Mike Pow
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Posts posted by Mike Pow
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DAY 85 : THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2014
3 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 3 of the Royal Visit
A calm day across the region, and the Kiroro Snow World gondola opened for the first time in 3 days.
Great snow to be had all over the mountain with Nerys starting to make smooth turns in steeper powder runs.
And it was Nerys' first time in Powderzone today. And she flushed it.
Nerys
Always Alright
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DAY 84 : WEDNESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2014
17 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 2 of the Royal Visit
With the high winds still raginga cross the region and closing the upper lifts we headed back to Kiroro for Nerys' second day on snow.
Another big leap in her comfort level on and off the piste today.
Kir(oro) Royal(e)
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Hi Mike, Nerys was looking good in the video. She seemed to be skiing in the powder rather than on top, does she have fat powder skis or does she have narrower skis like you?
Thanks onehunga. Will pass on your thoughts.
Nerys is 168 cm tall and skis 153 cm Rossignol Temptation 82 W skis (the women's specific model) with a profile of 131-82-119 with a little tip rocker.
Great all-mountain ski which floats on denser packed powder and drops into the lighter stuff.
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DAY 83 : TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2014
26 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
As of today 11.2 m (441") has fallen at MQ in Higashiyama
Day 1 of the Royal Visit
Nerys' first day skiing on Fantasy Island and we went back to where it all started, Kiroro Snow World.
The tops lifts were on wind hold but we had deserted slopes on the lower mountain with the powder building throughout the day.
Excellent first day of skiing for Nerys picking up right where she left off last March and then kicking on from there.
Life's A Gas
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Cheers seemore.
Wind blown on the summit. Some boot top creamy powder in the gullies.
Knee deep powder in the trees down low.
Catch it on a bluebird powder day and it will be extraordinary.
Loads of fun in the gullies and steeper trees. Great spacing.
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DAY 80 : SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2014
3 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Late last night Clayton Kernaghan, owner operator of Black Diamond Tours in Higashiyama, called round to MQ to say that the Hokkaido Backcountry Club helicopter would be flying early Saturday morning and there was a seat onboard for me.
I got the golden ticket because I'm writing a feature for the 2015 Powderlife magazine.
Heli-skiing in the Shiribeshi region of Hokkaido has arrived, with Shiribetsu Dake beside Rusutsu Resort the first of many proposed landing zones.
We met at 7.30 am at the Black Diamond Tours office for registraion.
Johnie from London getting weighed to balance out the payload
Michael from Swizterland
Angus from Brisbane
Head Guide Jordy Shepherd from Canada
Jordy explaining avalanche beacon searches and probing for skiers / snowboarders buried in an avalanche
Local photographer Glen Claydon and NISADE Employee of the Month Kondo
Pilot J Iwada
NISADE Employee of the Month Kondo
NISADE Employee of the Month Pippy
Johnie
Jordy
Kondo and Johnie ready to drop in
Angus
Johnie
Guide Pablo Arsenault
A fantastic experience that comes highly recommended if you're in the Niseko Resort Area.
Look out for the feature in the 2015 Powderlife magazine out in December 2014.
DAY 81 : SUNDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2014
10 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A windy day at Grand Hirafu with Graeme.
Top lifts closed but there was great piste skiing to be enjoyed despite the crowds.
Big changes for Graeme today.
DAY 82 : MONDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2014
11 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A very windy day with blizzarding snow across the Niseko Resort Area.
Day off snow as I headed to New Chitose Airport to pick up my girlfriend Nerys for the start of her 3-week trip to Fantasy Island.
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DAY 79 : FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2014
10 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
After a week of no significant snowfall and limited powder in the Niseko Resort Area, a little place over the mountain delivered for the fourth day in a row.
This is what a a full day at Kiroro looks like, from bell to bell.
Valentine's Day and I got the love.
Friday Face Shots Part Four
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Insincere was a poor choice of words, sorry.
No problem.
But best not to make out or should I say leave it to imply that Niseko has been full on powder all season. Because it hasn't.Did neither IMHO.
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Don't know where everybody else has been skiing?
Come on now, don't be insincere.
Ask many in Niseko - heard of it? - in the last week or so, with hardly any fresh, and they might wonder what you're on about.
Not everyone has a car or is willing to make journeys. Going to Niseko and having to travel to find fresh snow is not part of the deal.
I wasn't being insincere.
The OP asked about conditions on Hokkaido this winter. Not specifically about Niseko.
I gave my take on what has been in my opinion a great winter skiing Niseko United, Moiwa, Rusutsu, Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai.
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Great lines. Great snow. Great tune.
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UPDATE : THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2014
Tim getting into the Kiroro powder
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Cheers seemore.
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UPDATE : THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2014
Dougy crusing the Kiroro powder
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Don't know where everybody else has been skiing but I've had powder all season long on Hokkaido.
If you're prepared / able to move around there's always good snow to be found.
I've skied Niseko United, Moiwa, Rusutsu, Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai so far this season and had deep days at all of them.
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Untracked and face shots all day at Kiroro.
Get there tomorrow. I left a bit
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DAY 78 : THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 10 with the Banks family, and with no new snow in the Niseko Resort Area Tim, Jackie, Dougy & I headed to Kiroro for their final day on snow this holiday.
We were greeted with sunshine and a full reset covering all of yesterday's tracks.
There was 5cm of light snow on the groomed runs, knee deep fluff on the fringes, and a lot more in the trees.
For the second day in a row I messed up the focus on Tim's turns in 'Walk In The Woods' but I think you'll get the drift
After lunch the heaven's opened and by day's end we had boot top powder on the groomers and face shots galore in the trees.
Video to follow.
A great way to end a great time with the Banks family.
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Way more the past 2 seasons than I can remember the 6 seasons before that.
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DAY 76 : TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 8 with the Banks family, Tim & Jackie at Kiroro.
Great sunny start to the day with the groomed runs in perfect condition.
Started snowing after lunch and it was knee deep by day's end.
DAY 77 : WEDNESDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2014
5 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 9 with the Banks family, Tim, Jackie, Dougy & Claud at Kiroro.
Another sunny day at Kiroro on deserted pistes and even more deserted tree runs.
Claud, Jackie, Tim & Dougy with Yoichidake in the backround
Dougy went to the darkside today, but managed to stay in the light
Tim and I hit the trees and with Tim hitting his marks and me well off today unfortunately. But you can see the quality of the snow we skied
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Mikepow claims no snow on the forecast till the WE for round here. WTF.
Hope he's wrong - but doubt it. Still getting the goods but having to work for it.
Light covering in the Niseko Resort Area, but very happy to report I was wrong about Kiroro.
Snowing throughout the day.
Knee deep.
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DAY 73 : SATURDAY 08 FEBRUARY 2014
3 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 6 with the Banks family, Tim, Jackie & Claud at Kiroro.
It was wall to wall sunshine across the region today offering up spectacular views of Mt Yotei, the surrounding peaks, Lake Toya, and the Pacific Ocean & Sea of Japan.
The groomed runs were in perfect condition and there were plenty of dry, light powder stashes in the trees.
Claud, Jackie & Tim with Otaru Bay in the background
Tim standing tall and relaxed in the fall line on the Nagamine red course
Jackie letting the skis run on the Nagamine red course
DAY 74 : SUNDAY 09 FEBRUARY 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 7 with the Banks family, Tim, Jackie, Dougy & Claud at Rusutsu.
It was a mixed bag weatherwise today.
Low cloud, light snow, flat light, sunshine, low temperatures.
But thankfully no wind.
The groomed runs at Rusutsu were in great shape and there was still plenty of boot top to knee deep powder in the trees.
There's not much snow in the forecast, but with low winds and intermittent sunshine it's the ideal time to ski the groomers and the bumps improving your skiing technique and confidence.
DAY 75 : MONDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A calm and sunny start to the day at MQ with VERY light snow flurries.
Taking a day off snow today to recharge the batteries and wait for the next wave of Hokkaido powder to roll in.
Which doesn't seem to be until the weekend at this stage.
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My pleasure snowdude.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
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DAY 72 : FRIDAY 07 FEBRUARY 2014
13 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 5 with the Banks family, and today's destination for Tim, Jackie & I was Rusutsu.
After yesterday's windblown powder, today we had light, knee deep powder all over the mountain.
All day.
Jackie was really letting the skis run in the deeper snow and Tim was standing taller and showing more patience through the turn.
The sun came out just before lunch and Tim and I tried to get a couple of stills at the gondola base.
We didn't quite get it
, but you can see the quality of the powder.
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DAY 71 : THURSDAY 06 FEBRUARY 2014
24 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 4 with the Banks family, and Tim, Jackie & I headed to Kiroro.
Yesterday's powder had been flattened by the overnight wind, so it was a day on the long, expertly groomed Kiroro pistes.
Jackie started to lose the stem on her right to left turn - a legacy of her snowplow days - and to feel the acceleration at the start of the turn.
By day's end she was really moving.
SR : HokkaidOH! 2013/14
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
UPDATE : THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2014
Met up with Ian who was back at Kiroro Snow World for the first time since his knee injury.
He was with Jess and Kane who work with him at J-Sekka and here's his vid of Jess and Kane getting into the Kiroro powder