Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 he didnt have the snow either did he? That was the year there was F'all till late... Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Besides, we will hit other areas instead... Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 jer went this season Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Gotta respond to this stuff. (Hope you don’t take offence FT. Actually, I was going to knock on your door on March 6th, looking for a place to stay in Hakuba but I cancelled my trip since the temperature was 17 degrees in Nagano the previous day….and then it plummeted, with no new precip. Maybe next year if I don’t piss you off to much on the forum) OK sportsfans. Let me tell it like it is. Hokkaido's mountains are 2000 meter class. Nagano's mountains are 3000 meter class. Though smaller in size, in many respects, Hokkaido's mountains are equivalent to Nagano's --in terms of weather conditions, the tree line, etc. That said, Hokkaido's mountains tend to more rounded, and the mountains overlooking the Hakuba valley are probably the most rugged in Japan. On the other hand, Hokkaido is far less populated and for the most part, has far more wilderness and backcountry. I've been to Hokkaido twice in the summer and three times in the winter. I love it. It's vast --like North America, the people are friendly and the Japanese is easy to understand. Which is bigger, Niseko or Hakuba? -- That's been answered adequately. Which is higher? -- The vertical drop of Niseko is about the same as the bigger Hakuba resorts (like Happo). The elevation of Niseko is considerably lower. The Niseko peak is around 1300 meters if I remember correctly. Happo is around 1800 meters. >"Jer got bored in two days at Niseko". I’m sure Jer is a really good big mountain skier like a lot of people in Hakuba and I'm sure he got bored at Niseko. I like big mountains and I've been bored at Niseko …and I've been bored at Happo. At Happo, New Years 1997. Snow fell late. Up top was OK. Down low was patchy. Off piste was sun crusted and absolute crap. There were huge fences around much of the terrain that I thought looked interesting, in the center of the resort. The best runs I had at Happo were in the moguls to the skiers right of that big fenced off area. I heard they had some famously steep run at Happo. No. Maybe it's steep for inbounds in Japan, but it certainly wasn't extreme. Big disappointment. I almost went last season on March 6th, but the conditions were really bad. I really want to ski Hakuba when it’s dumping. I've been bored at Niseko too. Christmas, over three years ago. Snow fell late. First day was OK up top but terrain was boring. Got drunk at night and only skied a couple runs on my second day. Luckily, the third day it started dumping and we got about a meter over the next two days. That can happen in many places in Japan and it's really impressive to see. I’ve chosen to ski at Nisko at Christmas time because it's early season and I think that the odds are better for snow in Niseko. >"In my books a 1000 meter hump isnt even a mountain though so Im tainted." FTs post is riddled with far greater exaggerations, but this one stands out somehow. First of all, it's higher than 1000 meters. Simple. Second of all, size is misleading. The Colorado rockies are over 13 000 ft. (I’m sure half of you know this shit so I’m sorry to state the obvious.) In Canada, it’s hard to find a peak much over 10 000 ft, but they are VERY glaciated and far more rugged on a whole. No glaciers to speak of in Colorado. I crossed the continental divide in Wyoming at 7000 ft. Totally underwhelming. Just a flat plain. At 7000 ft in Canada, you’re standing on a peak somewhere surrounded by permanent hanging ice. .......Check out Dizz's Alaska pics. I think he said a lot of those peaks were 4000ft. (1300 meters).--same as Niseko. Looks totally awesome. It's not the height. It's latitude and it’s vertical drop. Now… Niseko's not Alaska. ….But neither is Happo. And Niseko's not steep. But neither is Happo. Happo is steeper than Niseko. But neither one is particularly steep or exciting on a 'packed powder' day inbounds. Backcountry is another story. At Niseko, the front face of the peak is not so steep but it’s very accessible and not so dangerous. It’s like a vacation. The back face IS steep, but not very skiable due to snowslides. And Yoteizan kicks ass (though I’ve never been). Hakuba BC, looks world class, better than Niseko, though obviously, those big lines are only skiable at certain times and take a lot more preparation and effort. Pics from FT and the Hak crew look awesome. --Long, steep fall-lines, narrow couloirs and really impressively rugged mountains. You guys who ski those lines rock! BUT the bottom line is –-Niseko / Hakuba –both are good resorts. No point comparing apples and oranges (ie. Hak BC with Niseko on piste) or ragging on one or the other. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I dont get angry I just hook you once I open your eyes. All of happo is skiable and the patrol will do nothing stop looking at the trails and find the holes. Happo isnt even the steepest here but the access to vertical is crazy. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Ger, that was a very good post. Thankyou for sharing. Fatts has other thoughts when dissing Niseko. He's not even been there. I would go again and again and again, simply because it's got reliable snowfall and I know the terrain. I just love the place. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Fatts, you being an expert skier, would expect more, but us mere mortals are less discerning. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Thursday you ski the same place that is easy as pie you dont get better. Niseko is the shizzle its what dreams are made of. waist deep powder etc etc etc at an average of 20 degrees Sick Sick Sick so sick i think that im a rock star. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 i'm with FT on this. i can't really comment on backcountry, cos i'm not up to scratch in that regard, but as far as on piste goes, niseko is (was) a fun mountain, but lack of steep terrain can make it boring. the invading hordes of aussies do nothing to make it an attractive destination these days. i've spent a season at niseko and done endless powder laps for weeks on end. i've only spent a week at happo, but it was hell steeper than niseko, and the resort terrain was much more varied Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Youre a rock star? And here Ive been telling people youre a porn star... JFC people, bring up the old Niseko vs Hakuba thread thats like 18 pages of this shite. Whats this round 2? Link to post Share on other sites
dizzy 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 >"Hokkaido's mountains are 2000 meter class" Niseko An’nupuri 1308-m Rutsusu 944m >"The Colorado rockies are over 13 000 ft. (I’m sure half of you know this shit so I’m sorry to state the obvious.) ...No glaciers to speak of in Colorado." I used to live in Colorado. There are glaciers in the colorado rockies Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 I find it funny that the same people debate this topic every summer. Thursday wont change I wont change etc etc etc. the fact that we already know what the other person will wirte is quite funny. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Fatts, I knew you were gonna write that. Link to post Share on other sites
Snow-Woman 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Well as someone quite new here, I find it really interesting and educational (a bit!) - keep it coming guys. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Originally Posted By: dizzy >"Hokkaido's mountains are 2000 meter class" Niseko An’nupuri 1308-m Rutsusu 944m Yes that's right. Nagano's mountains max out at around 3000 meters, Hokkaido's max at around 2000. As you pointed out, ski resorts don't tend to be built to the summits. Happo (the highest place in Hakuba) goes up to around 1800 meters but the peaks behind are around 3000 meters. Niseko goes to 1300 but Yoteizan, across from Niseko is a little under 2000. (Actually it may be around 1850 -- the peaks in Daisetsuzan koen, North of Furano are higher). About Colorado.... I wouldn't say there are any big glaciers in Colorado, but as your web link shows, there ARE a couple of summer snowfields so my post was misleading. There are lots of heavily glaciated areas in the 'lower 48' (Montana and the big West coast volcanos) but not in Colorado. I'd love to ski there though. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Originally Posted By: Snow-Woman Well as someone quite new here, I find it really interesting and educational (a bit!) - keep it coming guys. Glad you like this stuff, Snow Woman. --only "a bit" educational??? Link to post Share on other sites
Snow-Woman 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 educational - "a bit" funny & entertaining - "very" Link to post Share on other sites
Snow-Woman 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Where's the "Part 1" thread, I want to read that too! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Snow-Woman, you trouble maker Got 6 hours to spare? http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/76518/page/0/fpart/1 Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 I thought my long post was pretty subjective regarding both places Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Right!......Niseko vs Hakuba. I want in on this one (now that I've been to both). Hakuba is ,yes, much steeper and the high peeks are impressive, but mostly out of my realm as I'm a 2 week a year Japan Snow hero. The week I was there we had 14 deg. in the valley for 2 days mid Feb, the snow had the same feel and consistancy as the car park. The only decent snow we could find on Happo was serviced by a really slow old double chair which we had to share with half of Tokyo on the weekend. When the snow did come it was wet and heavy. Not even 25cm could properly bury the 'carpark', making the 'powder' useless.. The same week in Niseko the temp did hover around 0 deg. but left the snow base largely unaffected. We had a decent dump of around 25-30 cm of light dry powder during the week I was in Niseko/Rusutsu. It was probably my best trip ever (can you see which way I'm leaning yet?) The mountains around that area suit me and my level of riding. The lifts at Niseko and Rusutsu are way better too. Now. I'm not going to bag out Hakuba based on my brief visit during a bad week. In fact it makes me want to come back and try to get it at it's best, but WHEN will that be???? The flat spots at Niseko don't thrill me either or the Aussie invasion. So do I risk my 2 week annual powder fix on somewhere that gets 14 deg peak season or stick with reliable Hokkaido? Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Honshu is suppose to be dumping from December to March, from Aomori to Daisen. Let's just hope we never see another season like 06/07. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 The whole world saw a winter that was crazy. Ive never seen spring all winter like this season. Even the worst season saw 6 meters of snow. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 But was not Hokkaido generally better off than Honshu this season? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 It was during Christmas and New Year Link to post Share on other sites
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