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DAY 1 : WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 2011

 

Arrived in Chitose under clear blue skies and 0 deg C temps at mid-day today.

 

Same on the drive to the Niseko Resort Area, but within 30 mins of arriving in Niseko Hirafu the temps dropped significantly and the flakes started falling. Hasn't stopped since.

 

Kiroro tomorrow to pick up my seasons pass and see what's fallen.

 

For anyone in two minds about visiting the mountains of Hokkaido, I haven't witnessed any damage or lack of goods or services in the short time I've been here.

 

Energy provision is not a problem, night skiing is still fully operational.

 

Hirafu is quiet but there are still people here very much enjoying the quality of snow and the lack of crowds.

 

 

 

DAY 2 : THURSDAY 17 MARCH 2011

 

Happy St Patrick's Day to you.

 

Ian MacKenzie and I had the luck of the Irish choosing Kiroro over Niseko this morning.

 

The closer we got to the Kiroro turn off the the deeper the overnight snow became and the heavier the flakes fell from the snowglobe sky.

 

10cm in the car park at the beginning of the day, and at least 20cm up high.

 

The southern aspects had a light sun crust beneath the new snow, the northern aspects none.

 

We lapped the gondola from 9 'til 1pm and didn't cross a path or meet anyone on our runs. Perfect.

 

 

'All by myself' - Ian Mackenzie at Kiroro

 

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Back to the car at 2 to brush off the 15cm of dry, super light powder that had fallen during our visit, the drive home promising a little more than sping corn tomorrow.

 

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An excellent first day, with more to come.

 

It's great to be back smile

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And it's great to have you back! Cheer us all up Mike!

Originally Posted By: MikePow
Originally Posted By: Tex
Nice!

What route did you take from Niseko and how long was the drive? cheers!


In to Kutchan and then the new road to Otaru. About an hour.


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Thanks all.

 

 

DAY 3 : FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2011

 

If it ain't broke...

 

Ian M and I returned to Kiroro with hopes of new snow and sunshine. Plenty of new snow, unfortunately our timing was off with the sunshine. Every time we got in the gondola the sun came out but by the time we got to the top it was snowing hard.

 

I'd skied Kiroro 20+ times prior to today but I was still able to ski a whole new area to me today that was untouched and untracked (except us) all day.

 

Ian's timing on the mountain was considerably better thankfully.

 

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The race course was closed today but Ian M wasn't too disappointed.

 

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Tomorrow?

 

Umm, Kiroro maybe?

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i heard people giving a little bit of hype to kiroro as a kind of 'get away from the bogans' type place, while at niseko. But genuinely have no idea what the place is like. The pics seem to be just one part of it, whats the overall vibe of the place? how big is it? how is it usually january-february? etc etc.

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DAY 4 : SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2011

 

Feezing level at 550m meant rain at Niseko's base and bitty snow at Kiroro's base.

 

Ian M and I drove to Kiroro but unfortunately it was greybird with a more than a bracing wind.

 

The gondola was closed for the day, and with most of Sapporo funnelled between two four-man chairs absention was the better part of valour.

 

An afternoon at Paddy Mcginty's with Craig from Meikle Associates and Steve & Toni on holiday from Hong Kong watching the Super 15s was an adequate alternative smile

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Originally Posted By: ippy
i heard people giving a little bit of hype to kiroro as a kind of 'get away from the bogans' type place, while at niseko. But genuinely have no idea what the place is like. The pics seem to be just one part of it, whats the overall vibe of the place? how big is it? how is it usually january-february? etc etc.


Mellow, quiet, lots of snow, to get the best go with someone who knows the resort.
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Thanks.

 

DAY 5 : SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2011

 

0cm of new snow, above freezing temperatures, and diffused sunshine at today's destination, Rusutsu.

 

Rolling solo and flat light conditions meant the camera stayed in the backpack.

 

Although there were plenty of cars in the East Mt. car park, up on the hill it was deserted.

 

The warmer temps and sunshine (and maybe a little drizzle) the past two days has turned the powder to a smooth, springy custard with about 5cm of ski penetration. It made for fast, open, carved turns in the trees and under the gondola. Something different and a real treat.

 

Shared a chair with a retired Japanese couple from Kyoto who spend their winters near Sapporo skiing as many of the resorts on Hokkaido as they can. He did the talking and she did the nodding and smiling.

 

He'd skied in Europe three times in his youth - the resorts out of Innsbruck, Davos and Garmisch - and there was a big smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye when talking about skiing.

 

50 years skiing under his belt and the passsion was front and centre. A real gentleman. Neat little skier too.

 

I'm so grateful that he initiated the conversation, made my day to meet him.

 

Ian M is on his way to Indonesia to caddy for Aaron Townsend in the Indonesia PGA Championship on the One Asia tour so I'm basing myself in Rusutsu until Friday.

 

Staying at a house a short walk from the Rusutsu North & South Wing Hotel owned by the great people at Hotel Romulus. Highly recommended.

 

They also own The Pirateman restaurant and I'm there at the moment eating Otopus, Karage, Kimchi and Hokkaido potatoes. All washed down with a Grape Sour. Happy days.

 

Will wait to see what the morrow brings weatherwise, but over the next five days some or all of Rusutsu, Sapporo Kokusai, Grand Hirafu, Sun Laiva and Kiroro are on the cards.

 

A return to colder temps and sustained snowfall is forecast for the coming week. The farmers will not be amused.

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