Mike Pow

It is currently dumping at MQ in Higashiyama. And that's outside before you all start

Yeah fair play, Johan was making the most of the conditions and loving it. No. The widest I've skied on Hokkaido has been the 173cm Movement Jam (136-85-117). I found that they kept me closer to the surface of the snow, when what I'm looking for is an immersive powder experience. With the quality and low density of Hokkaido powder I want to be in it not surfing on or just below the snow surface. If you ski aggressively enough and use your upper body to initiate the turn you can submarine any size ski. But that's not the way I ski or teach. Agreed. But fo

Thanks Matabo Oyaji and muikabochi.

It's stuck in the station, not derailed

DAY 7 : WEDNESDAY 04 DECEMBER 2013 0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Another grey December day. Thought I'd left this rubbish behind in Wales. It brightened up in the afternoon so I went for a little drive up to Goshiki Onsen to scope some potential lines for when the snow comes. Mt Yotei made a brief appearance DAY 8 : THURSDAY 05 DECEMBER 2013 0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ It's beginning to feel like 'The Benjamin Button' season. Starting off with spring temperatures, sunshine, limited terrain open, and a quickly disappearing snowpack and working it

The most technical skiing with dramatic scenery I've had on Hokkaido has been top to bottom Kurodake. 1200m of mostly fall line skiing with wide open bowl up top and tight trees down low.

That's what I did

If it's roped off, then no. If it isn't roped off then definitely yes. Early season it's the best place for powder. Typically the lift lines are cleared of sasa and rocks so the lifties can walk the lift line for maintenance. By mid-season it gets a little dicey as the base gets closer to the bottom of the chairs.

DAY 5 : MONDAY 02 DECEMBER 2013 10 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ A grey miserable day so I had a lie in and then lunch at Chez Doudou on the way to Chisenupuri. Ate there a number of times at the end of last season and I'm happy to report that it's just as good. But unfortunately still as quiet. I was the only one in for lunch today. But I did have the chef's dog for company. Chez Doudou closes from 20 December 2013 to 01 March 2014 as the chef is the private chef for Niseko Cuisine, a company which provides high end dining at your accom

DAY 4 : SUNDAY 01 DECEMBER 2013 4 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Light snowfall mixed with gusting winds throughout the day. Noticeably cooler today compared with yesterday afternoon which will hopefully create a firmer base for the next big dump of snow. Three of the four Niseko United resorts are now operational for the 2013-14 season. Annupuri opened today with uplift on the gondola and the Jumbo Pair #3. Niseko Village opened today with uplift on the Community and Banzai chairs. Grand Hirafu continued on from yesterday's opening day with uplift and downlift on th

Thanks snowjunky. Ever so slightly. Currently on Coreupt The Caspers (173cm, 112-79-106) Got a pair of Idris Renard for the piste (175cm, 116-71-100) and a pair of Majesty Local Hero (176cm, 116-82-111) for everything else when the Coreupts give in.

DAY 3 : SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2013 12 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ November saw 128 cm (50") of snowfall at village level, making it the 3rd highest November in the 8 winters I've been keeping records. The snowiest November was 2007 with 177 cm (70"). OPENING DAY AT GRAND HIRAFU Four days ago there was no snow in the village. Today the Center 4 and Ace Double #3 were running for the start of the winter season in the Niseko Resort Area. As last year, Ji-chan was in pole position for opening chair And when the turnstiles did start turning Ji-chan lef

Thanks for all the comments guys. Started the season on last year's skis & boots onehunga, but have two new sets of skis in the wings. New clothes though

SR : HokkaidOH! 2013/14 DAY 1 : THURSDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2013 21 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ (Mike's Quarters, in Higashiyama) It's that time of the year again. Local photographer Glen Claydon and Sam Kerr of Niseko Xtreme Tours got first tracks of the season way back on 09 November, but then the warm wind and the rain came and washed most of it away. The 23 November Opening Day at Grand Hirafu was cancelled and rescheduled for 30 November. I arrived back on Fantasy Island yesterday afternoon and the snowfall had returned. In spades. After settling in at the cabin and

Thanks snowjunky. BIth have their considerable charms ILoveZao, and both feel like home.

Rustic

That's Hanazono and Niseko Village's problem. And one which they've been slow to address.

My opinion, yours differs. Quelle surprise!

The place that everyone loves to hate. It's far from perfect, but it's trying to drag itself out of the 80s and become a modern ski resort. There's no coherent and concerted plan but it still evolves towards that goal.

A mountain town with lifts that offers accommodation, restaurants, retail & recreation for visiting holidaymakers for longer than 2 nights. Grand Hirafu is a ski resort. Sapporo Kokusai is a ski hill. IMHO

The vitriol leveled at Niseko never ceases to amaze me.

Thanks. Yes very lucky to live so close to this wonderful area.

WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2013 Bob Hillier took this wonderful picture of the Central Beacons Massif from the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre in Libanus at sundown last night, saying that it wouldn't be around for long. How right he was unfortunately. With heavy rain overnight and the freezing level climbing above the summits it was back to Autumn in the Beacons today. Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du from Mynydd Illtud Fan Fawr from Mynydd Illtud Narrow lane on Mynydd Illtud Cefn Crew It's much colder now with

Many thanks Ajax and muikabochi.

TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2013 As forecast, the first snow of the winter arrived this morning. The snowline was down to approx 300m - the hills around my house had a light covering - and the Central Beacons Massif had coverage top to bottom. Unfortunately it was a consistent frosting of about 2-5cm of dry, powdery snow which was too thin to ski on. I drove west to the Carmarthen Fans, the Black Mountain, where more had fallen and was continuing to fall throughout the morning. YR EIRA GYNTAF - THE FIRST SNOW Fan Brycheiniog and Llyn y Fan Fawr in the Blac