Greenroome

Paul sure gave himself a thorough going-over in that clip.

How about engineering a cheese grater for a stomp pad?

Thanks guys. Sounds like a month in the north, a month in the south, and a month somewhere else might be best. I really wanted to settle right in to somewhere for the whole season, but that's cool. I'm lucky to have a season off work so I'm not gonna whinge. Any recommends for a month's stay in Niseko? Any cheap long-term rates or places with that special something?

Hmmm... sounds pretty lame. What a pisser. Thanks for the info and map, JA. It's so annoying because Furano ticks all my other boxes - walk to lifts, cheap accom and food, more clear days, awesome scenery, cheap passes. But no trees. NO TREES!!! And a 1+ hour bus trip to Kamui. Okay, so does anyone know if Asahidake, Kurodake or Kitataisetsu have a town with cheap accom and supermarkets nearby? The YHA near Kurodake closes for the season. Shirataki is near Kitataisetsu but I can't find much info on it. Anyone? I guess I'd need a bus to get to the mountain too. No car. This

Ez - Thanks for the welcome. I've definitely considered staying in Sapporo for winter but as much as I love this city, the allure of boarding through fresh snowfields for 30 bucks a day with stuff like hot volcanic gas holes and fresh tracks all day is just too strong. I'll definitely do a few days here before I go, but I'm not a city guy. And without a car, I reckon I'd be flailing like a drunk monkey trying to get my board and my wife's ski gear on and off two Chuo buses and a subway. JA - the more I hear about Kamui, the more excited I get. Anyone got any late mail on Furano's out

Thanks for the link, Mike. Looks nice and remote. Boardbaka - Wanaka was laid-back, relaxed, and stunning. QT scenery was stunning too, but the traffic was nuts, the hotels were over-priced, and the centre of town was full of multi-national chains. I went crazy at Wanaka's organic store, but I glazed over when I saw designer beanies in QT's granite & glass Cabbage Patch store, I was impressed, however, that pilots need a special accreditation to land planes in QT. Come to think of it, watching air traffic was a highlight.

Any tips on towns to stay in for Kurodake and Kitataisetsu? I want to stick to backpackers and cheapies if possible.

Thanks Mike. The closest accommodation to Kamui is Asahikawa, yeah? I wish Kamui had a village next to it. Asahikawa's a bit big for me. Would the trip between Furano and Kamui become annoying? It's a bit over an hour, I think.

Thanks Creek Boy, Asahidake is definitely one of the day trips I'm planning on making regularly. It's a bit further than Kamui, but looks well worth it judging by the reviews on this site. Will file full reports.

Thanks Grungy, for the welcome and for the massive laugh when I first saw your avatar.

Hi All, First of all I'd like to say a big thanks to everyone here for all the helpful info. I've been lurking in the shadows, reading and learning, and the info and vibe in these forums has been top shelf. You've got a great community here, without the usual whingers, flamers and pessimists. Now, enough about you - let's talk about me. I'm living in Sapporo, raiding the Co-op every night when the half-price sushi stickers go on, sitting on the edge of my seat trying to guess the calories in that wacky food game show on TV, and swimming at Ishikari and Zenibako on the weekends, becau