Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Monday 10 November 2008

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area, Hokkaido

 

Much nicer day today.

 

Sunny, windy, dry, colder.

 

No snow below the top of Ace Quad. A little above.

 

Yotei seems to have fared better with the rain and milder temps.

 

MikePow_45.jpg

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 727
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

It's warmed up again in Hakuba, but the forecast is for the first snow at village level next week. Woot!

 

Anyone know what's up the Unisys East Asia weather maps? They're all coming up blank.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Autumn has returned to the Niseko Resort Area with no opportunity to make turns on the hill or on Mt Yotei.

 

MikePow_46.jpg

 

The coverage on Yotei looks impressive, but I was caught out twice last winter hiking up with my skis only to hike back down without making any turns. Twice bitten, thrice shy.

 

MikePow_47.jpg

 

We've had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets as the temps have cooled and the air has cleared.

 

MikePow_48.jpg

 

After three days hiking the hill and making turns the wait for more snow was killing me.

 

A crew from the Niseko area headed up to Sounkyo last weekend for the opening of the Kurodake Ropeway and the opening of Black Mountain Lodge (on SJ Places to Stay page here ).

 

But with the promise of clear skies the following week, Glen and I cooled our heels in Hirafu and headed up this past Wednesday morning (the 12th).

 

The 5hr drive up from Hirafu passed quickly, especially when we started to see more and more snow on the side of the road and blanketing the peaks in the distance.

 

This part of Hokkaido has mountains, not hills, and it was great to have that sense of being in the alpine again.

 

On the way to Sounkyo we took a detour to check out a little known gem in the area, Kitaitaisetsu Ski Area

 

http://www.gl-net.ne.jp/kitataisetsu/index.html

 

There was a healthy covering of snow top to bottom and this unassuming mountain is a must visit when it opens in early December.

 

We rolled into Sounkyo around sunset and headed to the Ginga and Ryusei Waterfalls about a click out of town.

 

It was colder than a witch's tit with the waterfall and river frozen in many places.

 

MikePow_49.jpg

 

Kurodake web page

http://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/index.html

 

Sounkyo web page

http://www.sounkyo.net/english/index.html

 

 

We did Sounkyo large and stayed at the Hotel Taisetsu overlooking the mountain and the town centre. Shared tatami room (boiling hot) with buffet breakfast (decent) and all you can eat Viking buffet dinner (excellent) for 8,000 yen.

 

We were the only two non-Japanese staying at the hotel and the youngest by about 15 years. There were about 500 guests from Honshu on a bus tour of Hokkaido. The bonus was live entertainment in the lobby from what appeared to be a famous Japanese artiste singing along to a backing tape. She had the very appreciative crowd in the palm of her hands as she sang and glided through the group shaking hands and having photos taken. This was followed by bingo.

 

The onsen in the hotel are spectacular, especially the open air one on the 7th floor looking up to Kurodake peak. At night it was illuminated by moonglow and in the morning by alpenglow. Very civilised.

 

We left the hotel before 8am with the walls of the gorge bathed in the early sunlight.

 

MikePow_50.jpg

 

Caught the second tram up and with the feeling that the clouds could roll in at any moment headed straight to the double chair and then the hike up to the 1984m Kurodake Peak.

 

MikePow_51.jpg

 

Our prize the 'Grinch' like off angle face and gully below.

 

MikePow_52.jpg

 

MikePow_53.jpg

 

The hike took about 90 mins with only the odd waist deep wallow.

 

Glen Claydon hiking to the summit of Daisetsuzan Kurodake

 

MikePow_54.jpg

 

MikePow_55.jpg

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • SnowJapan Admin

((This is actually MikePow's post!))

 

Some great views on the way up of the terrain between Kurodake and Asahidake, at 2290m the highest peak in the Daisetsuzan Mountain Range and on Hokkaido.

 

MikePow_56.jpg

 

MikePow_57.jpg

 

MikePow_58.jpg

 

 

After the obligatory summit shots it was time to drop in.

 

The snow was windblown in parts with a 15-20cm breakable crust and boot top dry powder in others. The pitch was consistent and steepish, high 30s, and fast.

 

Yours truly skiing from the summit of Daisetsuzan Kurodake

 

MikePow_59.jpg

 

 

Unknown riding from the summit of Daisetsuzan Kurodake

 

MikePow_60.jpg

 

 

Glen Claydon riding from the summit of Daisetsuzan Kurodake

 

MikePow_61.jpg

 

 

MikePow_62.jpg

 

 

MikePow_63.jpg

 

 

MikePow_64.jpg

 

 

Some excellent terrain up there that will be spectacular in waist deep pow.

 

The coverage below the top of the Ropeway was thin so we decided to head back to the groomed area beside the chairlift. But when conditions allow the run from the peak to the town will be epic. 1314m of vert from wide open bowl to tight, technical trees.

 

Can't wait. banner

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a great 3 days skiing in Souenkyo over Christmas 8 years ago - I'd been in Japan for 3 months, I had no idea what Hokkaido was like, had never even been in an onsen - the depth of powder on Daisetsu-san just blew my mind and converted me from a Japan skeptic to a .... well I'm not sure but I'm still enjoying being here.

 

The run all the way from the top is truly epic but I guess that it will need a couple of storms before it opens.

 

For a great road trip try Sapporo, Daisetsu / Souenkyo, Shiretoko. It can be vvvv cold, you'll meet few people, bad weather is just that but when you get good weather there is some immense skiing.

 

Roll on the winter storms

 

Hugh

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmmm... webcams are a rather depressing sight at the moment, even the peak's bare of snow again. Let's hope this is the last day of the year that we see it uncovered. None of the forecasts are saying anything but snow for Hokkaido from tomorrow onwards - let's nope they're right.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Niseko Resort Area

 

2cm overnight at MQ (that would be Mike's Quarters)

 

Cold, dry pow.

 

It's coming down at about 2cm an hour at the moment.

 

It's started smile

 

Big Thursday tomorrow. According to Go Native.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Surfed all the webcams I could find today regularly and was very excited by what I saw. I did notice on SJ Niseko Now web cam there where some tracks in the snow WOULD THEY BE YOURS MIKE?? wink

 

I wonder if the NON skiers in Japan get as excited about the snow fall as we all do?? wakaranai

Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...