Mike Pow

Originally Posted By: Probe It seems to me that Moiwa may be a bit small for what they're planning. I guess if they manage to link up with Annupuri it might be OK. This is the crux. Ultimately if Moiwa is linked to Annupuri and as a consequence Niseko United then Moiwa will become a dormitory town for the bigger area, much like outlying villages in the European Alps. Quote: Using the "Niseko" in the new name might help get a few people interested. The resorts in the area have the prefix 'Niseko' including Weiss and Iwanai at the coast. This is not a marketing ploy, at least n

Thanks. If you're in the Niseko area drop everything for tomorrow. It was mid-thigh and superfly today. Has alternated between puking and puking hard all day. Tomorrow will be an EPIC day on the mountain for any time of the season.

Originally Posted By: Fattwins If you do come give me a heads up there are lines in Hakuba in MAy that are better and it is cheaper. If that was for me Fattwins, thanks and I will.

Hope to

That first pic looks amazing

Thanks guys. Been slack last week. Well slack on here. Been out nearly every day. Between opening day (23rd November) and today (3rd December) we've had 82cm of snow (from slush puppies to feathers) at my house. Lots, lots more up on the mountain Each day we're getting more snow. Each day they're opening more terrain. Each day it just keeps getting better and better. Here are a couple of shots from yesterday. Troy hitting the trees looker's left (looking down the mountain) of Yotei Sunset, near the Hanazono #3 Chair.

Love the first pic.

Sunrise over Mt Yotei on 29 November 2007 Taken in front of Pow Pow Much more snow around the village now.

Spot on Fattwins. My Hirafu Village measurements 'of actual fallen snow, not blown in snow' for this season are: 15Nov07 - 21Nov07 105cm 22Nov07 - 28Nov07 52cm 29Nov07 - 03Dec07 70cm Total so far 227cm

On Hokkaido at least, you have to be certified and show that you've instructed for at least 36 months to get a 'skilled labor' visa. There are working holiday visas available to Australians and Canadians where the 36 month rule doesn't apply. Don't know if the US is in the programme.

Looks shit

Bus is door to door. Neither Hirafu station nor Kutchan is as convenient as the bus.

It will be just a matter of time before Moiwa is linked to Niseko United in my somewhat informed opinion. Maybe next season or the season after.

Sounds brilliant. More pics please, and I know that's rich coming from me seeing as it took so long for me to post some.

That's a great post CB. Very balanced. I've met this conundrum before when I lived in the town of Whitefish, Montana, USA and skied at the then Big Mountain (it's now Whitefish Mountain Resort). I worked as a rep for the British tour operator Inghams and they used to offer two centre holidays - 1 week in Fernie, BC and 1 week in Big Mountain. Unfortunately they offered Fernie first and Big Mountain second. In my opinion they should have offered it the other way round. Go to a less steep mountain with excellent powder but not normally in the same depths overnight as Fer

FRIDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2007 25cm in the past 24hrs on my steps at village level (300m). Opening Day Got to the lifts at 7:35 to find that the ticket window wasn't opening up until 8:20. So my chances of first chair were shot down early. Saw who I thought was StuntCok from the TGR forums at the ticket window and asked him if he had 'change for a nickel'. He did. Made a change from wearing a white carnation under the clock tower at the train station and introducing myself with "lovely weather we're having for this time of the year'. We proceeded to ski together for the

Yes m'lord Put the pics in the thread, scroll back a bit.

The collective name for Annupuri, Higashiyama, Hirafu and Hanazono ski areas.

Could be less talk and more action hopefully Creek Boy. Smart move in renaming the gondola. I suspect that they're hoping that international guests will see the name 'Niseko Gondola' on the trail map and think that it's the heart of Niseko United.

Ski instructor in the winter. Real estate year round.

Thursday 22 November 2007 15cm in the past 24hrs on my steps at village level (300m). Although a couple more hours in bed wouldn't have hurt this morning I'm very happy that I didn't succumb to the pillow. Our (myself and work colleague, boarder and all around good guy Derek Begley) Tuesday boot pack and lines had disappeared as I made my way up the switchbacks this morning. Knee deep all the way. At around 750m there was 30cm of featherlight on top of 5cm of crust on top of 45cm of consolidated, well bonded pow. I would say that today's turns were sugoi (awesome)

Higashiyama are seriously considering opening the closed terrain for next winter (2008/09) based on control work and the 'behaviour & understanding' of people playing in Higashiyama this coming season. If the terrain does become available, then I would like to see a system similar to the regulations for the Delirium Dive area at Sunshine, Alberta, Canada put in place. Can only be accessed through a control gate that opens when it gets the signal that you're wearing a beacon. In addition you must have a shovel & probe and at least one other person skiing/riding with you.

If I'm not mistaken, Chinese New Year is sometime in early to mid-Feb. The Niseko area gets very busy during that week.

Actually been snowing in Hirafu since last Thursday (15th) and in the past week I've measured 105cm outside my front door in Middle Hirafu Village. As a guestimate, but an informed one, I'd say between 1.5 and 2m has fallen at 1,000m

Wednesday 21 November 2007 10cm in the past 24hrs at village level (300m), read my steps We've had it all in the past 24. Heavy wet pow, about 30 minutes of drizzle, styrofoam pellets, clear blue skies and above zero celcius temps, dandruff snow, clear starry, moonlight skies and currently serious cold smoke dumpage. At least 10cm has fallen since 8am this morning (it's just after 1pm as I write). No turns today. There's a 2-5cm wind/wet snow/rain crust lurking below today's snowfall. Will let you know how it skis tomorrow. Could be interesting. Still no wor