deanrobi

What is the Black Diamond club?

Hanging out on Hamilton island MB and your still checking out the forums, surely there is some swimming pool that needs you to visit it or some new cocktail that needs to be tasted.

Thanks for the update NV. Thats great news. Now i'm even more excited and with fresh snow on the ground I think I will have to start my count down of days until I get there.

*Bump* anyone have any updates on whether or not the area is going to be open as discussed earlier

The tour i was looking at actually mentions that it ends up Goshiki Onsen where you get to have a plunge at the end of the day. They transport you back to Hirafu after that. Sounds like it is a bit further over than I've been so I think we will give it a go as its not that expensive. We have day trip planned for Rusutsu and Miowa.

On previous trips to Niseko I have managed to find my around on mountain and last trip I started to venture to the back bowls off to the skiers right of Annapuri by just following the crowds, this year I was thinking of doing a guided tour. I have read a few tour descriptions and the intro tours look to be similar to what I have done by myself with runs off the Hirufu Peak and the Annapuri Bowls. Dose this sound about right? are there any intro back country tours that you can recommend.

For a week, you will be happy and will find enough new runs & terrain to keep you amused. Its like 'Ground Hog Day' after each new snow fall.

or for Niseko maybe something like this that we could all find easily and take a shot during our trip

Is it to early to kick off the 'Telephone Box' watch thread yet?

The train station at Otaru is a fairly small station something along the lines of what we are use to here in Aust and is nothing like the train and subway station that you may experience in say Tokyo. We did the trip last year and had no problems. It was basically get off the train and walk across to the other side of the platform for the train to Sapporo. As Go Native said the information screens on the platforms and within the trains switch between English & Japanese. The trip is well worth doing as you get to see a different part of the country as well as the coast line that can be pret

'Bump' Does any one have any more news on whether or not they are still planning to allow access Mizuno no sawa this season? Couldn't find any updates on there web sites

Thanks for the warning GN, how long, roughly would the train trip to Hakodate take?

Last year we took a break from boarding and took a train trip to Otaru & Sapporro, this year we are spending longer in Niseko and thought we might also jump on the train and go the other way this time, say down to Oshamanbe on the coast. Whats it like down that way? is there any where else that is recommended to see, by train

That particular Cannondale is a very good 'spec' bike and for that price, depending on condition , is a really good buy. Beware that with the Lefty fork if you are planning to remove the front wheel to put the bike in your car etc that there is a little more work involved to a standard wheel, you will need to remove the Disk brake caliber. If you plan on carrying the bike on the roof you will need either a convertor for your racks or racks that carry the bike whit the front wheel connected. That said I'm a big fan of Cannondale and the life time warranty and have had excellent replacement

While I'm at Niseko this trip I'm thinking of spending some time at Moiwa, I see that there is a free shuttle service between there and Hirafu. What's Moiwa like/ I'm guessing that being that close to Annapuri that the terrain would be similar. Is it best to go after a fresh fall of snow? Any advice welcomed.

Fingers crossed, I meet all of the criteria.

If you are staying overnight in Tokyo you can fly from Henda Airport to Sapporo. No need to go all the way back to Narita

MB, we need the rain, there will be plenty more days of sunshine coming, especially for you guys over there.

yes the ninja mask from the convenience store for 1200Y was my best investment I ever made, still use today. I don't really change the amount of layers from what I wear in Aust/NZ, Thermals, midlayer and a good jacket, and I seem to be ok. Can highly recommend a pair of inners in your gloves as I found that if you take your gloves off to fix a binding or take a photo they can very quickly get cold and uncomfortable and they take forever to warm back up unlike in Aust/NZ. Other than that buy a pack of the heater pads that MB was taking about from the convenience store, dirt cheap

I can remember it getting to -17 one day when we were there this year, even took a photo for the guys back home sitting in 45 degree heat.

MB, think you are right now that I have re-read the whole thing in context and not just the individual lines,(all adds up to 100%). I will go back to sleep.

Originally Posted By: Mada Long term forecast for Dec thru Feb released by the JMA today.. I don't like to read too much into it as long term forecasting is shady at best.. wasn't it in 2005 when they said it was going to be a very warm winter and it ended up being an epic season in terms of cold temps and snowfall? here it is anyways: Temps Forecast Northern Japan (incl. all prefectures Fukushima & Yamagata and north) 40% chance of above average temps 30% chance of average temps 30% chance of below average temps Kanto & Hokuriku 50% chance of above average temps 30%

Has any one ever done one of these tours while at Niseko? whats it like? is it worth doing?

Gareth, Check out the details on the Niseko United web page but hopefully they will have the same deals next season as this year but you can get the bus transfer and a 1 day lift ticket for 4,900yen on CHUO bus, Niseko Bus or Donan bus lines.

Acpowman, When you say there are no seats available for Narita to Sapporo on these dates do you mean Narita & Heneda or are you refering to flying directly from Narita as when I was looking into this there were only a limited amount of flights from Narita per day but a heap more flights per day from Heneda. I have a friend who is still undecided on these dates, sounds as if he may have missed his chane