miro 0 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Some advice from those experienced at Hakuba. For the past three years we have skied at Niseko in late Jan / early Feb. This year we are probably making the change and going to Hakuba (looking for some longer runs, new slopes, and hopefully similar amounts of snow). Yesterday I took the time to read the daily reports from the past 4 years for January and Febraury and it left me a bit worried. So a little help please. 1. How cold would it normally be on mountain in the first two week of February? (it doesn't seem nearly as cold as Niseko) 2. It seems to rain a lot in Hakuba (it has rained at some point each eyar that I read), is this a problem? (not much worse than skiing in the rain in my mind). Love to hear some feedback from those who have been a few times. Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 It won't be as cold as Hokkaido. The rain last season was more than 'usual' and it usually doesn't rain much once we get into winter. Last season was just annoying as it did more than that. Usually there's tons of snow to get lost in, I don't see a problem. Whether you will notice a difference in the snow quality Niseko vs Hakuba - well, you'll have to tell us! Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Hi, To the mind of Japanese skiers, Feb is considered "spring snow" on the mainlands. like you said, it might rain, and that means wet snow. So you have to go higher up. You will have warm days and cold days. It's the mountains, it's up to the gods ... Hokkaido is special. Link to post Share on other sites
Nisoko 6 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Quote: To the mind of Japanese skiers, Feb is considered "spring snow" on the mainlands. To the mind of me, it sure ain't! Link to post Share on other sites
Nisoko 6 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Then again, I'm in Nisoko Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Fair enough ... still it's good snow, no worries. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Bit silly in the head people who class February as "spring snow". Early February is peak snow. We've had one or two years when late Feb has been a bit dodgy at times, but with the season going on into May, I am loathe to use the spring word until well into March. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I am convinced after seeing the Youtube mud snowboarding. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Slight difference being that was in Threado, thousands of km away. In September. Link to post Share on other sites
miro 0 Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Thanks guys. Whilst I can't change the dates we are travelling (first two weeks of Feb) it is quite clear that it snows a lot more often in January than February. More opinions are always welcome! Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 sure it can rain in Hakuba during winter, then again it can rain at any ski resort in the world in winter. And yes its not fun. Temps in Hakuba in February probably average around -3 in valley and about -10 at the top of the mountain. The mecury can drop even lower to -15 in the valley, but these are rare and only happen a few times during winter. What Hakuba does usually get is a lot of snow at once. You might have to wait a week or so but when the snows falls the accumlation is usually more than say Niseko (though Niseko gets snowfall more often). If you look back to 1998 and the winter Olympics the premier events were held at Hakuba, the had to delay the downhill first for rain, then they had to postpone for too much snow! Fingers crossed for a bumper snow year! Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Similar amounts of snow for both areas. In Hakuba it can dump huge amounts in short times. I have seen it snow a meter overnight. In Hokkaido it will snow smaller amounts more often. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Early Feb should be great in Hakuba. Link to post Share on other sites
Error404 0 Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Early Feb should be great EVERYWHERE. Something seriously wrong if it isn't. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 EVERYWHERE in the Northern Hem where it snows. Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 0 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Originally Posted By: Miro Some advice from those experienced at Hakuba. For the past three years we have skied at Niseko in late Jan / early Feb. This year we are probably making the change and going to Hakuba (looking for some longer runs, new slopes, and hopefully similar amounts of snow). Yesterday I took the time to read the daily reports from the past 4 years for January and Febraury and it left me a bit worried. So a little help please. 1. How cold would it normally be on mountain in the first two week of February? (it doesn't seem nearly as cold as Niseko) 2. It seems to rain a lot in Hakuba (it has rained at some point each eyar that I read), is this a problem? (not much worse than skiing in the rain in my mind). Love to hear some feedback from those who have been a few times. Rain events last year - counted by looking at the snowjapan archives Niseko December 5th,8th,9th,10th,17th,20th January 19th,23rd,29th February 13th,14th March 6th,9th,10th,13th,14th,17th,19th,22nd,23rd Hakuba December 5th,9th,11th,12th,18th January 18th,20th,31st February 14th,20th,25th March 6th,14th,20th,22nd Unexpectedly and funnily enough there were actually more rain days in Niseko!! count em yourself... Last year was a freak year in terms of mid season rainfall in both Niseko and Hakuba. Usually we'll only get a rainfall once or possibly twice at most mid season and its usually followed by a huge dump so I wouldn't worry too much! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I don't think your counting is all that correct but still if you look at the Hakuba report for last season they had barely any natural snow cover to the base until almost the end of December. Snowdepths at the end of each month from Dec through Mar were Niseko Top 250cm 300cm 430cm 360cm Bottom 105cm 140cm 200cm 165cm Hakuba Top 185cm 215cm 225cm 230cm Bottom 55cm 95cm 100cm 75cm I know where I would have preferred to be! Here's hoping for a better one this season Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Hi Matt Does it tell you the mm's that fell as this could be important as a light shower and a torrential downpour still constitute rain! GN answer your PM Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Don't see any PM's to answer? Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 One rain event I remember clearly was the 20th of December last year (the day I arrived in Niseko!) Rained pretty hard and then it was two days of boarding on an eggshell. There might have been 250 cm total but the top 10cm were solid concrete from the 20th-22nd. And then it snowed snowed snowed for the rest of the time I was there. Absolutely relentless! Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 0 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 wow that was fast! My point is it rains anywhere and last season was a rare season in Hokkaido and Honshu. There is usually 1 and possibly two rain events mid season in Hakuba and those rain events for the most part turn straight into humungous dumps of snow. I've been in Hakuba 11 seasons and there have only been two iffy seasons (last season and three seasons ago) and even in those seasons I still got plenty of powder. The other seasons were all pretty much non stop powder the whole way through! Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Thats certainly interesting Matt. The rain dates are very similar so the warm air masses must have been from the same weather patterns. Living on Honshu I don't really check what is going on in Hokkaido snow wise during the season. Too many places here to check. Have you got the stats from the previous year. From memory I think Hakuba actually did better from what I was told. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Sounds a bit like trying to polish a turd to me. I do of course realise why people living there with business interests would wish to do that. If you are living in a place you will surely 'get plenty of powder'.... you can pick and choose from every day of the season. The info from previous seasons is up there if you want to go and do it yourself TJ OZ. Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Originally Posted By: SKI Sounds a bit like trying to polish a turd to me. I don't know. Is it? Not something that I would be keen to try. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Perhaps a bit of imagination would help. Link to post Share on other sites
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