ug 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Nice tsonda. Can't say I'm fussed yet though, I'm patient! Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 So then, after some encouragement from Tsondaboy, I flatlined down to Shibuya station last thing saturday evening to try and pick up a cheap shinkansen deal for skiing Kagura on sunday. Didn't get exactly what I wanted, but came away with a nice deal at an acceptable price - my mood went from gloom to zoom there and then. As I got back to my house a little later than would have been ideal, I decided to set my alarm so that I could get the second shinkansen of the day leaving around six thirty. I managed a pretty smooth act in the morning, balancing skis, boots and day pack on my bicycle and heading down to Tamachi station, two stops from Tokyo and the shinkansen. Jury's still out on whether it's more difficult to carry surfing gear or skiing gear on a bucycle, but a Gotama plus Duke setup proved to be every bit as weighty as expected. Arrived in Echigo Yuzawa to find that it was snowing - hard! It wasn't settling so much in the village but I had no doubt that I would find Good Things higher up. Jumped into the bus in avery good mood. The conditions at Kagura were excellent that day. Snowing all day, and better yet, almost completely empty. Who could ask for more? Well, me sadly, as I was not there... Yes, after battling with huge lift ticket queues and then finally approaching the front of the ropeway qeueue, they announced that the ropeway was broken and there would be no further service that day. Needless to say I was more than a little disappointed having stood around in a blizzard for the best part of an hour and a half. Still, determined to get some snow I braved the lengthy transfer bus line and was pleasantly surprised to on my way to Tashiro ropeway within twenty minutes. I guess the big lesson here was "always go as early as you can!". I have always followed this when going by car, but I let myself slip by one shinkansen and paid the price this weekend. To think of what I would have had if I had just raised my head from the pillow twenty minutes earlier! Anyway, got to Tashiro and hit the slopes. Was my first time out on the new skis which took a couple of runs to get used to but was soon up to speed... or would have been were it not for the fact that Tashiro is completely flat... I know there are better courses up near the Kagura link (not open yesterday) but the lower part of the resort just feels like one big traverse between real runs and was pretty boring for me. Happily, I found the same little run as Tsondaboy went for the day before and spent my afternoon plundering it repeatedly. Some parts were a little cruddy after his exertions but I found that the part next to the forest on skier's left was still a blank canvas, as well as the disputed off-lift-line-line mentioned above. I spent some time making some nice double-helix patterns in the powder, the new skis allowing me to perform far more competently in the powder than ever before, but my camera was out of battery (doh!) so no chance to record any of it. As Tsondaboy mentioned, the lifties were right into it, and even though I kept sliding straight back around into the "singles" queue at the lift when there was a lengthy line in the "doubles" queue they were all smiles (not that I think I did anything wrong, that is what the singles line is for after all). A short day's skiing, and a fairly unpleasant morning, but came back home in a fantastic mood even so. Still, can't help but put a black mark against the Mitsumata station for what can only be described as a massive fu*k up and a big disappointment for a lot of people. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 Good job kin. Glad you had great time, tashiro's best parts were closed for this weekend and honestly cant see the reason why. I think it was the first time I ve heard that the mitsumata ropway broke down. Last year they had problems only once when a lighting hit the kagura gondola. They have pretty good maintenance on the lifts up there. Quote: I guess the big lesson here was "always go as early as you can!". I have always followed this when going by car, but I let myself slip by one shinkansen and paid the price this weekend. To think of what I would have had if I had just raised my head from the pillow twenty minutes earlier! That's the reality about kagura, if you don't get on the first mitsumata ropeway up you didn't make it to the freshies. It wouldn't make much difference even if you took the first shink up at 06:08, you wont make it to mitsumata in time. I ve done that route many times in the past and found out that only if you go up by Friday night and sleep over at mitsumata, then you can make it to the first ropeway. Thats exactly the reason why I took my chances with tashiro on Saturday. Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 What time is the first ropeway? I know I've made it a couple of times last year when driving up with a similarly-minded friend (sadly left Japan) but I can't really remember what time it was... Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 07:30 on weekends and 08:00 on weekdays. Also if you don't have a season pass, you should line up from at least 07:00 in order to buy a lift ticket in time for the 07:30. The ticket poxes open at 07:15. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 The people that got up must have been in heaven! Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Yes, without a doubt. The lucky bastards!! Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 It wouldn't make much difference FT. Mitsumata rope way has a capacity of 120 people. Imagine now if you unleash at once 120 powderhounds and give them 15 minutes head start before the second car arrives... It would be all the same if it didn't arrive at all. Link to post Share on other sites
Red Indian Chief Tom Rubber 0 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Good to hear you guys getting in some early turns. Link to post Share on other sites
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