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A new feature, "Addiction", written by Drew Richardson (snowboard_freak), has been put online.

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-65.html

 

"Addiction. The Macquarie dictionary defines it as the state of being addicted to some habit, practice, or substance. This is what myself and many others around the world are experiencing. The addiction to fresh snow and the light, dry powder that few places can offer. What device you use to carve fresh tracks is irrelevant. Whatever satisfies your addiction for one more day..."

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-65.html

 

Please note that the views expressed in any Features on Snow Japan are not necessarily those of Snow Japan.

 

Discuss it here....

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I knew I had the best chance of getting first tracks as I had the trusty Flow?s. Here in Australia the quicker you get your bindings done up the better
well dude you had better not ride with me as I ride "switch" and as Ali G would say they is well fast ;\)
while you bent down to clip up I would have already gone as I can clip on in a heartbeat \:\)
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Dude you are not alone.

 

OU knows I wake up at 6 on a powder to cook everyone breakfast and get the crew out and in the car for first tracks.

 

Barok can remember get a tow across the top of cortina just to get to get first tracks.

 

First tracks or there and around are what dedicated snow riding people live for.

 

I remember waiting in a traverse line at whitewater as the patrol were opening up the bowl. staring down into the fresh bowl just gave you that itch. that luck of prefect timing. knowing that if i had taking that piss, I would have missed this chance.

 

Standing in line at the fernie rope tow watching the patrol as they set off the last bomb. Standing there waiting, watching, praying that the bomb doesnt cause a slide. the silent relief felt be the 40 odd people around you when it doesnt happen. the energy of the surge forward and up the lift. Then the choice, the run the dream.

 

Dude, I used to be so addicted to first tracks. I would hike a 1500 foot mountain, at 6:30 in the morning to get a double dose of first tracks. (MT morsey sun peaks) The resort was planning a lift but for three years it was a hikers heaven. I remember this one run down. I had an epic run thigh deep. afterwards while sking over the bridge some man asked me "how do you get up there" me "you got to climb". the man gave me this crazy look, he just didnt get it. atfer that run walking over to the lift and getting in the line for the first tracks rush.

 

dude i hear yeah maybe its time to move.

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Reminds me of the time at Cortina I cut down through the gladed valley right in the center making the first tracks of the day through amazing powder. It is always magical when you look around and there is no sign of human disturbance of the rich white powdery field. Oh yeah...that time at Cortina it was 11:00AM!! I love riding in Japan.

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Thanks for the input everyone. Its always appreciated.

 

Kamo - as long as you don't have any ice stuck in your bindings! :p ;\)

 

OU - i was going to post that one of you on the rainbow rail but thought i better not. \:D

 

rach - planning on heading to Canada season after this. But it depends on a couple of things. It was like that when they first opened the Ridge Quad over here. there was a group of us just waiting at the top. Then 5 ppl went and so did everyone else. Then we had to wait for 40 mins down the bottom and then another 40 on the lift cause it kept stopping. Then the lift broke down and the others had to hike out. Poor buggers,

 

GG - Nope. I don't want a cure at all! It's too much fun.

 

Fatty - i thought i'd strike a cord with you with this article.

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OK so some of my last post got deleted. Damn it.

 

Anyway, Fatty, your bowl waiting story reminded me of the opening of the Ridge Quad this year in Perisher. There were a bunch of people waiting up top behind the ropes. We had been there for about 45 mins. Everyone is getting really itchy and ready to go. Then all of a sudden 5-6 boarders duck the rope and bolt down, then everyone else did as well. Patrol had no hope of stopping everyone. Down the bottom the lift line was about 30 mins. Once on lift it took about 40 mins to get back up because it kept stopping. It was terrible. So cold. Just sitting. Anyway after i got off the lift it broke down and the other people down the bottom had to hike out.

 

Poor buggers, but we all ducked the ropes so can't complain really!

\:D

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Ender are talking about that meadow at cortina. the trees just before it decline to about a 50 degree pitch and get a bit tighter. You got to be on the ball, but if you make it though you get this great wide open meadow before the big avie barrier.

got hit by a mini slide there started by barok. had to hang onto a tree.

On that side there is a nice gullie you can ride and play on sides cranking off falline turns.

 

Another place is across the valley down the .....

great meadow with a few drops in it. a few more weeds until the base reaches over 150 to 200 cms.

 

or the chutes to bad your in plain view but storm sking them is epic.

 

 

a few years back in Japan there was not that rush to get fresh tracks... things are changing though. snowboarding and fat skis have the locals jumping into it a little bit more. AT happo this year the top part of the mountain was tracked up pretty fast. My first japanese powder rush. getting split up from OU and not giving a crap. it was all about the powder. Of course the mountain didnt get totally tracked up but its a far cry from 4 years ago when the locals didnt want to go anywhere near the crap. nobody rides in happos trees.

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Happo has trees? \:\) I don't think it was the meadow. It was the obvious gully that is exactly in the middle (when coming down you look directly at the lodge). It is certainly not the secret stash you told me about (I wouldn't talk about that here ;\) )

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It was only a matter of time i guess before that got asked.

 

Hmmm, it's not getting between us in any serious way. Let's put it that way. It's just that I am a lot more "addicted" than she is. It is my thing, where as she has a couple of things that she does. It's what I love. Unfortunately s_f_g doesn't quite understand my passion for snow. Such is life.

\:\)

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2 nights ago I had a dream

 

I was in Japan, def Japan and was at the top of a resort. Suddenly these big chunks of snow peeled away from the mountain and went rolling down the hill, like icebergs breaking off antarctica. They were crushing riders left right and centre and burrying people. On reflection it was like a bad cartoon or computer game really.

 

I got out ok. Drove home but I didnt live there anymore. Weird

 

Maybe Im adicted too

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 Quote:
Originally posted by snowboard_freak:
It was only a matter of time i guess before that got asked.

Hmmm, it's not getting between us in any serious way. Let's put it that way.
cool.gif Fly solo dude cool.gif . You will break up in the end anyway so why let it hamper you today.

nice story, too.
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Oi db! dont encourage that!!!!!

 

as for me not understanding that passion thats not quite phrased right....

i understand but i have softball as my thing and drew has snowboarding as his thing - i'd spend money on a new glove or bat and he'd by new bindings or goggles...

everyone has their own thing if we both loved the same thing i think we'd over dose on it anyways!

 

\:D

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