samwillis5 0 Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 sorry lads, i didnt realise mike was so popular. I am just after some lessons. I will settle for homer simpson if he can teach me to master powder and tell me about a few good bars. I am sure there are plenty of very good instructors going round in Niseko. Link to post Share on other sites
macmeh 0 Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 My GF ended up with one of the infamous 'powder guides' from a private company last year as her stand in ski instructor for the week, he was apparently excellent! Being more of a magic carpet man myself... I just went with one of the big schools (NISS or NBSS or something like that) and took some group lessons from an Australian instructor. He was OK, but I think its a bit hit and miss with who you get... Perhaps some of the locals have advice on how to get a good instructor?? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Monday 08 December 2008 Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area 2cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ. After Sunday's amazing conditions, Monday was a little disappointing. Warmed up significantly. Still some good turns to be had but with visibility down to less than 5m it was like skiing inside a golf ball. Tuesday 09 December 2008 Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area 0cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ. Warm and sunny. Good 'spring' turns to be had. Little bit of rain in the night. Wednesday 10 December 2008 Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area 0cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ. Warm and sunny this morning. Good 'spring' turns to be had again. Started raining about 30 mins ago. Hopefully this will turn to snow pretty soon and then we can get into what looks like a normal pattern of snow and temps staying below freezing. Friday and Saturday look to be the pick of the days. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Niseko has but 13 days to get its act together!! Are most of the trees open? Sasa gone? Or rain bringing it out again. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Originally Posted By: Creek Boy Niseko has but 13 days to get its act together!! Are most of the trees open? No Quote: Sasa gone? Or rain bringing it out again. Still plenty on show but manageable. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Don't get me wrong. I'm totally jeolous of the killer pow that you guys have been getting but I've seen Niseko with 'still plenty on show but managable' and I've seen it completely covered over. Totally different. When Niseko really rocks is when the base gets up to around 3 meters + Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 (But don't listen to me.... I live on Shikoku!) Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Yeah we'll need about 2m up top and over a meter at the base before all the off-piste areas are skiable. Another week or two and we should be there (I hope!). Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Lets all keep positive. We were all excited with early snowfall and we all now that when it dumps it dumps big time!! Everyone is doom and gloom. I believe Niseko doesn't really get decent falls until late December, early January IT WILL COME!!!! I'm not cancelling my holiday YET!! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Snowhunter Niseko can and often does get great early season falls. Don't know where you got the idea that it rarely comes until late Dec. Few years back we had 1.4m on the mountain for opening day on 19 Nov. The average snowfall in Kutchan for Nov is 120cm, that's pretty reasonable early season snow. Average snowfall in Dec is 320cm. So on average we receive 4.4m of snow by the end of Dec (that's in the valley away from the mountain), which is more snow that Aus resorts receive in a whole winter. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Best place in the world to ski before Christmas for my money, even with a bit of sasa. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Originally Posted By: ger Best place in the world to ski before Christmas for my money, even with a bit of sasa. I haven't been disappointed the three Decembers I've skied here. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 WHOA UP THERE. I am one of those Aussies Niseko lovers I am just trying to get a positive mood happening again. Everyone was so excited about the early snowfalls and now everyone is saying it is a bad season could be worst than last year. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 That's all those poor fools down south mate. Niseko is doing ok Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Of course it is why should I have ever doubted Niseko Webcams looked exciting this afternoon!! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 snowhuntress, Niseko will deliver. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Thanks Thursday - I am keeping everything crossed for a good season. Hey last season wasn't meant to be that flash and we had a BLAST!! Link to post Share on other sites
macmeh 0 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Snowhunter- with you on that train of thought... it doesn't need to be perfect to be a great holiday! Plus... isn't it great when you are right there on the mountain, and you wake up in the morning not knowing whether it has snowed or not! No net access, no weather forecasting... just dreams of snow and anticipation when the sun comes up! Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 YEP thats one of the best feelings I remember it well from Canada and Niseko. I would leap out of bed with eyes still shut like a kid at Christmas and open the curtains with great anticipation to see if it was snowing. It was a warm magical feeling every morning I woke up and those beautiful snowflakes were fluttering out of the sky Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Originally Posted By: snowhunter YEP thats one of the best feelings I remember it well from Canada and Niseko. I would leap out of bed with eyes still shut like a kid at Christmas and open the curtains with great anticipation to see if it was snowing. It was a warm magical feeling every morning I woke up and those beautiful snowflakes were fluttering out of the sky Nice quote Thats me every morning Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Thursday 11 December 2008 Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area 0cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ. Cooler. Drier. Snow started falling around 11am Didn't stop all day Friday 12 December 2008 Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area 16cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ. The shovel came back out this morning Super light powder. After Wednesday's rain, and Thursday's freeze I wasn't expecting much from this morning even with the new snow. I thought dust on crust would be on the menu. Instead Greg and I got up to knee deep superlight on top of a solid base with very little ice scratch. 3 of Greg Hasn't stopped snowing all day. Tomorrow will be great Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Yeah I had a great day up there too. Unlike Mike though my skiing time is way too precious to be stopping to take pictures. Can't wait for tomorrow! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Making my memories "oldtimers" proof GN Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Saturday 13 December 2008 Hanazono, Niseko Resort Area 7cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ. Opening day at Hanazono. And what a day. The new day lodge is magnificent. Will take pics soon. Would not look out of place in Vail or Lake Louise. With the new day lodge, ski school, rental, retail, & magic carpets Hanazono is becoming a resort. Even though all the lifts were running and the link to Hirafu was open we spent the day riding Blueberry Fields and its environs. Glen Claydon Jared Pangier Ben Gillespie Ian Mackenzie Ian Stutchbury Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Glen Ben Ian M Ian S Ben Glen Ben Caught up with Go Native for a couple of runs but he was too quick to be caught on film. Snowed most of the day with big fat flakes. Looking good for tomorrow Link to post Share on other sites
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