yamabushi 3 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Damn, looking at the weather forecast it looks like the soft powder is going away. Here in Hakkoda we have been experiencing March weather for the better part of february . No biggie, time to break out the snow shoes and start dropping the bigger mountains on the back of the range Last Saturday it was magical; 30cm of new snow after a dry spell. If you knew were to find it you could be on over a meter of drifted fresh powder. Good memories, good shots with the gopro-on-a-stick. The videos will have to wait (it takes forever to process those) but here are some snaps. Some day I'll remember to resize before uploading... Surfing the wave Stumping it: Surfing the wave part II Making a break for freedom. My buddy wasn't so lucky, the net had other plans for him... Full speed ahead It doesn't slow you down if you are going fast enough Yes, I'm happy to see you grinning. Hang in there kitty! At the end of my years, these are the memories that will give me that warm and fuzzy feeling Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Now...THAT...is living life!! Very nice! Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Awesome Link to post Share on other sites
norcal 5 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Looks like a kick a$$ time! Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Hey Yama! Looks great. We ride the exact same board! I'm about to start a month long vacation and I'm thinking about heading up your way. Can you hook up some time in March for a few turns? BTW, which monopod are you using? I have a slik 350ex but bent it last weekend after landing on it during a jump last weekend. Thinking about getting another one but don't really want another slik because it is a bit too heavy. Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 I'm using a Black Diamond pole, with a piece of hardware from Homac that I rigged into a camera mount (been meaning to post pics of my setup for some time now). The great thing about Black Diamond poles is that they stock replacement parts even on the models that are out of production. Last year I broke the bottom shaft on that pole, the replacement shaft cost me $14.95. I'm gonna be in Tokyo March 10~14, and I'm still trying to make it to Asahidake sometime in March. If i'm here, I'll be happy to hook up. Keep in mind that things are looking rather warm; it would be more like spring backcountry :\ Didn't you say you have been to Asahidake? Care to go back there? Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I haven't been to Asahidake but would love to go... if the timing is right I could probably hit it up with you (I'm heading to Canada and Jamaica from March 25th for a couple of weeks) Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Damn, private messages are not working... I was planning on going with friends that changed their minds at the last minute... So, I just emailed black diamond tours and another company to ask them if they had any tours available for before/after March 10~14. If I were to hook up with somebody else that has back country experience, I would be willing to just show up in Asahidake and look for a local guide. My Japanese is crap, but between Michi-ni mayoimashita, Tasukete!, and abunai!, I have the bases covered Heck, outside of that weekend in the middle, my schedule is pretty flexible. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted February 21, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted February 21, 2011 Great pics. About PMs, wait until tonight and we'll get you in touch. Sorry about that. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 love the pics Link to post Share on other sites
CptSlow 0 Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 wow love your photos Link to post Share on other sites
ILoveZao 8 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Me too, nice. Looks a bit like Zao there Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Originally Posted By: yamabushi Another Photo Of The Moment. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted February 23, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yes we need to assign a few of those.... will get on the case soon. Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Love the pics Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Does look a bit like Zao! Got any wider images of the area with those juhyo trees yamabushi? Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Originally Posted By: muikabochi Does look a bit like Zao! Got any wider images of the area with those juhyo trees yamabushi? Not of that area. Here is a shot at snow monsters on the other side of the mountain: Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Nice! Actually Zao does give Hakkoda a mention on their video they have running in the Gondola station. They mentioned one other place where Juhyo appear but I can't recall where it was (anyone?) Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Actually several places have the Juhyo, Koumi in Nagano gets the snow monsters sometimes, more sivery looking and not covered in as much snow, but tends to happen in March a lot. There is a resort in Gifu, as well that has them, but can't recal where. Zao is famous for the snow monsters, mainly because it is a big resort I guess, not actually been there myself yet, and it is advertised a lot, but actually other resorts have these snow monsters in various unique forms. Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Over here we grow 'em big. This is the ropeway building. The gondola car is to the left just outside of the shot. By this time of the year the base is usually still going up. Right now it has lost about half a meter :'( Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Ace photo! Wow. I now TOTALLY want to go there. When is usually the peak for that kind of thing? Late January I suppose... Originally Posted By: snowdude Actually several places have the Juhyo, Koumi in Nagano gets the snow monsters sometimes, more sivery looking and not covered in as much snow, but tends to happen in March a lot. There is a resort in Gifu, as well that has them, but can't recal where. Zao is famous for the snow monsters, mainly because it is a big resort I guess, not actually been there myself yet, and it is advertised a lot, but actually other resorts have these snow monsters in various unique forms. Zao is famous for them because of how incredibly spectacular they are, not the size of the resort. I have seen some trees that look similar at Yokoteyama in Shiga Kogen, but it sure wasn't anything like what is seen at Zao. I'm sure there are other places that have trees covered in snow/ice as well, though again I doubt it's Zao scale. Here's what Wikipedia says 日本ã§ã¯è”µçŽ‹ã®æ¨¹æ°·æž—ãŒæœ‰åã§è¦³å…‰è³‡æºã«ã‚‚ãªã£ã¦ãŠã‚Šã€æ¨¹æœ¨ãŒå®Œå…¨ã«æ¨¹æ°·ã‚„雪ã«ã‚ˆã£ã¦è¦†ã‚ã‚ŒãŸã‚‚ã®ã¯ã€Œã‚¹ãƒŽãƒ¼ãƒ¢ãƒ³ã‚¹ã‚¿ãƒ¼ã€ã¨ã‚‚呼ã°ã‚Œã‚‹ã€‚ä»–ã«å…«ç”²ç”°å±±ã‚„八幡平ã€ä¼Šå¹å±±ã€æ°·ãƒŽå±±ã€å¯Œå£«å±±ã®ã‚‚ã®ãŒã‚ˆã知られる。 Zao Hakkoda Hachimantai Ibukiyama Hyonosen Fujiyama Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Originally Posted By: yamabushi Over here we grow 'em big. This is the ropeway building. The gondola car is to the left just outside of the shot. By this time of the year the base is usually still going up. Right now it has lost about half a meter :'( Brilliant pic. Looks like the inside of a 'gone mad' freezer! Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 There's snow on trees in tons of places. But the Juhyo in Zao, Hakkoda are not just the normal snow on trees. It's that special 'ebi no shippo' (prawn tail) look that they get due to those special circumstances that I don't fully understand. Link to post Share on other sites
Nisoko 6 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 That is a mad image. Link to post Share on other sites
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