SnowConnection

montaya provided a perfect list, thanks. A comment: Calafate is dedicated to telemark BC skis. Keiro Kitada-san, a famous mountaineer&BC skier runs the shop. We get info about BC gears & goods at his shop, and "sometimes" go to another mass-sales shops. Kitada-san gets angry, and would say a famous phrase "Mou A'sonde A'ge-nai" (laugh). FYI. Mou=more, Asonde=enjoy to play with you, Agenai=I will not.

dandanino, major ski&sb regions are Chubu, Tohoku, and Hokkaido in Japan. You may fly to Narita international a/p. For Hokkaido, you may fly to Shin-Chitose a/p or Asahikawa a/p from Narita a/p or Haneda domestic a/p. Niseko ski resort, a famous one can be accessed by bus from Shin-Chitose a/p. You may go to Chubu and Tohoku by train or bus from Tokyo where Tokyo downtown is one hour and some from Narita a/p by train/bus. Hakuba ski resort, this web site would be located, is a fomous one in Chubu. At local areas, they hardly can catch your UK English speaking, but may write/read

A. Regular Operation 1. Neko-dake (Sugadaira Ski Resort) http://www.e-kassets.com/heli_board/sugadaira_neko.htm 2. Kusatsu Shirane-san http://www.kusatsu-kokusai.com/winter/eng/tour04.htm 3. Shibu-toge http://www.j-aircraft.co.jp/heliski.html B. Non-Regular Operation (in 2004/2005 season) 1. Tsuga-ike http://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/helicopter.html 2. Naeba-yama & Kagura-mine http://www.geocities.jp/snkagura/Flyer/Heli1/Kagura2005Heli.htm 3. Asakusa-dake http://www2.uonuma.ne.jp/~irisho/ski/ski.html 4. Yakeyama San

montaya, thanks. The pictures interest me.

In winter, Kagura-mine attracts me more than Tairapyo-san in the area along Mikuni Kaido (R17).

Toque, yes, competitors wore XC skis, I realized. Does XC have advantage to tele ? I don't know. Another topic about mountain ski races, JSMC is planning the 2nd Japan ski mountaineering championship 2006 on April. The time limit seemed to be 3 hours last year. Seiji Yamada, a famous tele racer took 4th place of the last year race. http://www.jsmc.jp/xoops/ (Japanese) http://www.uiaa.ch/article.aspx?c=120&a=672 (English) Also, JSMC site has a video clip of UIAA 2nd world championship in Spain, where competitors wore heavy duty XC skis. http://www.jsm

Gomen na sai, eigo ga yoku wakari ma sen. What does your question mark mean ?

Toque, I will stay at Raicho-sou on few days during Nov.19 thru 24. I suppose you will stay at your tent for several days just before the closure day Nov.30. You must have better chance to have a plenty of snow. Accomodations near Murodo; http://www.alpen-route.com/acs-hotel.html The last day of the Alpen Route operation is Nov.30. Raicho-sou, Mikuriga-ike-lodge and Murodo-sansou close on Nov.24. Hotel Tateyama and Midagahara Hotel close Nov.29.

NPM, I would advise Hakkoda (in Tohoku) if you love powder skiing/snowboarding. I uploaded copies of 2006 Hakkoda pages of JAL Tours and JTB Sun&Sun ski&sb Tokyo(Haneda) version packs. The brochures are available at most travel agencies. (There are Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka versions.) http://photos.yahoo.co.jp/sc_tohoku/ (Japanese language only) You can see the original size when clicking a 340x480 picture. No Engish version. Local people are hard to speak English. Sukayu-Onsen-Ryokan and Hotel-Jyogakura, provide powder ski&sb guide with discounte

The course map: http://www.elkmountaintraverse.org/course-map.html I had a trip from Ashcroft to Friends Hut via Perl Pass around ten years ago. It took two days for a moderate party. I heard it would take a LONG full-day trip from CB to Friends Hut. The race time limit is 24 hours. As per seeing 2005 records, many people had DNF....

I leant this race from a TTips topic. http://www.elkmountaintraverse.org/ I love both CB and Aspen. If I were 20 years younger, I would make entry... Has enyone joined this ?

Hi! Toque, thanks, Mostly I've enjoyed road bike. The last one will be at Tour de Okinawa on Nov.12-13. The next week, I will go to Tateyama of your HG, the 1st skiing in 2005/2006 winter.

JTB Sun&Sun starts to accept reservations for 2005/2006 Hokkaido/Tohoku Ski&Snowborad Pakcages from 2005 Oct. 7th 14:00 today. JAL Tours will start to accept reservations from 2005 Oct. 12th 14:00. The most travel agnecies deal them. JAL Tours direct call is 03-5460-8221(Tokyo) or 06-6631-9530(Osaka).

Yes, very very sad. http://www.telemarktips.com/FSabasinAvy.html

There are two famous BC routes based on Renge Onsen(蓮華温泉) lodge. One is a day-round to Yukikura-dake (雪倉岳), the other is a round to Asahi-dake(朝日岳). Both are for advanced skiers. The later is too far to have a day-round trip for the avareges. I HAD average walking speed on 40's, but I took two days with staying at a snow cave before Gorin Kogen(五輪高原). Now, I need two nights staying at snow caves. Please you challenge a day-round trip between Renge Onsen lodge and Asahi-dake peak next season. The period is limitted the late half of April just after Renge Onsen lodge opens, untill snow conditio

There were many articles for May 20 A-Basin avalanche fatal. http://www.summitdaily.com/ http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20050521/NEWS/50520003 A TTips thread reported unusual warming at A-Basin few days before the accident independently. Two points interest me. One is the avalanche occured in a skiing area even it was an expert zone. The other is it might depend to the global warming. I would focus on the later. In Japan, about 40 years ago, we had much snow. The well-known one is San-Pachi Mega Snow ( ３８豪雪 ) in Feb 1963. My memory tells there were much avalanch

Toque, yes, the rightmost mt is Tsurugi. (I learnt a slangy word "dork". No. You are cool.) Have you been skiing on the big slope of Asahi-dake, Hakuba ? (There are many Asahi-dakes in Japan.)

I mean "When Myoko ITSELF gets more attractiveness". e.g. more snow pile, discount program, event, festival, etc. I did not go to Myoko ski resort this season, cos an event was withdrawn. Access(Highway) is not a major factor for letting skiers come. Originally, it is far and travel costly from Tokyo and Osaka.

I tried. Tateyama (Kurobe lake side) from Peak Harinoki-dake. It looks good. Thanks to Fattwins for the photo info.

This is a good site by Japanese language. http://www.canada.or.jp/ski_snow/

When JH was extended from Suzaka(Nagano) to Myoko several years ago, I felt somewhat be comfortable for less signal stops. As far as skiing, it did not contribute to increasing my ski trips. When Myoko gets more attractiveness, I will go skiing more. If the JH tool cost is half, I may go skiing to Myoko double. Comfortable/faster driving is a nice-to-have (Japlish?). I have the same idea with Mr W.

No plan in JH Net official. I did not hear such a story. Local people might know any. http://www.jhnet.go.jp/info/open/contents/imgs/tyubu.gif

My doctor still may allow me to have beer, whiskey, sake and shotyu, in my hands (no, no, in my stomach). But, sorry I can no longer ski down to Raicho-zawa tent site from Murodo with carrying a beer barrel on my back. That's must be a problem. You may want a wine barrel to come..

Fattwins, thank you very much for your invitation to Tateyama next season. I would, but am too old to ski with you. I may see you there, but I can walk only one meter when you walk two meters. I've not wanted to be die in the steepest terrain you like. Yes, Evergreen Outdoor Center has nice English pages, which I fogot. I added their URL to a list in my posting. I've not bought their service. I think rate of Japan BC ski guide service is not expensive as far as buying their package. I usually go to BC skiing with my friends, but sometimes try to buy their packages for increasing "NEW"

Referring to; http://www.kagahakusan.jp/file/news.html 1. From 2005.May.13 noon, the road from Ichinose to Betto-Deai is open. 2. From 2005.May.1, Hakusan Murodo Visitor Centre is open. Bed(Futon) service from May 1. Meal service from June 30. Shop opens from July 1. Reservation is required for Bed or/and Meal. Call 0761-93-1001 . 3. From 2005.Apr.29, Ichinose Visitor Centre is open.