tripler

true, the vert's a bit shit

where d'you get that from, ski?

i don't understand why we happily accept 8000 deaths on the roads as the price to pay for car travel while 1 death in the BC is enough to get things shut down.

ok, to make it really simple so CB can understand - the rope-duckers are the "good guys", ski patrol (aka the nazis) are the "bad guys". The good guy punches out the bad guy and everyone lives happily ever after.

BM, I think you're seeing the peak of the bubble right now. Wait one year and you should be able to pick up a bargain. From what I hear, people are realising now that they can't sell at a profit. From the ones who have to sell for whatever they can get, we'll find out how overheated it really got.

Originally Posted By: Gnu B-pro Wanna go to Hakuba, but not sure that riding in March there is comfortable. Can anyone advise me about conditions in March? We had a fat dump late March last season but chances are it won't be "comfortable".

Originally Posted By: Mamabear hotel 4.5 star I didn't know there are 4.5 star hotels. I'm guessing you also always travel from platform 9 and-three-quarters for oz VIPs only.

no, bolsheviks are the revolutionaries. Bourgeoisie are the admin.

i'm guessing you're from a country far inferior to france

Originally Posted By: Mamabear You can not underestimate the impact of customer service - good or bad. It is HUGE. I'm not so sure about that. I quite like bad customer service. But maybe that's because I consider myself partly french from living there a few years in my childhood. If someone gives off the attitude "I'm only here to make some money" I appreciate their honesty. All this "Have a nice day" American-style stuff makes me sick.

Originally Posted By: Soft Landings a bit of pushing and shoving when the guy wouldn't give up his pass. Both the poachers got away though wOOt! 1-0 to the bolsheviks

Just something I heard... So is it true all the local real estate guys are SELL SELL SELL?

Sun Alpina Myoko Hakkoda [Niseko oz locals - hope they need dental records when your bubble explodes]

Originally Posted By: dyna8800 Please tell me where at Happo backcountry is allowed. Anywhere above the top lift. As long as you don't come back into the resort area, you're backcountry and noone can touch you. Do YOU know what backcountry means? (it's not "skiing under the lifts") But I wouldn't blame anyone for being confused because Japanese resort owners spread confusion with signs like "Backcountry not permitted here" in the middle of in-bounds areas.

thanks for clearing that up for me, GN.

I'm a bit unclear what "opening up" the backcountry means in Japan. At Happo and Goyru 47, for example, BC is totally allowed and lots of people do it. But the resort doesn't do any avi control there or anything else to make it safer or more convenient. Yet noone would say the Hakuba backcountry is closed. So what does opening it up mean if the resort doesn't do anything?

Originally Posted By: RobBright Essentially, people were banished there. Not surprising Australians find it a home from home... My impressions: This forum has convinced me that the snow at Niseko is on a different level to Honshu. Other impressions: lively nightlife, everything ozzie-owned, everyone ozzie, crowded slopes, expensive. BTW I've never been but would like to.

Hakuba and Niseko are the main places for foreign ski instructors.

lol "bijoux apartments with all the mod cons"

Originally Posted By: Weegeoff I still think you are spoiled Try skiing the rocks in Scotland Yes but Scotland doesn't bill itself as the world's premier powder destination! Other similar classics are "a lot better than Australia", "much better than last season", "it's a lovely sunny day" (clever distraction from the fact there's no new snow, again).

I was going to say, I bet Hakuba lodge owners are loving this thread!

Originally Posted By: Matt I was getting bottomless powder everyday (albeit sometimes only in north facing slack country - I almost never ski on the runs) That is a pretty big caveat. Most people never go back country. And if they do, unless they pay for a tour or have friends who can come pick them up, they're looking at an hour's walk along the road back to the closest lift.

Originally Posted By: Ryoma The places that are strict about back country are usually because there are certain areas that can be very dangerous at different times of the year. That may be true sometimes but I bet a lot of the time it's pretty arbitrary. Compare Happo and Goryu/47, for example. For inbound off-piste Happo is quite relaxed, while Goryu/47 is very strict. But those mountains are next to each other, they could be joined into one big resort. Terrain is identical, just different attitudes. 6 kiwis went BC at Happo a few years back and didn't get found till the snow melted in

From forecasts and comments it seems since mid-Jan Hakuba has been suffering the same problems as last season. Dumps are wiped out days later by heavy rain. Generally too warm.

and in Niseko they'd bang him up and throw away the key no questions asked, if certain would-be locals had their way. But seriously, the other kid's mum probably thinks her son's an angel too. It's a mother's prerogative, isn't it?