Mike Pow

Originally Posted By: snotrag sort of looking for a tahoe, whistler, vail atmosphere. Argentina - Bariloche; Las Lenas Chile - Valle Nevado Would highly recommend travelling around both countries and hitting the resorts big and small. Posted this on another forum: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52984&highlight=south+america

It's just here in the Niseko area GN. Skied legit, light and dry pow on Monday at Kamui Ski Links (mid thigh), Tuesday at Aashidake (waist), Wednesday at Kurodake (mid thigh), Thursday at Kiroro Ski World (waist) and yesterday at Sapporo Kokusai (waist). It was snowing off and on all afternoon at Kokusai (more on than off) and dumping when I was driving back past Kiroro last night at 6pm.

Having worked with many Australians and heard their tales of winter rain and having skied the S Island of NZ, book a ticket to Santiago and travel around Chile and Argentina.

Originally Posted By: Journey Man Looking back down the cable way about half way up the first ascent. Again about half way up the first ascent and looking to lookers right of the Cableway. Critta this is the bottom of the shaded section you were talking about. I've looked over into that valley before and wondered what the run out would be like - the top looks great! The terrain in both pics (the shaded area to the right of the cable car as you look up the hill on the 'trail map') is skiable. There's one cliff section just below Tower 2 that has to be negotiated. Other

That's why I wrote this SerreChe: "I've skied La Grave in France and the terrain at Kurodake is very reminiscent of that area. But on a smaller scale. Approx 1,300m vert instead of 2,000m+ at La Grave. The implications are the same though."

I thought that FT. Thanks.

Lift accessed (cable car and double chair) is approx 1,500m down to 670m. So 830m of vert. Then there's an approx. 484m of vert above the double chair available through hiking. An easy hike by the looks of things too. An obvious ridge line that takes you to Kurodake peak at 1,984m

Kurodake peak is 1,984m Cable car base station is at 670m Good link here: http://visitfurano.com/English/backcountry/b-kurodake.html# Got pics but will need to process them. Will post in a day or so. Alpine terrain with technical above tree line skiing and tight, steep, technical tree skiing through a combo of old growth conifer and new growth birch trees.

Precisely. See above.

One of these days. Plenty up here for me for the time being. Will return to Kurodake next month for lift accessed and lift accessed touring. I've skied La Grave in France and the terrain at Kurodake is very reminiscent of that area. But on a smaller scale. Approx 1,300m vert instead of 2,000m+ at La Grave. The implications are the same though. Trees are tight below the cable car, but very doable.

More than likely. Can only measure what's there though, not what I think should be there. If I did that would make me a resort snow reporter

Measurements outside my house at ~300 m. 15 Nov 07 - 21 Nov 07 : 105 cm 22 Nov 07 - 28 Nov 07 : 52 cm 29 Nov 07 - 05 Dec 07 : 108 cm 06 Dec 07 - 12 Dec 07 : 54 cm 13 Dec 07 - 19 Dec 07 : 89 cm 20 Dec 07 - 26 Dec 07 : 72 cm 27 Dec 07 - 02 Jan 08 : 83 cm 03 Jan 08 - 09 Jan 08 : 130 cm 10 Jan 08 - 16 Jan 08 : 162 cm 17 Jan 08 - 23 Jan 08 : 138 cm 24 Jan 08 - 30 Jan 08 : 71 cm 31 Jan 08 - 06 Feb 08 : 119 cm 07 Feb 08 - 13 Feb 08 : 31 cm 14 Feb 08 - 20 Feb 08 : 89 cm 21 Feb 08 - 27 Feb 08 : 65 cm 28 Feb 08 - 05 Mar 08 : 22 cm 06 Mar 08 - 12 Mar 08 : 5 cm No

Skied top to bottom on Wednesday. It was fantastic. 7 people on the mountain. Didn't hike but will do next time. Most interesting and exciting terrain I've skied in Japan. It ate one of my skis and I had to "ski" below Tower 2 on 1 ski.

You beauty. I'll be there on Tuesday. What's the avalanche risk at the moment? Got a link (english please).

great points gogalago and arcadia.

If Colin Jackson was in it, it was filmed last season (2006/07) at Rusutsu and Niseko.

Scottish ski info: (Introduction to the link please, which we'll allow in this case - by SForums) http://www.winterhighland.info/

Just what I wrote. We only had one day with REALLY limited skiing (just the beginner chair open). The other days there were plenty of turns to be had from the top of the quad. Peak closed and gates 4 & 5.

Lighter and deeper than here GN?

Not necessarily, as we found out this past week. Bags of new snow, and increased depth and all rock solid courtesy of the wind. And pow with a higher water content typically results in a greater snow pack depth.

Annupuri and Higashiyama side, lifts open to the top. Grand Hirafu side, King #4 and Hanazono #3 still closed. No access through the gates. Great skiing in and on Super Ridge and Miharashi today. Mid-thigh.

As in ability or terrain open?

Heading there and Asahidake next week. Will let you know.

Originally Posted By: ger Right, but you can't see the depth. Wouldn't it bother you to ski on 3 meters of snow, knowing you could be skiing on 6 meters of snow? You'd only have half as much fun. I play with what's near the surface not what's 2-3m below me

None taken. Different people have different ideas of what constitutes good skiing. Thomsy the guy in the photo (another Mike hence the nicknames) is a great guy, and a hell of skier and teacher.