Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 After the roller coaster ride that this country has been on for the last 2 weeks or so, there really hasn't been an appetite for snowboarding/skiing or having fun in general due to the terrible situation up North. There are a few threads on here about the pros and cons of getting out there again, however after deciding to get out of my funk I went to Kagura yesterday. I'm so happy I did. After the weather of the preceeding couple of days, where I spent it down the beach, slapping suncream into my badly pate and drinking ice cold beers, i was expecting to be riding on spring snow, getting a bit wetter and heavier and more cement-like as the day wore on. Last year about this time I went to Gunma and the snow was so sticky that i couldn't get enough speed to launch from the edge of the kicker!! Well how surprised I was! It had just started lightly snowing, more the odd flake blowing through as I strapped in. the snow underfoot was soft and squeaky...the type that makes good snowballs! I took a warm up run down Mitsumata to check out the sides of the runs, all of which were untouched....the snow was perfect! Soft, light and powdery. I headed down to the Gondola and there was no one around, as I'm getting on the snow really starts to come down and looking out the window it appeasr no one has been down the long gondola run yet, so that was my first port of call.....again, fantastic snow, lots of boot top powder at the side that was virgin for me to defile! Usually I don't like the Gondola run so much because its all chopped up and its mega busy but yesterday it was ace. The top lift was open and that was calling me.......the forestry course is fantastic and I hate that Kagura don't open it until March (why is that?), but damn the conditions were excellent. I spent the rest of the morning lapping the top lift, in and out of the wooded areas, running high across the face and down towards the lift (actually the open face wasn't that good, some ice bombs lurking under the powder made it difficult and less enjoyable to ride) but the forest areas just kept giving face shots and boot to knee powder all day. As the snow got heavier and the wind picked up vis on the lift became pretty bad, you couldn't see but you could hear the few other riders up there coming through the pow forest with their whoops of joy....fantastic!! Had lunch and then it was back up to the top but this time I was linking through to the bottom of the Quad, through the side forests that eventually lead back onto the main Kagura slope. I have never had back leg burn like I did yesterday, my leg was killing me and by 3pm the top lift closed and I had to catch the bus back to the station at 3.50pm, so last run it was. From the top of the Quad I ducked under the lift itself (no one had been through here all day!) and into the forest, negotiated down onto the cat track that meets the end of the run out from the Top lift, cut across the track and under the ropes again into the trees that will lead back to near the bottom of the Kagura main slope and it was powder slashes all the way. This was meant to be my last day of the season and it served up my best day of the season.....who knows if it really will be my last day!! I didn't take my camera yesterday as I was on my own and I've a million and 1 photos of Kagura but damn it would've been nice to show you the goods. If anyone is able to get out but are swithering for whatever reason, my advice is do it.....it'll cheer you up no end! Thanks Kagura, you served up the powder goods once again!! **small edit: Well disappointed that the stalls in the station were closed.....so no post snow+onsen doughnut and meat on a stick for me!! Can't have everything!! Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted April 1, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted April 1, 2011 Excellent, Tb. Do you mind if we add an edited version of that to the Now page? It would be an uplifting start to the weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Great to hear that, Tubby. I am now determined to re-start my own season. Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 It has been a rather good March for snow but it is hard to find the will to post how good it has been. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Thats great TB - and pretty much exactly what I did last Saturday - same runs and everything! Perhaps it was a bit busier than it was for you, but we also had amazing conditions - 50 cms of fresh and it continued belting down the entire day! Hoping to get some more soon.... Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Sure David, you can use it no probs! Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted April 1, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted April 1, 2011 Will do later on, thank you. if anyone else has any real-time stoke from the places we cover, feel free to contact us and let's see if we can get encourage people to rediscover the will! Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Good move TB. Thinking might do the same myself. Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 sounds awesome TB, looks like you lucked out. Nice! Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 March has been a really good month for snow sliding. The earthquake/Tsunami/nuke plant problems have really kicked this country right in the gut. Life however does go on. For some of us that means we will get back outside and enjoy this great planet. I got to spend lots of days skiing with my wife over the spring break. This last picture was taken today with my phone. I was the only one at 2pm to ski the center line down the bowl. Great snow for April wind blown powder. With a month left in the season there is plenty of snow left out there. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We should get a Kagura trip going maybe. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted April 2, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted April 2, 2011 Here's some more encouraging news: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/zao-now.php Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 That is good to hear. Gran Deco has also announced that they are planning to re-open Saturday, April 16, barring road construction issues. (The road there from Inawashiro town has managed to get one lane open so far.) Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Good on you TB, glad you enjoyed the snow. I too went skiing last weekend and will go again this sunday skiing. The season doesn't have to be over yet! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Remember the cheese snowdude! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Originally Posted By: Metabo Oyaji That is good to hear. Gran Deco has also announced that they are planning to re-open Saturday, April 16, barring road construction issues. (The road there from Inawashiro town has managed to get one lane open so far.) There roads cut up Metabo? How's things going over for you - able to get to anything like normal? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Good job tubby beaver and great pics rider69 Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Fine day this week and I'm off up there. Thanks for the stoke. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Originally Posted By: muikabochi Originally Posted By: Metabo Oyaji That is good to hear. Gran Deco has also announced that they are planning to re-open Saturday, April 16, barring road construction issues. (The road there from Inawashiro town has managed to get one lane open so far.) There roads cut up Metabo? Apparently they were, just going by what is written on their website. Don't know anything beyond that. Quote: How's things going over for you - able to get to anything like normal? Daily life at home is pretty much back to normal. Things at work look like it will take a while yet before we're firing on all cylinders again, but we'll get there. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Did you take any pics Tubby? Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 He said no, Rob, in his post. Naughty TB. Must go back! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Originally Posted By: grungy-gonads He said no, Rob, in his post. Naughty TB. Must go back! Ah yeah, last line. DOH! Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I'm just about to upload some Kagura pics from Tuesday though sadly it wasn't as powdery as TB's day! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 I didn't bother to take the camera.....I have loads of kagura ones and I was on my own so it would've been "arm's-lenghth" pictures of my face, didn't want to scare people again!! Being honest though, because of the weather you wouldn't have seen much, and I was far too busy having fun to stop and take pics Link to post Share on other sites
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