cayote

I climbed to the crater of Mt. Fuji 5 May, 2006. Camping overnight at about 2400m helped me to adjust to the altitude. I camped in a tent and was very comfortable, warm and well-fed. A Swede and two Germans I met on the bus built an igloo, climbed Fuji and snowboarded down. Whatever you do, don't try to go if the weather is not good, don't slip, and don't go unprepared. If you train by hiking with a loaded pack for a couple of weeks before climbing, you'll be much stronger on the big day.

Expensive, bad experiences can invoke a 'once bitten, twice shy response'. Early January in Hakuba was like biting into something rotten or kissing the wrong end of something. What's worse was lining up with crowds to get it. By 3, most people had had enough and left in cold silence with their heads down. I never want to see the arse-end of a skijo again. Instead, I've been training to carry a 14 kg pack on a multi-day, self-supported hike along the Tanzawa Range. Unusually early spring gardening chores are keeping me busy too.

How about Norway? Can declining snowfalls be a problem in Norway too? It sounds really expensive though. My own place suits me, a private chalet or a tent, considering my finances, it's a tent for the forseeable future. Waking up in a bomber tent after heavy overnight snowfalls, sitting in the doorway under cover of the vestibule, cooking a fresh b/f is just as good as waking up on a yacht off a Coral Sea island. Considering the Euro/Yen exchange rate, Japan is as cheap and cheerful as chips. Okay, sounds like you've got to go to the snow in Europe at least

Fighting was just a part of Aussie culture in my time there - bar fights, street fights, bashings - and much, much worse. Anyone for a few Bundy and Cokes and an AC/DC soundtrack to warm up ya blood? Anyone spent time in Sweden - it's worse there - bouncers on the door of most places on Saturday nights, including Macdonalds, and even that doesn't stop chair-swing, gang fighting. At least the ratings of the NHK NYE show were more than double the ratings of K1/Pride. If thoes guys in Hakuba had watched NHK instead of Pride, they might have burst out into a spontaneous song-a

EBC and Liza, sharing probably kept you warmer. Down in the valley, my -18C bag was fine, however, a Prolite 4 and RidgeRest weren't enough. I am consider an Exped Downmat 9, which has an R-value of 8!!! Does your bag become damp from water vapor from your body (not breath) condensing at low temperatures? I tried a WM VBL, which felt too clamy around my feet. I prefer a deep cover of clean snow instead of thin snow and patches of dirt, which seemed to feel colder. Inside the tent, spikes of frost grew overnight from my damp gloves.

A couple of days of trying to slide on ice, grass and dirt at Happo-One is proof that there's has to be more to winter than living on powder. I'll ride along the Hayama coast and enjoy the blue skies and seaviews.

Today might have been a day for a waterproof, breathable, hooded down jacket. http://marmot.com/products/product.php?cat=cloth&subcat=74&style_id=I5038 The women's version is keeping the wife warm in Niigata.

Brain Buckets! I've found them to be most comfortable too in cold condition, and I'd rather use my head to buy a helmet and wear it than using my head to smack something hard and fast or fend off a accidental collission with skis or a board. Don't worry - you can still pick up wearing a helmet. They might even become fashionable if enough teenagers have the sense to wear them.

Julbo Drus sunglasses are quite versatile because they have removable side guards and the fit is adjustable, so they can go from white-outs to blue-sky spring days without ever fogging up. http://www.julbousa.com/Products/Outdoor/Drus.htm Made in France

Wanting to go to Naeba again is like wanting to meet an ex-girlfriend you would have been better off not having met in the first place. The north face of the mountain is much better - go to Kagura instead.

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/FAQ_IceAxe.htm Mountaineering and climbing for riding can lead people to choose different routes. The link above is for mountaineering. Seriously, you'll be sold the first time you use a good ice axe because standing on a slippery slope without an ice axe is just silly. I am 175 cm and my axe is a 65 cm Black Diamond Raven Pro. http://www.bdel.com/gear/raven_pro.php We feel in love when we climber Fuji san on May 5th - honey, I'll hold you forever and never give you up no matter what. The name axe is misl

For pro-performance gear that leaves you free not to a rats about making a fashion statement, consider Marmot: www.marmot.com

Does anyone know if there is a bus service currently operating from Tokyo to Fujisan Kawaguchiko 5th station? Details? Phone numbers?

My Grivel G10 wide crampons haven't been used in anger yet, partly because I am concerned about flex with SOFT snowboard boots or hiking boots. The G10s have a flex bar. Spud, how do the G10s perform with soft snowboard boots or flexible hiking boots? I am thinking about traverses on Fuji san.

Don't start really snowcamping - it can become an expensive, flakey obsession! Save yourself countless hours studying the physics of heat transfer and condensation and debating gear specifications and performance below -15 Celsius. Do you want to be in a tent at -18 C with roaring winds blasting spindrift through the mesh of narrow vents in the middle of the night all by your lonesome? You could be in a hostel, sitting around the fireplace with pleasant company watching a video. Wanna sleep in a VBL? The good news is the technology is constantly taking steps forward.

Fook Mi (Diane Mizota): "Can I have autograph?" Austin: "Of course. Your name is?" Fook Mi: "Fook Mi." Austin: "Oh behave, baby. Behave. Now, your name is?" Fook Mi: "Fook Mi." Austin: "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Fook Mi: "No, Fook Mi, like this." Austin: "Oh, I see. Your name is Fook Mi." Fook Yu (Carrie Ann Inaba): "Here you go." Austin: "Fook Mi, that was fast." Fook Yu: "Fook Yu." Austin: "Oh, you're going the right way for a smacked bottom and I don't care who knows it." Fook Mi: "Austin, this my twin sister. Her name Fook Yu. Fook Yu.

Naeba won't be a problem: if you don't want to walk in the front door, enter down the McDonalds end of the main building. Otherwise, you know, one big-nosed, round-eyed foreigner looks much like any other one. Naeba is oh so dull though - think of the ambience of Shinjuku station. Toilet signs written in Braille are over 2 meters up on walls - go figure. Plus, a lovely high-voltage electricity tower dominates the view of the mountain - hello - could this be Japan?

Have you heard that 2 of the rauchiest women on the planet, Ivana Humpalot and Felicity Shagwell, are going to be riding down a hollowed out volcano in Niigata in January? Austin: Those are skin tight. How do you get into those pants baby? Felicity Shagwell: You can start by buying me a drink. Austin: And who are you, baby? Ivana: Ivana... Ivana Humpalot. Austin: Excuse me? Ivana: Ivana Humpalot. Austin: Well, I wanna gold plated toilet, but that's just not in the cards, is it? Ivana: Do you know how we keep warm in Russia? Austin: I can guess, baby

If people on this forum get attention with a moniker like 'echineko', why don't I just use a moniker like 'doggy style'? Who cares about SNOW anyway, when ALL I can think of is 4 VOLUPTUOUS, snow bunny, supermodel, goddesses in a hotel room in Hakuba in January. Oh, if I don't stop this, I'll go blind and have to ride using a white stick! Echineko is welcome to post a REAL picture of herself to show just how smooth (or CHUNKY) she really is.

Ummm... Is that REALLY her picture? Unfortunately, there is no shortage of 'Tokyo Roses' posting on foums who turn out to be chunky or just playing games. How many gaijin can a chunky girl flirt with and windup on a forum such as this? Why waste time on such snow bull?

In my experience, girls can be divided into two broad categories: chunky or smooth. Smooth girls have light, refined bone structure, thin, translucent skin, elegant, long fingers and finger nails, moist tender lips, sparkling eyes, and lustrous hair. Chunky girls have broad, flat faces, thick skin, coarse hair, big bones, and look thick and heavy. Most smooth girls are interested in preserving their BEAUTY and leave it to the boys to get all sweaty and thrown about. Do you know how easy it would be to break a fingernail by just attempting to put on a ski glove??? Chunk

Having enough different outdoor OBSESSIONS to do any season keeps me happy - I get a hard on when I get to ride on snow, not months before I get a chance to stisfy my lust. Summer rocked!!! And, there is plenty!!! to do living in Hayama on the Miura Hanto. Come October, I'll be hiking the high country; come December, I'll be snowcamping and boarding. No white knuckles and shaking here.

Sometime between Sept. 11 to 17, I am looking to climb Fuji. I want to camp on top, so water is an issue. It'd be nice if there was some ice up there to melt and filter instead of lugging water up the mountain. Anyone have experience or suggestions about climbing or camping at that time?

Snow camping - a worthy topic! There's just something about being in a tent, snuggled up in a down bag during a -10C oyuki night - my dreams are exceptionally vivid - the senses - it's other wordly. Split between two or more, the gear could be manageable. I'd rather see rime ice on the insides of a tent than the insides of a hotel room.

I looking for a sexy B@#CH! Perhaps on Niijima this summer. From Hayama, the view across to Tanazawa and Fuji is SNOW covered, though the view out of Sagami Bay is all blue skies, sparkling seas and Izu Islands. When the dry powder snow goes, I start thinking of dry powder sand beaches.