thursday 1 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 overly sensitive? Gone? where? Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 Hopefully this post will make it in. I may have been a bit snappy on some of my responses. First off, I don't guide. My spare time is too valuable; the only way you can afford it is if I give it to you for free. Having said that, to me any excuse to go up is a good excuse. If you plan on coming watch out the accumulation. Hakkoda is not that much fun with less than 100cm base, as it limits how far you can go. Hitting buried obstacles at speed is an experience you would not soon forget. With 180cm things are in good shape. This is when the snow bridges form over some rivers. January and February, white outs are the norm. visibility is only used in the context of 'lack of'. Most of the runs are near the regular courses, as the up-to-your-chest snow makes it virtually impossible to hike. Still, if your idea of fun is said up-to-your-chest powder, this is it. Late February~March, the snow begins to settle. This opens quite a few runs that were impossible with deep powder. Towards the middle of March you can begin to hike further away as the snow and weather permits. On April there is a transition point where the weather warms up during the day and freezes at night. Before the corn snow develops, the top near the gondola is a sheet of ice, and the bottom a wet slop. Good powder can be had at elevation, specially at the volcano ridge a few miles away. once the corn snow develops, some warm weather wax and you are set. On a good year you can snowboard into June. As I said, I'll be there no mater what. If the PM thing gets sorted out let me know if you are coming and I'll be happy to show you around. Shit, maybe we should start a back country exchange program. I'll show you my back yard if you show me yours Link to post Share on other sites
akitapow 1 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 @yamabushi, thanks for all the info! I've been up there twice and it was so much fun both times! (even though we didn't know all the sweet spots of the mtn, etc etc) Anyway, trying to get back up there SOON! but was wondering if you have any suggestions on places to stay up there, like any cheap pensions or lodges etc etc. I know the area area Hakkoda is pretty sparse, but just thought I'd ask! Hollaback!woot! Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis Hawk 2 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Yamabushi, are you still here? I have several friends that all want to go up there, but I'm not familiar enough with it to feel like I could guide them. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 There is a good feature article on Hakkoda BM http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-76.html Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 For cheap, the Sansou at the bottom of the chairlift is 6,000. This is where the Japanese mountain guides are, so if that's what you are looking for you pretty much are set. It used to be 6,000 all you can drink but the old man retired (the guy that built the place).I don't know if they are keeping that particular tradition... This is my take on the mountain guides. A lot of them basically show you the front of the mountain. This is not necessarily a bad deal, as it ensures that you spend your time riding powder and not digging yourself out of one of the many ravines and gullies. Still, if you really want to be guided into the yonder, make sure that's what they are selling. There are two english-speaking guides that will be happy to take your money, Simon bernard (google up 'simon hakkoda') and Paul, the burton rep that operates out of Misawa Air Base. Or let me know when you are coming and I'll see if I can make it. I'll be happy to show you around. Link to post Share on other sites
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