SnowConnection

Have SHINSHU Bus from Nozawa Onsen to Nagano. Phone: 0269-62-4131 http://w2.avis.ne.jp/~iiyama1/exnazawa2.htm Have NAGANO Bus from Nagano to Hakuba. Phone: 0261-72-3155(7:00-19:00) http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/express/nagano_hakuba/index.html e.g. Nozawa Onsen 09:30 - 10:50 Nagano(East) (1,300 yen) Nagano(East) 11:05 - 12:10 Hakuba (1,500 yen)

Toque, thank you for your feedback. I uderstood your idea. I enjoy to have a 1-2 weeks skiing trip overasea once a year. It is sometimes hard work for me to get local information from Japan. I wonder if some gaijins have the same problem when they want to come to Japan BC skiing, and would like to provide them with some helps in terms of language handicap. You do not need my help sure, but some others (especially travelers) might need my help..... I quit the debate with you. Again thanks. As far as I know about Gaijin guides in Japan, Cveto Podlogar, a Slovenian is an active mountain guide i

Toque, thank you for your comment. I agree with you in terms of "Stronger" mountaineers world. But, there must be many Gaijins who want to enjoy Japan BC snowing with moderate skiing/snowbordering skills. They mostly can not read Kanji on topo maps and bus/train time tables. They do not want to carry tents and sleeping bags. They might not have their own cars. They want to stay at huts or lodges. (For me in North America, it is lot of fun to have chatting with Canadians/Americans at huts after dinner as well as skiing with them.) It might be easy to say that they are not quailifed for enjoying

Fattwins, that's problem really for non-Japanese speaking people who want to have BC skiing/snowboardig in Japan. All are only Japanese, signs, pamplets, and local instructions at rural locations. Mostly ordinary local people can not speak English well, or hesitate to speak Englsh. Hut owners may hung up telephone just when hearing English voices. I had a similar experience in France with my poor Englsh. When I reserve a ski hut in US/Canada, I must have telephone conversation once with the guide in additon to much e-mail comm, because the guide may have concern about my English conversation

Yes, you can pitch your tent at the backyard of Sugoroku hut. I am too old to carry a tent and food.

montaya, thank you for your info about Japan Haute Route. The route is separated into three sections, Tateyama to Kitanomata, Kitanomata to Sugoroku, and Sugoroku to Kamikochi. The most popular section is Kitanomata to Sugoroku, where skiers get into from Kamioka-shindo(Uchiho), stay Tarodaira hut, stay Kurobegoro hut, stay Sugoroku hut and go down to Shinhodaka-Onsen. Most skiers use huts open in GW week only, so you must speak fluent Japanese for the huts accomodations, or accompany with a well Japanese speaking friend. As per Sugoroku area, the easier way is to buy a three-days BC tour (o

As per Hokkaido, it has high latitude, but the mountains are comparatively low (alititude). Snow in mountains are melting quickly for comming spring.

klubhead, for Japanese AT/tele skiers it is an exciting period from mid-April thru June begin. After mid-June, mostly they put skies into their closets, and draw summer climbing stuff, bikes, canoues and so on. Or, some go to NZ ski resorts. Some might enjoy water jumping, Ouch!. I may see Hen-na-Gaijins (strange foregners) skiing/snowboarding on rocks in summer mountains.

Good work! I suppose you had Yarisawa valley round ("piston" of Japan mountaineers' jargon). This route and Hidasawa valley route are famous ones from Yari Peak, which I have never been. Some call the route between Kamikochi and Tateyama, Japan Haute Route. It takes four days expedition (mid-April thru late-May). Did you try it?

Nice TR & pics. A great chute. I would provide with map info to readers who do not know how hard section it is. http://www.geocities.jp/snhodaka/Route/KarasawaCamp.htm I suppose Toque was standing at Sirode col(白出コル) between Oku-Hodaka-dake and Karasawa-dake. The west side of the col descends to Shirode-sawa(白出沢) valley to Shin-Hodaka-Onsen(新穂高温泉).

Toque, nice pics. That's GREAT! I would add some explanation. http://www.geocities.jp/sntateyama/SnTateyama/Photo/Tate3peaks.htm Tateyama(立山) is a group name of montains/peaks, usually a group of O'yama(雄山), Ohnanji-yama(大汝山), and Fuji-no-Oritate(富士の折立). When one says "Tatayama", it addresses O'yama, though Ohnanji-yama is the highest. The reason is that O'yama has O'yama Shrine on the top. The summer climing route to O'yama is shown in a red line, which people use in winter. Rohsoku-iwa(ローソク岩:Candle Rock) is standing just below the top. Yamazaki cirque(山崎カール) is a good terrai

Thanks, montaya. It is a valuable one for studying avalanche accidents. This is an another 6 min. avalanche movie once referred on a TTips topic. It occurred at Mt.Ruapehu, NZ. on Sept.'03. http://media.admcs.wwu.edu/video/test/ruapehu030906.mpeg It was a controlled avalanche, no fatality, but caused BC skiers in danger. The story is; http://www.natives.co.uk/news/2003/09/06avtur.htm

http://www.geocities.jp/sngassan/SnGassan/BCRoute/GassanRoute1.htm

http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200504/utah-avalanche.html > ....Maixner was an avalanche-certified > backcountry guide with the Sandpoint-based > Selkirk Powder Company. ... > Maixner didn't die because he was a fool...

http://www.geocities.jp/taira050402/SnTairapyo/BCRoute/TairapyoRoute1.htm

???? http://www.cu-ty.com/aitae/tae/

I am a native Tokyo guy. I've neither seen this pic nor heard the word written. It looks like a CD jacket. The lettes read A-Ku-U-Ke. Aku means "bad/wrong/evil". Uke means "receive" in general. Uke sometimes means that most people well accept/appreciate/enjoy something. "Watashi no hanashi wa uke mashi ta" is "My speech well enjoyed audience". "Baka-Uke" is "Appreciated Crazily". Aku-uke might read; You must FEEL COOL on this cutie even wearing BAD costume.

FYI. Tateyama Murodo Accomodations (立山室堂・宿泊施設) (*A) one-night per person with breakfast and dinner. (* one-night per person without meals (bed only). 1. Hotel Tateyama (ホテル立山) http://www.alpen-route.co.jp/h-tateyama/ Open: 2005.Apr.10 - Nov.29 Room Charge: http://www.alpen-route.co.jp/h-tateyama/2003_ryoukin.html Room for two : 20,000yen - 30,000yen (*A) Reservation: Web=http://tateyama.tyms.net/portal/yoyaku/tm_yoyaku.html . Note: Western Style Hotel 2. Mikuriga-ike Onsen (みくりが池温泉) http://www.mikuri.com/ Open: 2005.Apr.17 - Nov.24 Room Cha

daver, do you mean Canada Avalanche Accociation ? No in Japan such as CAA. There has been some movements which sometimes are hung up or in slow by the reason of money and resources. e.g. Japan Avalanche Network was established in 2001 as a special Non-Profit Organaization. They do/did good jobs, but has been in smaller activites. http://www.nadare.gr.jp/ I guess the same group might have this site, but not sure: http://www.snownews.jp/ In Canada/US, some goverments pay much money for avalanche research for protecting citizen lives and properties, and there a

Tateyama, right? Please see: http://www.alpen-route.com/ English page shows only an introduction. Japanese pages have the details. The transportation service between Tateyama and Shinano-Ohmachi will be available on/after April 17, 2005 for skiers & snowboarders.

Tanna Island seems to be a popular sightseeing place also. It's near to Fiji Isaland. http://www.rexgroup.co.jp/tanna_i.html Let's try, but I hesitate.

I beleive many Japanese buy following air packages when they want to go to Hakkoda, Aomori-ken. (1) JAL Tours http://www.gct.co.jp/winter/tyo/toh/hakkoda/jl_sukayu.html (2) JTB Sun & Sun http://www.jtbsun.com/sunFormArea.asp?BRL=SS&CTG=AI&KBN=KN -->北東北-->八甲田 I suppose Jyogakura Hotel is rather good for western people. If you want to enjoy "traditional" Japanese onsen, Sukayu Onsen Ryokan is recommended. Hakkoda-Sanso is a cosy lodge (so-called Japanese Pension) just in front of the ski lift. If you are a solo traveler, a single bank bed of Jyogakur

If you go to Kagura/Mitsumata, this would help you... http://www.geocities.jp/snkagura/Access/Access.htm

This flyer may interest some BC Gaijins. http://www.geocities.jp/snkagura/Flyer/Heli1/Kagura2005Heli.htm It has a day Heli tour and a day Backountry tour. I translated the BC tour part into English. However, some Gaijin-san are hard to speak Japanese. It means they can not join the BC tour because of language problem. Also, they might have no experiece to stay MINSHUKU. At this point, I am free on April 12 thru 14. If someone (or a gorup) is ready to pay a tour & travel cost (apx.25,000 yen each) for me, I may accompany with them as a language interpreter. I am an older tele Jap

http://www.geocities.jp/snkagura/Flyer/Heli1/Kagura2005Heli.htm