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goryu1.jpg

 

Goryu got a bit last night

 

Is it really coming or was this just a freak? Whats it like in Hakuba and other places in the Alps at the moment?

 

btw I'm new to this forum and skiing in Japan. But I know that friends of mine were skiing on Happo at the end of November last year. Is this early and if so, do resorts open early if the snow really falls hard?

 

cheers, can't wait

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It's hard to tell if it's really coming or not. Last year, it started like this and that little pattern of stones you see in the picture above disappeared very quickly. Neighbouring 47 opened soon afterwards. Conditions at Happo were excellent in late November - only the gondola and a few lifts were running, but you could ride most of the mountain. Other years have seen the first snow on the resorts disappear again.

 

Please note that although you can often ride before mid-December, not everybody likes to for some reason. There are people on this forum who get upset if you don't mention this point.

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Just had a wee look at last years diary and I was skiing (hiking) on the 10th of november last year and skiing by lift on the 17th of november. Opening weekend was big pow day and the next 3 weekends were kind of springy and warmish. Pow from then on to the end of March.

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Jared,

 

Apologies for asking this stupid question but are you saying you can hike up the mountain in your area and ski without the resort facilities?! That is fantastic! Is it difficult - the hiking I mean?

 

Siren

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last year the first covering was reported about a week earlier than the first real snow, which had us skiing at 47 on the second of november. Others got first tracks at the end of October.

 

Giving the encroaching position of the northern monsoon, it wouldn't be surprising if this snow was the start of more to come. Of course it will disappear, but that doesn't indicate a false start. The parallel pattern of events to last year are a good omen (even if stink bugs contradict).

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Yep - no idea what the resort think of this but we didnt ask and they didnt complain (there was no one around anyway)

 

The hiking wasnt too bad but we didnt hike far - only far enough to build a (fairly lame) kicker and hit it for an afternoon.

 

This year I'll have skins etc.. so I plan to hike to the top and ski fresh pow (snow gods willing)

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Ocean11:

Please note that although you can often ride before mid-December, not everybody likes to for some reason. There are people on this forum who get upset if you don't mention this point.
Please explain. Why would this be?

And Norikura and Hotaka ridge got a little dusting
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You may remember my Jelly Fish based prediction of last years season. Well, the same Jelly Fish inundation is happening again:

 Quote:
(Japan) Oct. 21, 2003 - Japanese fishermen are hauling in record catches with just one problem, they're not catching fish. Hundreds of giant jellyfish are filling the nets of Japanese fishermen in the Sea of Japan, instead of the intended catch.

 

Now is the best time for net fishing in the area, until the middle of November, but for a second year in a row, profits are way down due to the jellyfish getting in the way. Some of the jellyfish are more than three feet in diameter and weigh more than 200 pounds, taking up all the room of the fishing nets.

 

Scientist say the jellyfish are in the region due to the unusually warm water temperatures and say that they should leave the fishing area as the cooler weather comes in.

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