Thundercat 60 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Hey all, Rob got me thinking about Hakkoda recently. Has anyone been? Going to go? Dreaming of doing it? I'm pretty keen on heading up there at some point but really don't know what to expect. I've read through the reviews and journals on this site but am wondering if anyone has any first hand knowledge. For those who are interested, JR has recently completed the last leg (for now) of the Tohoku shinkansen (bullet train) that connects Tokyo to Aomori. That means city to city in just over 3 hours for about 16,000Y (no transfers). Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 I have a colleague who's fallen in love with the place, says it's better than Niseko. I know someone else who says it's crap unless you hire a guide. Suspect the truth is out there somewhere... Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 It's not much of a skijo as such just the ropeway going up and a run down. Fab snow apparently. And very very cold. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Originally Posted By: SKI It's not much of a skijo as such just the ropeway going up and a run down. Fab snow apparently. And very very cold. Ya, that don't sound "Better than Niseko" for sure.. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Don't blame me! but yeah, would love to head up that way too. Link to post Share on other sites
Queen Cosmo 0 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Looks like it could be some fun skiing to Sukayu onsen, maybe hike up and ski from the peak. Map (pdf) I'd be willing to meet some folks up there on the way to that Hokkaido ferry, maybe early Jan? Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Hakkoda, the happiest place on earth January and February can be a bit too much for those not used to it; near blizzard conditions every day, visibility of about 15 feet, soft snow up to your chest, and a good chance that the gondola will be closed due to high winds. On March when the weather settles a bit the entire mountain range is yours to play with. Beware the reviews from the morons that stick to the two courses. They judge Hakkoda on less than 1% of the terrain, and none of it (snow to your chest not withstanding) is the true back country. I snowboard there about twice a week. If you come look me up; I would be happy to show you some of the fun runs. Whatever you do, don't leave without visiting the Tsukayu onsen. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Originally Posted By: yamabushi Beware the reviews from the morons that stick to the two courses. Why exactly are they "morons"? And why not post your own to redress the balance and tell people "the truth", rather than just badmouth other people? Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Bet I can guess where this 'dude' is 'based'. Link to post Share on other sites
aomorigum 0 Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Yes, one of the downsides of Hakkoda is some of the people/attitude that go there! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 I've heard that to really enjoy the place a guide is needed for the first few times till you become orientated with the terrain, I've heard that there are some pretty dangerous spots that are quite easy to go into if you don't know where your going.....however I haven't been, but I would fancy a bash at it. Link to post Share on other sites
Yyonnx 0 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 gone BM and anyone else interested, I tried to find out why the PM wasn't working and got that final reply from the moderator...? I don't get it. And it's not like I was looking for info, I was trying to share some I picked up last season. Have a good season dudes, will see you in Niseko and elsewhere I'm sure. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 Tlen, I want details! Give 'em to me please! Yamabushi, I'll definitely take you up on your offer! It's nice to get some local knowledge. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 +1 on more details as would love to check it out this year. I was in Aomori this summer for the Nebuta Matsuri and met a local who raved about it. He had a big grin on his face as he was talking about the terrain but that may have been the sake! Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 It is a place that you need to know your way around a little bit to enjoy, because lots of the time you will have to feel your way around trying to keep track of where you are in your head. Once you get to the tree line, a 100m or so below the top of the ropeway, the vis clears up because of the trees and assuming you found your way to the right spot then the fun starts. If you go the wrong way you could end up having to do a little walking (through deep snow) to get out again. Getting a guide to show you a few spots that are accessable from the ropeway on the first day will greatly enhance your experience. Only go BC without a guide if you are prepared to navigate in zero visability, though generally if you keep going downhill you will find a road eventually, though you could find yourself in dangerous terrain along the way. People who know the place and where to go love it with a passion. Often new visitors arrive and have a go, hate the place because they end up in all the wrong places, end up walking and have a terrible time, bad mouth the place on the internet making (some of) the people who know and love the place get all agitated. (because, I assume, if their fav ski place is in fact crap then they must be crap skiers??..i dunno, is that why some people dont like Niseko being called flat??) I would say if you are going to go, go for a decent amount of time so that you can figure out how to enjoy it best. Or if you think its not worth investing the time learning your way around perhaps somewhere where the goods are right under the lift might be a better option. Link to post Share on other sites
gnarly-dude 1 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 I'm confused. What's all this 'PM me' stuff about? If the reviews that are there now are all written by 'morons', and if you are so concerned with the injustice that this place is getting because of said reviews, and if you want to tell more people about this incredible place, why don't you go post one yourself. Here you go, real easy: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/insider/member_resort_review.php That should re-dress the balance a bit, though I reckon if you go on about morons it won't get posted. But, but, if you simply don't want the people to 'find out', then why are you posting here? By the way, PM me if you have trouble posting a resort review. Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 whats the agro about? Tlen is offering free advice to anyone who wants (but only if they express a desire to know) and the other guy is actually offering to show people around. 2 great offers for anyone who actually wants to go. but they are being attacked. ?? people are strange... Link to post Share on other sites
gnarly-dude 1 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Attacked?! Sorry, but who exactly was calling other people morons first? If they want to help, why not actually post something rather than cryptic. I just wonder how much yamabushi charges for his tours? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 To be fair, all mountains are dangerous in winter if you don't know where you're going. Some guides in Japan are self-proclaimed or equally dubious, so don't just trust anyone. Link to post Share on other sites
gnarly-dude 1 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Great post Stag, it was really useful. Edit: I see Captain Stag has since deleted his awesome post. Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Does anyone know if Sukayu onsen are still doing the guiding thing up there or did the fatalities put them off? And if they are, have they started using beacons yet? Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 Hey, I'm happy that some people answered me. Tlen, I sent you a PM so when you get a chance please hit me up with any relevent details! Cheers dude! As for the tudes... well, no one has been insulted by name so who cares. In my experience there are loads of morons out there... and there are loads of cool people. Take a deep breath and think about cold dry powder snow! Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 Actually, it seems your pms don't work so... maybe we can exchange info at a later date. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 7, 2010 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 7, 2010 For the people posting and emailing us with comments dripping with attitude and demanding things of us, please read this: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthread...html#Post387962 Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 8, 2010 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 8, 2010 Originally Posted By: Tlen gone BM and anyone else interested, I tried to find out why the PM wasn't working and got that final reply from the moderator...? I don't get it. And it's not like I was looking for info, I was trying to share some I picked up last season. Have a good season dudes, will see you in Niseko and elsewhere I'm sure. Could you please explain that comment Tlen? [The above one that you just edited now] What exactly is it that you are "not getting"? Are we supposed to have done something wrong here? When you say you tried to find out why the PM wasn't working, what exactly did you do? - because we have not heard anything from you today. And what "final reply from the moderator" are you referring to? If you mean my post above, it wasn't being directed towards you because as far as I know you have not sent us any such comments. Link to post Share on other sites
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