RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Have you ever cheated on your partner? That's how I felt today - I normally go to the yuzawa area as am most comfortable with it. Know where to go, which places have the best conditions, etc. But thought this season I should try some other places, and this came up on the JR site, 7500 for shinkansen and lift pass. But something felt wrong. Wow! Cheap! Now I know why. I managed to get up for 1st tracks, only to find the bottom slopes open, which meant green runs for 1hour until the lifts higher up opened, around 9am. In that time, these runs got chopped up fairly quicker, lumps everywhere and turned to ice pretty quickly. Not the best start to the day. At 9am, the "high speed" lift opened up to the top - talk about a misnomer. It's 1000m long and took 8 mins to get to the top. But the views were well worth it! Minami alps, Mt Asama amongst a few more mountains can be seen on a clear day and more choice of courses. Thought I'd try the first intermediate run of the day, Panorama, which proved to be quite fun. Nice first few hundred metres at 25degrees, then back to 12degrees or so. A let down. Switched over to the snow park - which contained one 2m kicker, a small 0.5m kicker onto a curved rail, and then three boxes: small, sloped down, and a wide flat one. Good fun, but not very accessible once done. You either have to hike up again or take a lift up way past it and then down again on the aforementioned chopped up run. Decided to go back up to the top again, only to find the high speed lift now had a queue developing. Went into the single person lane, but the staff weren't very useful, essentially just letting me decide when to go in and not managing the people in the groups. A few times, I saw people go up in pairs or singles when there was space on other chairs. Anyway, got back up to the top and dived down into some of the black runs towards the west area. First of all was Aliesuka course. This proved to be a good decision - no one was here. This is good black level run, steep incline of 30degree that peters out to a 12degree at the lift. The best of the day, but not very accessible in all. Later on, about 20 instructors came along and managed to pick up some free tips from the snowboard staff, which was nice of them. Only trouble was, the lack of snow was evident on the edges of the course, and then the snow making machines got "turned on" in preparation. This did help matters a bit, but with today's weather being very sunny, it pretty much turned the slope into ice and got chopped up. After spending an hour going up and done, I realised that simply I had had enough after only 3 hours, and decided to head home. Came back down under the high speed lift and saw a queue of about 30m had developed. There were plenty of other lifts around, but they weren't operating, due to "not being busy" according to some of the staff. Apres ski at the resort is nil unless you are staying at the hotels, so not much choice except to come home. But no buses. Not until 3pm. So had to walk. Which wasn't a bad thing as there were plenty of shops on the way back, but these shops were part of a modern shopping mall, something evident about this area. The snow resort and surrounding area were developed because of the train line, not the other way around. Overall, a major disappointment, and I feel guilty that I didn't go to my usual area. An experience that I may not tell yuzawa about. If you were to win a ticket, or someone gives you one, then it'll be ok, but paying? Give it a miss and go elsewhere. pics later. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Is that place not marketed towards families and beginner types? Would they like it more maybe? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 It's near Tokyo, so even international tourists like us have many packages to choose from. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Would be great for beginners. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Look forward to seeing the photos. Haven't seen any of that place. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 some pics view from the panorama run. mt Asama maybe this is why I had a bad day? bad cheese.... Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 I reckon there's a massive Prince building there. Oh dear. The Prince empire really are stuck in the 80's. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Any more Rob? - interesting to see the place..... is that the train line at the bottom there, surely not the shink? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Hokkaido cheese. Yummmy. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Yep that is the shinkansen line pies. Was surprised myself. Didn't take many pics today am afraid. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 erm.. where's the snow? Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 That is close! Looks very spring-y. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Just before they kicked in - I think. The fans were spinning and the generators running. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 wow that does look rather snow-less. Did you go up this morning Rob? Must have been disappointing. Never mind I had a bad choice today as well. Lets better choicing! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Yep - got up there for 7:45 as lifts open at 8. Well the bottom ones did, had to wait an hour for the main ones to open. Got bored by about midday, so up and left and sold my ticket on to someone else for 2k. Link to post Share on other sites
r45 4 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 From the looks that place really is all about the shopping, hey? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 sold your ticket? Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 yeah - why not? if someone else wanted it then fair enough. BUT that's another thread altogether. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Blooby hell. I suppose actually that resort really is at a low location right. Thanks for the report. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 top of it is at 1,100m or so. Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Karuizawa is crap and i can not in good faith recommend it to anyone. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Originally Posted By: RobBright yeah - why not? if someone else wanted it then fair enough. BUT that's another thread altogether. oh you naughty boy!! You counter-revolutionary, terrorist dog....imagine selling your ticket, don't you know that the Prince empire will fall because of your actions you capitalist dog!! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Originally Posted By: Oyuki kigan Karuizawa is crap and i can not in good faith recommend it to anyone. If it's crap, why is it so popular?! That's what I don't understand. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Originally Posted By: RobBright Would be great for beginners. Perhaps you answered the question yourself. Plus, shopping + access. Link to post Share on other sites
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