need help with my hit-list for next season

[Fattwins 0]

im not talking about 47. happo doesnt clamp down too hard you can ride off the peak if you want and bust a ot of trees. cortina might bust you but you wont find 45 degree trees like you will there. tsugaike bc country has alot to offer too.

arks are plentyiful in the hakuba valley also. if the weather turns to crap you have another option to hit the park.

[zwelgen 0]

I guess another consideration for Hakuba is that there is more of a "scene", more foreiners (if you want to speak English to people) and it has a few night spots. Nozawa doesnt really have that to the same extent but if youve got a group of mates youll be so tired from ripping the pow youll be in bed early so you can get first tracks and do it again and again the next day.

 

I guess what Im trying to say is although Nozawa has a cool Japanese atmosphere there are good chances that you wont really see any other foreigners - if thats important (not important to me but didnt want to falsely represent the place)

 

I agree with what Fattwins says about Hakuba, some places are more lenient than others but if youre being an idiot and dropping in in full view they are going to get shitty. But I still think Nozawa are the most lenient, esp when they get to realise you can hold youre own and are fine.

[alferg 0]

yeah not to worried about avoiding the snow-police - i have plenty of experience doing that

 

also dont really care about the gaijin party scene - as you said Zw, we wont be there to party all the time - much more interested in riding first to last lifts & then early to bed! i like immersing myself in the japanese culture anyway, & would rather chat with locals.

 

seriously looking fwd to this - you guys are really getting me amped )

[NoFakie 45]

Is there anywhere cheap to stay in Nozawa btw?

 

I stayed there once last year but it was at a ryokan. It was very expensive but it was a great experience as the room was huge, the food was fantastic, and the bath was very relaxing. I ended up getting so wrecked on the free sake at the fire festival that I was pleased I was staying somewhere comfortable.

 

I've only been to three of the free onsens, but they were so small that it was hard to relax and take it easy. In one of them there were no stools, so you had squat or sit on the floor. While it is probably against the spirit of Nozawa, I wouldn't mind the town having a bigger, more comfortable pay-300 yen onsen. As it is, it's free and cramped or 2000 yen and "luxury". The standard deal inbetween would be nice.

 

Looking at the alferg itinery, it strikes me that if you go to Nozawa in mid Jan before Niseko, you might just catch the fire festival. I'd definitely recommend going if you can. Hokkaido in Feb also means the Snow Festival in Sapporo. For starters, this will probably make it more difficult to get a flight. I don't know if the statues themselves are worth seeing, but even if they're cheesy, it may still be worth going if other people are in the party mood.

 

As for Nozawa the hill, if you get there following a day of snow and a day of fine weather, you can have thick crust or heavy snow offpiste and moguls forming on many of the runs due to the skiers. In that case, as snowboarders you'd probably have more fun somewhere with more groomed or a decent park as a fallback. With weather like the past few Jan-Febs, you can go well over a week with warm temps and without a significant snowfall. When there's pow at Nozawa, there's a lot of nice stuff and if the day of the fire festival was anything to go by, they keep the lifts going in blizzard conditions where I'm sure the wind would force 47 and Happo to close. There are quite a few flat parts, but once you get oriented it's not so bad.

[alferg 0]

thanks for the tips no fakie! when i actually go is still up for grabs... there are a lot of variables (the biggest one being getting the time off work!)

 

 Quote:

With weather like the past few Jan-Febs, you can go well over a week with warm temps and without a significant snowfall.

now THATS scary.... I'd hate to be there on one of those weeks! wonder what the odds are like? This is partly why I still want to spend most of my time in Hokkaido - at least the powder is virtually guaranteed

 

I'm also thinking that if I did Hokkaido first, scored stacks of freshies, then went to Nagano & didnt get a dump so spent most of my time in the terrian parks & hurt myself, at least I'd have had my powder fix up north... better than doing the reverse & not being able to ride in Hokkaido... know what I mean? Risk reduction, you could call it.

[zwelgen 0]

but at the same time, I went to Hokkaido at the beginning of March and had pow but nothing spesh, got back to Nagano and had waist deep snow dumped on my doorstep. Its just the luck of the draw mate, say your prayers!

[Fattwins 0]

last year when the warm weather rolled in it went right up to hokkaido. My buddy was there when. he ended up getting one powder day the day he was leaving. as zwellie said its hit and miss. but youll still find fresh 5 days to a week after a storm.

 

About lines if you do come to hakuba i can maybe meet you and show you some lines.

 

Ill be sking BC slash OB with a japanese buddy. we have beacons and stuff do you guys have any gear.

 

As for nowaza i cant see myself going there. Just because The hard core group that hit up the place has gone and left. I should have gone last year.

[Ocean11 0]

Fatts, I'm trying to figger here why you're so down about Nozawa, not ever having been and all. It's not the sort of place you need to have somebody to point you to the good places - there are some everywhere. And somebody with a nose for it won't have much difficulty spotting it from the gondola.

 

I've never ever been far over to skier's right of the mountain because we're always parked on the left and there's so much to do on that side. But looking over right, we've spotted some tasty looking lines.

 

So what is it that puts you off?

[Fattwins 0]

im not down on the place at all. I should have gone there when others were around. One reason I didnt go is cause my wife said she didnt like the place. This was before she started tree sking.

 

To be honest, the extra drive and the fact that I will only ski at a place where I buy my pass means the trip doesnt fit my budget.

 

I got the map you and zwellie map made. The map is with all the other personal maps ive made.

 

in the end im just a hakuba fan i guess. I love above tree line sking.

[zwelgen 0]

I can see your point Fats, Ilike hakuba but from where I lived it was an easy choice between Nozawa a cruisy 15 mins away or Hakuba a good 1:30 on icy roads. Its shit that the expressway goes round the other side of Nagano city eh. If I was coming from the South i dont think Id spend the extra time driving, although its only about 30 mins from Nagano city on the joetsu expressway if you come that way.

 

But I really do think that Nozawa has lots to offer and I can honestly say I didnt really get bored of riding there. I think people write it off because they dont realise how far up and back into the mtns it goes (it took me about 10x riding to work out there were actually 2 gondolas!)

 

Ok Im bleating now.

 

Shame Im not still there alferg cos you and your mates would have found a futon at Chateau Zwelgen. Shame I wont be able to extend the courtesy to you neither Fattwins.

[alferg 0]

Ft, whats hakkers - hokkaido i guess u mean?

 

that'd be way cool to hook up - I'll definately try & get in touch with you lot when i get over there, or at least get a good description of you so i know who to follow under the ropes

 

we dont have any BC gear - i have only done "front country" at a few places & ducked numerous ropes, short hikes, etc... not a big fan of long hikes though i must admit!

 

Zw, thanks for the ~would've~ offer anyway

 

cheers guys & gals - thanks for being so friendly & helpful! great thing about snow ppl - they're all very chilled

[Ocean11 0]

There's a very backwards tendency of certain British Empire and Commonwealth types to refer to Native locations and forms of transport with flippant corruptions;

Hakuba - Hackers

Hokkaido - Hockers

Nozawa - Nozzer, Nozzle

Shinkansen - Shinkers

I don't agree with it at all and wish that it would stop.

 

alferg, if you follow somebody with a red full face helmet under the ropes, give his legs a pull as you go past eh? He needs all the help he can to get back out.

[enderzero 0]

Ahhh, we do like to talk about our mountains don't we? What's been goin on guys?

 

A whole lot has been said, but I'll throw in a little info for you Alferg.

 

If I was gonna show up in Nagano after riding a couple weeks in Hokkaido I would probably head first to Hakuba. You can stay at Snowbeds (being Australian you would likely get along with the crew there just fine) for under 3000Y a night. From there you can easily catch a shuttle to the various resorts in the area. I have had the most fun at 47/Goryu and Cortina (which may be a little more difficult to get to without a vehicle). Both 47 and Happo have great steep BC runs less than an hours hike off the lifts (although you may spend longer hiking back). Make friends with the season riders at Snowbeds and you can likely find yourself making tracks in the deep BC with tranceivers and all.

 

I would then try to make it for at least a few days to Nozawa. That is most certainly a great place to ride. There are all kinds of great powder runs there and they don't care at all about the ropes (unlike many places in the Hakuba Valley). A bus to Noazawa from Hakuba would likely take you 2 or so hours. Nagano City is right in the middle.

 

If the snow has really been dumping you should try to get a day in at Arai, but make it a day trip. You could get there in under an hour from Nozawa by car but it may take you more like 2 if you have to bus/train.

 

If you were able to hit up all those places you would surely go home feeling like you got a good taste of what it is like to rip it up in Honshu.

 

Try to hit up the fire festival in Nozawa if you get a chance for a good taste of Japanese culture. No Fakie - glad to hear at least someone got some of the elusive free sake. None of the old men seemed to want to give my young punk ass any.

 

Ocean - we have American snowboard punk slang for those places too.

Hokkaido = Hoke-a-doke

Nozawa = Nozzle

Shinkansen = Shink

 

You remember any others barok?

[Fattwins 0]

Zwellie Im an still kicking myself for not going to Nozawa last year. I thought all you guys would be around again this season. thats the luck.

 

Ender pretty good plan there. would have liked to have hit some of those BC lines with you.

ARAI can get pricy so my advice is to pack a lunch.

 

When I stayed at snowbeds nobody wanted to give me any hints. not like its going to get tracked up or anything. just not enough people to track up the place.

 

Alberg whats your budget like.

[Ocean11 0]

Oh yeah, here's another one;

 

Arai - ARAI

[grungy-gonads 54]

!!

[NoFakie 45]

Enderman - no sake for you, eh? My memories of the night are somewhat blurred, but I definitely remember spinning a large bottle up at my mouth on far too many occasions. There was a little "booth" off to the side that was dishing it out in the bamboo cups as well.

 

It was really icy underfoot, so I ended up truly "legless". I didn't notice the cuts and bruises from all the sprawling until the following day. Other Hakuba people who shall remain nameless were also somewhat worse for wear.

 

Any cheap places to stay in Nozawa, btw?

[enderzero 0]

Zwelgen's place was the cheapest I knew of...as long as you could take the cold (and Zwelgen complaining in the morning that she would leave you behind if you didn't get your ass out of the nice warm bed immediately).

 

As for the fire festival, I got my hopes up too much from the stories I heard and the one or two free cups on the way in. Turns out most of the old men with the bottles around their necks were none to keen to share with me. But we had plenty of beer so it was no prob. What a cool time though.

[alferg 0]

O11, aussies are big fans of word-butchering too im afraid.... Just think: once I let every other aussie know about the snow in japan, the place will be chokkers with Dazas & Shazas from Parramatta going "Yeah, went for a f'kin slide at f'kin Nozzas t'day, 'n' it woz foolly siiick maaate! T'morra we're gonna 'ave a squiz at f'kin hakkas - woddayarekkon?"

 

- perish the thought!

 

& yes, i'll keep a look out for you & your red helmet

 

enderzero, thanks for the tips!

 

does Snowbeds have any double rooms? I'm not that keen on backpacker-style accom I must say... getting a bit old for that, & the missus likes a a room... I'd rather Japanese style accom actually - any other cheap places around Hakuba that anyone can suggest? Need to find somewhere in Nozawa too, but our friend there should be able to help with that.

[Fattwins 0]

when the private messages come back on ill send you a list for hakuba. ill try to ask my japanese friend for nozawa.

[zwelgen 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by enderzero:
Zwelgen's place was the cheapest I knew of...as long as you could take the cold (and Zwelgen complaining in the morning that she would leave you behind if you didn't get your ass out of the nice warm bed immediately).

You of all people ender should know that first tracks wait for no one. By the time Ive got up, dressed, had brekkie and a cuppa tea, defrosted the windscreen, drove the car round and packed it up, the least you can do is get yo lazy ass outta bed and into the backseat. Thats not too much to ask is it? (btw I usually leave about 7:45am so it aint even early)

wuss

why dont you guys hit up Nekobi? she lives between Nagano and Nozawa - and she has a car!

[nekobi 0]

true true. i'm about an hour from noz, maybe hour half from haks, though my place isn't nearly the size of chateau zwelgen. but it does stay warm being small and cozy. since zwelgen left, i am looking for some new riding mates. but warning- i MUST get first tracks!

[damian 0]

Early morning Grumpy Zwelly was quite funny I thought. Under-sexed Albinos are moody it seems ;-)

 

As for the Tank video... I think Mr Sparkle has it but never fronted up with an edited version. I bet he has lost the tape by now.

 

Alfonse,

 

Regarding cheap non-bunkhouse accom in Hakuba. I am sure there is tons: I found about 4 different pensions and none charged over Y5,000 on the weekend. All where pretty much walk in after a day riding at 4pm "g'day, gotta a spare room mate?" kind of arrangements, so I probably paid a little more than pre-booked weekday rates. Some places had pretty small cruddy rooms, others had pretty big and quite comfy rooms. All where within 3 minutes walk or slide of the gondola, a few where actually slightly up hill of the lift base and you could ride down to the lift in the morning. Two places had a chair lift directly outside the window. I watched night skiing from my room one night and talked to the riders as they went by my window on the chair (obviously short conversations). These places were at either Goryu or Tsugaike. I can only remember the name of one place. It was called "be-be" and in Goryu. It probably had the worst rooms of them all but a cool dog lived outside the front door which made up for it.

 

All of this is designed to highlight that you can stay right in the resort if you like, right on the lift... all for a pretty reasonable price and often including quite good quality cook in your room shabu-shabu or sukiyaki.

 

Goryu would probably suit you better as you can pretty easily get to the nearby train station or bus stop to shoot to other areas in Hakuba, or you can just ride Goryu each day with zero bed-to-gondola effort.

[alferg 0]

so nekobi... want to earn yourself some extra yen this season & accomodate a bunch of pleasant, fully house-trained, early 30's aussies?

 

not yet sure how big a crew it'll be - i expect that most of them are all talk, no action, & it'll only be around 4 of us.

 

...i'm only 1/2 serious - i shouldnt be asking ppl stuf like this until i have my plans fully in place huh!

 

 

& nice one DB - good tips

 

alfonse!?!? im scottish-australian, not the bloody wog-boy!

 

& yeah, i find that 9 times out of 10, a cool dog will more than make up for a crap room...

 

[enderzero 0]

I imagine 5 people could sleep in nekobi's place no problem...if you don't have a problem sleeping standing up.

 

You know I never held you up in the morning. I have just mastered the art of staying in bed until the last possible second. Those girls were busy putting on makeup anyway.

 

BTW, who is usually doing the waiting??? ...at the bottom of the lift.