nagoid 4 Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Well a fair bit to go yet but I'm starting to think about the snow season and where and when I might be first hitting the slopes. I'm hoping for early December in Nozawa or Shiga Kogen, mid-December at the latest.... Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 the 3 day weekend in November - will hopefully be in the whiteroom Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Probably be December, hopefully in the first half. Probably be Kagura or Nozawa I suppose. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Unless there's a spectacularly early snowfall in Japan, first will likely be Brighton or Solitude Dec. 13. Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 The first Saturday that there's sufficient snow cover at Kagura not to risk knackering my skis on rocks, I'll be right there. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 will prob be at Kagura, I was thinking early december. Fingers crossed for a ton of early snow that just keeps on dumping right thru to April!!! Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Yep, we are heading rapidly towards sky watching time TB...just a few more weeks. The turning point will be when we see the first proper winter pressure pattern bringing cool air from the north. Stating the obvious, I know, but I'm just so happy to see the end of Summer! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I am pumped for the start of winter!! I can't wait to get back out there again Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I'm getting itchy feet to go down to Kanda-Jimbocho and check out the new gear, but I'm going to wait for another few weeks. I have managed to lose a few kilos over the past 3 months and I'm also working on a proper fitness regime as well. I might even be vaguely ready for this seson... Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I've been up there a few times already, just checking it out. I bought myself some new bindings and I'm thinking about getting a new board. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 It will either be in Japan or Switzerland. One of the two. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Switzerland for me this season (Mid January)...but I might get lucky and back that up with Japan in March sans children - hopefully Hakuba this time. But that will only be 6 months without a slide - so not too bad! Link to post Share on other sites
Greenroome 0 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Mama and BoC, if you've got wheels and you're looking for something a little different in Switzerland, Super Saint Bernard is an awesome ski hill. It's a low-key, isolated joint near the entrance of the San Bernardino tunnel. It's got about 1000m of vert, only costs about 4000 yen for the day, and if you want you can ski down into Italy on a 10km run. There's only a couple of lifts, but it's all about the central gondola that goes a km into the sky, into some the most breath-taking scenery you'll ever see. It's never crowded so you can keep traversing out to acres of fresh. Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Hfuhruhurr 0 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Zao in late December. Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 No planning yet, but surely it will be in December sometime. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 January, shortly after 24th, at Nozawa Onsen. flights and on snow accom booked and paid! Rounding up the weeks tourist thing we plan to do before sliding - looking/planning/booking etc. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I'm away in early December, so I'm hoping that when I am back in the last week there will be plenty of fresh snow to play in. Link to post Share on other sites
Molochan 0 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I will go when there is good cover and I can get free weekend. I hope it is before Christmas. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: Greenroome Mama and BoC, if you've got wheels and you're looking for something a little different in Switzerland, Super Saint Bernard is an awesome ski hill. It's a low-key, isolated joint near the entrance of the San Bernardino tunnel. It's got about 1000m of vert, only costs about 4000 yen for the day, and if you want you can ski down into Italy on a 10km run. There's only a couple of lifts, but it's all about the central gondola that goes a km into the sky, into some the most breath-taking scenery you'll ever see. It's never crowded so you can keep traversing out to acres of fresh. Thanks for that - will tuck that pearl of info away in case we get a chance to use it ... unfortunately as we are a group of 6 the hire car thing gets a bit tough to manage when you add the gear in too - I swear someone should seriously look into a business hiring larger vehicles, equipped with snow tires and covered luggage storage on the roof! Even in Aus when we travel as a family we need to hire 2 cars to go anywhere - and all that would be solved if they just stuck a Thule roof box on there!! And I am sure it doesn't only effect families - groups of 5 or 6 single adults would have the same trouble. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Kind of a limited clientelle, though! Link to post Share on other sites
zdlfskdladealijfsxdfk 0 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Christmas in Shiga Kogen. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: JA Kind of a limited clientelle, though! No it's not! If hire company's simply added the option to have a Thule Luggage Box added to any one of a range of thier vehicles it would be a huge BONUS! When Papa and I went on a couples trip we hired a mid sized car - had to take the snowboards OUT of the bag to fit them in the hatch back, and even then it was a squeeze. When two girl friends and I went recently we would have liked to have hired a 4 wheel drive (no need for chains) but had to get a station wagon to fit the board bags in... Add the Thule as an accessory to an existing fleet and you are SET! Add in snow chains or snow tyres (depends on location) and it is an even bigger bonus! Link to post Share on other sites
miller 1 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Christmas for me as well unless I can be tempted with fresh lovely snow before then on a weekend Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Trouble would be having to have all those accessories at the various places! OK, I know most of them will be concentrated at Sinney or Cooma or ???? but they'd need to have the stuff for a reasonable radius around all the resort areas. And, they'd be sitting there doing nothing much for a goodly proportion of the year. Nothing, that is, buit taking up room and gathering dust/rust. I understand your frustration, but I don't think the car hire places share your enthusiasm. May be worth writing to them, though. Ask - you may get a refusal, no ask and you're guaranteed one. (Hey, there's a quotable quote in there somewhere) Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mamabear Originally Posted By: JA Kind of a limited clientelle, though! No it's not! If hire company's simply added the option to have a Thule Luggage Box added to any one of a range of thier vehicles it would be a huge BONUS! When Papa and I went on a couples trip we hired a mid sized car - had to take the snowboards OUT of the bag to fit them in the hatch back, and even then it was a squeeze. When two girl friends and I went recently we would have liked to have hired a 4 wheel drive (no need for chains) but had to get a station wagon to fit the board bags in... Add the Thule as an accessory to an existing fleet and you are SET! Add in snow chains or snow tyres (depends on location) and it is an even bigger bonus! and they would only be renting out 1 car instead of 2!! It makes better sense for them not to have them because as you have said, you need to rent 2 cars when 1 would really suffice. I've squeezed in 2 snowboards and 4 people into a b-registered Vauxhall Nova hatchback for a day riding in Scotland. The access road up to the Lecht is a disgrace, steep as hell, icy road, I was amazed that our 1 litre piece of crap made it up the hill. Coming home was also dangerous as a huge snow storm hit just as we were passing through Glen Shee, rocky banks of the glen on one side and a nice drop off into the river on the other, we had to drive on the inside lane (the wrong one) just to be safe as we couldn't make out the road markings!! Link to post Share on other sites
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