Some rants

    Over staffing lifts? there is no need to have 8 people working one lift. The resort not checking tickets because of the IC card system?

    Lift organization to make sure lines move faster. Stop using out dated equipment it is out right dangerous.

     

    Standards

    Grooming have a standard and meet that standard.

    All lifts should have safty bars. As a father I dont want my kid falling off of a lift.

    Slow zones should be enforced.

    If it is a true avie zone more signage is needed and enforce that rule.

     

    Kids areas keep it growing. The best one ive seen is at Cortina full on mini sleds for the kids, WTF I wanna play there.

     

    In general the number of people that are on ski holidays are mid level sliders. Off piste sking in my opinion should be aimed at them. Try to open more areas that can be accesed by these guests.

  2. Those paid for articles will push Nozawa and Myoko next season. It is a cycle of advertising and it actually works.

     

    The domestic market is in decline, but if anyone believes that just opening up off piste skiing is the way to fix it, then that is just as narrow minded as the ski resorts.

     

    There are many things I would fix first before just opening up terrain.

  3. You will not see a heli up there as they are protected national parks.

     

    Again Hakuba is where Niseko was just before bringing in the Niseko rules. Hakuba is just starting to get things a bit more organized. I found a winter rally course with 4wd buggys 3 weeks ago, right out of the blue no advertising that I knew of. This is typical of the disjointedness of the cooperation.

     

    We have had some decent seasons due to elevation the last few years but this was our crap year.

  4. So by proactively putting or adding security to growing communities not dying ones we are killing culture? This makes no sense. There are growing communities that need to address these issues of keeping people safe. Walk into the local inaka police office speaking zero Japanese and see what happens. proactive thinking solves problems before they happen or at least mitigates the situation. Bars that are experiencing growth have to grow as well.

  5. There are plenty of areas to ski trees in Hakuba. Many of them are open to ski and many are not. Happo really doesn't care except for the face area. I dont think gates are needed we don't use them in Canada and things are fine. Tree wells in Japan are not as much of an issue as they are in North America. Not many small pine trees. Still the speed that can be generated in open Japanese woods is more dangerous.

     

    Hakuba by far is not firing on any level this season. You have to really know where to look and even then the stars seem to have to Aline. December and January weren't bad though. Hakuba is 3 to 4 years behind Niseko and maybe more with the economy slowing down and money drying up. Even so the improvements over the last 4 years have been quite good. The local community continues to grow with retirees and and people looking to live in a bit nicer place within Nagano.

     

    If a run is considered within bounds and controlled I cant see why guests should need avi gear. Anything not controlled should be skied responsibly and with gear and respect for others you could effect. Japan is still lagging behind in Avalanche preparedness but they are moving forward. Next season will see the countries first level 2 course and I would think in the near future more guiding certification. YOu can get great reports from JAN japanese avalanche network or ACT avalanche control team. If you are heading into the BC in the Nagano Hakuba area they are vital. Niseko also is putting out regular reports as well and quite detailed. Niseko Nadare info are the search words.

  6. Thanks. There is one hut somewhere in Hakuba but I dont think it is more that 4 walls. Hakuba's peaks are too high and the wind just attacks the climber if they arent in protected areas. Obinata is a good place to get out the wind to accend and ski. Then you have Hiyodori but that is at 1800 to 2000 meters and it gets raped by winds on the wrong day. There are huts there but all are located near the tram so I dont see the benefit of using them. Tram is only 750yen or there abouts.

  7. With increased tourism (people) comes more problems. Ive got to say that by having the forward thinking to hire limited police with English skills has to be applauded.

     

    Every resort as it gets big will have problems. Every resort with a bar that gets crowded with either Japanese or whoever will have problems. It is called getting drunk.

     

    I dont think that it is a step back but a step forward in protecting the guests at the resort. Go to whistler and count the number of people getting kicked out of bars. They are well equiped to lock up the bad asses.

×
×
  • Create New...