Jump to content

Recommended Posts

For those of you who couldnt find powder in Hakuba this past weekend, I wonder how hard you looked. Saturday we had knee deep powder and we rarely crossed tracks. IT was really crusty underneath, but that was in patches. It was a great day, and I was really psyched to have found the snow we did. Bluebird skies, and good snow = not a bad day. Today, thigh-deep powder and hardly touched anything. Took my small camera out and snapped a few pics from yesterday but havent even looked at em yet. Will post up what I got later. Who else found the goods over the weekend in Hakuba/Honshu? party banner party

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thats just the problem with Hakuba for most visitors isnt it? - most of the powder is hidden away in places that are not easy to find. It seems you have to have someone show you where to find the goods. Thats not the case at some other resorts in Japan such as Niseko and Kagura.

I was at Happo on Saturday and Goryu/47 Sunday and the most I found was some knee high powder near the top of Goryu.

I've been to Happo and Goryu loads of times and Im always looking out for some easy slackcountry, like what you might find from the top lift of Kagura, but to us mortals, there really isnt much obvious there.

Might try somewhere different next time. Tsugaike...?

Link to post
Share on other sites

>Thats just the problem with Hakuba for most visitors isnt it? - most of the powder is hidden away in places that are not easy to find.

 

Its right in front of your eyes if you look across they valley. There are tons of places and my other mates who went to different resorts from us found the goods too. I just think many people want the powder right on the runs under the lifts, right in front of their eyes, and that isnt always the case.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well it was pretty good on Saturday until lunchtime- after that at Cortina the powder got pretty heavy going for the most part. Sunday after the 0cm of powder reported overnight it was epic at Tsugaike where I was. All powder and only touching the crust hiding below periodically.

 

Even when the snowfall shows 0cm this may not mean much if you're looking at what happens further up. All the powder I am reporting is below 1700m, so I think anyone who bothered hiking an additional 500m or more would have been well rewarded. Can't have knee deep powder down to the valley floor everyday in Hakuba for sure, but it's usually out there somewhere. Go hunt!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Never actually been to Tsugaike. I hear they get better snow up there. I was thinking of going if I go to Hakuba again this year - owner of the hotel said he'd drive us up there. I like the Skyline area of Happo on a powder day, or the sidecountry accessable from the very top lift at Kagura. Would I find much of that kind of thing, lift-accessable, at Tsugaike? What are the ski-patrol like there?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Black Mountain
Lucky lucky! I was too busy to make it to the mountain but had just enough time for a nice little surf. Decent waves so can't complain!


didn't surf, but I was out on my bike and ended up down the beach, it was a beauty of a day on sat, had my coat off and soaked up some rays from the sun.....had a beer....great day!! smile

Mates went up to Gunma and had another buebird day riding, said snow conditions were pretty good as well.....probably should've went with em!!
Link to post
Share on other sites

>Would I find much of that kind of thing, lift-accessable, at Tsugaike? What are the ski-patrol like there?

 

I think patrol are only really anal about people riding the S. faces and W. faces because most of them run to the gelende. Many of you might remember 4 years ago or so when the assistant professor at some uni took a group skiing, and even though the cat track was roped off because of avi danger, he still took them down it. In the end 1 girl died and another 1 or 2 had slight injuries. So, if they catch you there Id imagine they'd pull your pass. Other areas (in my experience when I had season passes there for 3 years) they didnt bother.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Creek Boy
>Would I find much of that kind of thing, lift-accessable, at Tsugaike? What are the ski-patrol like there?

I think patrol are only really anal about people riding the S. faces and W. faces because most of them run to the gelende. Many of you might remember 4 years ago or so when the assistant professor at some uni took a group skiing, and even though the cat track was roped off because of avi danger, he still took them down it. In the end 1 girl died and another 1 or 2 had slight injuries. So, if they catch you there Id imagine they'd pull your pass. Other areas (in my experience when I had season passes there for 3 years) they didnt bother.


CB, I'm not really sure of where you guys were but I've also had some excellent tree skiing at Tsugaike that was easily accessible by cat track. It didn't look particularly prone to avalanches though.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Monday hiked up and hour and a half from the top lift of Happo to Mume-zawa did the north face and got great powder with no crust underneath for 800m vertical.

 

Yesterday (tuesday) hiked half an hour up from the top of 47/Goryu and got about 400m of good north facing powder with no hard base underneath followed by 400m of crud.

 

Today I suspect it will all be crud however far you walk as the freezing level going up will mean even north faces will be toast.

 

Got a good video from Yesterday but haven't been able to post it yet on snowjapanTV...Can I embed youtube videos on here??

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

>CB, I'm not really sure of where you guys were but I've also had some excellent tree skiing at Tsugaike that was easily accessible by cat track. It didn't look particularly prone to avalanches though.

 

"It didn't look particularly prone to avalanches though." It didnt look like it would slide?? lol Tell that to the girl who was killed and her stupid prof who lead her down the cat track.

 

We have caused slides off the north faces several times, and luckily none on the S faces which slide to cat tracks.

Link to post
Share on other sites
×
×
  • Create New...