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Wednesday 31 December 2008

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

43cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

Light and dry.

 

While I was devouring a bacon & egg roll at Niseko Pizza the wind started howling, blowing the freshly fallen powder all over the place.

 

Walked up to the Alpen quad around 8 to see a scattering of people lining up for first chair and the mountain staff making their way up the hill via cat not lift.

 

 

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This didn't auger well for making tracks all over the mountain. Made calls to mates at Hanazono and Niseko Village and the message was the same. Chairs on hold due to high winds.

 

 

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At 8:30 the Ace #1 double chair started loading and the steadily growing pack was moving.

 

Made one run to the right of the black run with no name and was nip deep.

 

20 minutes later I was back at the top of the chair ready to rendezvous with Glen. He'd driven up to take shots from the road.

 

Think we made the most of the limited terrain on offer and the small window of sunlight.

 

 

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Not content with 20-30 minutes waiting on line and a 5 minute chair ride for a couple of hundred metres of vert I decided to go back to hiking the hill.

 

Walked up to 'windy corner' and dropped into Konayuki. It wasn't pretty. Wind scoured hard pack one turn, gut deep heavy slab drifts the next. The trees weren't much better.

 

The wind has died down this evening, so if the upper lifts do run tomorrow the smart money will be on wind protected areas like Rinkan for the best turns.

 

Beyond the boundary rope is not recommended.

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Thursday 01 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

18cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

Sloppy, wet and heavy in the village. A bit like last night wink

 

Will the people willing Niseko to become the next Whistler please stop.

 

Hokkaido fluff please not Cascade Concrete.

 

Happy New Year.

 

 

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snowforecast. They do under report but are pretty solid with trends.

 

 

Friday 02 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

16cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

Beautiful morning in Hanazono. Snow not as heavy as the past two days.

 

Jag inside the Hanazono magic carpet

 

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Saturday 03 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

11cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

Glorious sunshine all morning then the snow kicked in for the afternoon. Snow almost back to Niseko normal smile

 

The 'waterfall' area separating Higashiyama from Hirafu. So many lines.

 

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Sunday 04 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

6cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

Great turns on and off the groomers this morning in Higashiyama. Deserted.

 

2cm of snow forecast for this afternoon and evening. Had more than that in the past hour smile

 

Tomorrow should be great.

 

Contrary to popular belief the streets of Niseko are still paved with gold wink

 

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Quick round up for the 2008 part of the 2008/09 season

 

October 2008

4cm at MQ

1 snow event

 

November 2008

109cm at MQ

8 snow events, largest 24 hr fall of 27cm

 

December 2008

327cm at MQ

21 snow events, largest 24 hr fall of 43cm

 

January 2009 has started well with snow every day and 51cm so far.

 

Total snowfall this season of 491cm at MQ.

 

Much, much more up on the hill banner

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Monday 05 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

11cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

Of the lightest, driest, fluffiest snow of the season. So far wink

 

Grand Hirafu was very quiet today with no queues and plenty of pow to play in.

 

The sun broke through around 9:30 am for about 20 minutes and since then it's been snowing steadily.

 

Skied with Scout, Matthew, Jag & Helen this morning.

 

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And here's their handiwork.

 

 

Helen off 'Centre Course'

 

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Jag in 'Rinkan'

 

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Scout in 'Rinkan'

 

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Matthew off 'Centre Course'

 

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Matthew in 'Centre Course'

 

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Skied Miharashi, the old gondola line and Super Ridge this afternoon. Waist to nip deep all the way.

 

Still snowing as I write. Tomorrow should be excellent.

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  • SnowJapan Admin

Some people won't be able to see those. I have just sent you an email explaining.

 

If you don't have anything against the idea, please do upload them to our site and link them in that way if you want. friend

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Tuesday 06 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

31cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

What a day.

 

Deep, light snow and early morning sunshine.

 

Unknown skiers dropping into 'Super Course'

 

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Ski Patrol stoke

 

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The sun went in and it started dumping again. Skied with Jag in the afternoon and got these two shots in 'Waterfall'

 

9 year old gut deep stoke

 

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And Jag's favourite as he came out of the pow

 

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Wednesday 07 January 2009

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

9cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

More like 90cm up on the hill!

 

The peak opened for the first time this season and BIG WEDNESDAY was on.

 

Did one quick lap beside the Hanazono #3 chair. Very good.

 

Then while many were waiting for the peak gate to open, Greg Heptonstall, Tracy Lenard and I opted for laps through Gate 4 back down to the base of the Hanazono #3 chair.

 

And what a good decision. I'm sure the people who hiked the peak in the sunshine had a ball, but we were going for quantity and quality.

 

The snow was deep, light and consistent. There was still quite a bit fo shrubery lurking just beneath the snow pack ready to take you down but I think the pics speak for themselves.

 

Greg just beyond the rope

 

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Tracy just beyond the rope

 

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Greg just beyond the rope

 

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Yours truly just beyond the rope. The one that got away.

 

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After 4 laps we traversed further round the mountain away from the ski area.

 

The snow got deeper and lighter and the views were immense.

 

Further round from the 'cornice' there was some big wind loading and scouring going on with steep drop offs to flat landings. Potentially very dangerous in low light conditions.

 

That negotiated we opened up the throttle down to Jackson's

 

 

Greg. Tora, Tora, Tora

 

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Tracy

 

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Yours truly heading into the great white open

 

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Easily the day of the season. So far wink

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