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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.

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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??

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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.

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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 + biggrin

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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!!

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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.

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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. wakaranai

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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!

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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 biggrin

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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 biggrin


Nice quote smile

Thats me every morning smile
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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 smile

 

 

 

Friday 12 December 2008

Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area

 

16cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ.

 

The shovel came back out this morning smile

 

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

 

MikePow_94.jpg

 

 

MikePow_95.jpg

 

 

MikePow_96.jpg

 

 

Hasn't stopped snowing all day.

 

Tomorrow will be great smile

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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

 

MikePow_97.jpg

 

 

Jared Pangier

 

MikePow_98.jpg

 

 

Ben Gillespie

 

MikePow_99.jpg

 

 

Ian Mackenzie

 

MikePow_100.jpg

 

 

Ian Stutchbury

 

MikePow_101.jpg

 

 

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Glen

 

MikePow_102.jpg

 

 

Ben

 

MikePow_103.jpg

 

 

Ian M

 

MikePow_104.jpg

 

 

Ian S

 

MikePow_105.jpg

 

 

Ben

 

MikePow_106.jpg

 

 

Glen

 

MikePow_107.jpg

 

 

Ben

 

MikePow_108.jpg

 

 

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 smile

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