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OK, I have cruised through previous threads and started to gather details on who's going where for the 11/12 season. I figure it would be easier for folks to hook up with other SJ'ers (if they want to

Around Gunma and Niigata.

Tentative plan:   Hakuba Niseko   Late January.

ooh, I have to go. I just noticed Australia is playing Russia in the Rugby World cup - We are only up 68 to 3 after 60 minutes!

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pie-eater: :slap:

 

Sorry, as I said earlier, if prefecture-level is too broad, I can probably narrow it down.

How about "Northern Fukushima"? This is a term I propose to cover the Inawashiro/Bandai/Adatara

area ski areas (basically everything north of the Ban-Etsu), 11 or 12 in all (so about the same

as Shiga Kogen, and less than Yuzawa), all within about an hour's drive of each other.

That is where I should be going most of the season.

(May also hit the Tochigi resorts a time or two.)

 

(Note: the traditional divisions of Fukushima are into east, central and west slices with boundaries

running north-south, but that does not divide the ski areas into practically meaningful groups --

i.e., resorts one could comfortably hit from the same hotel base. Their distribution can be seen here:

http://www.snowjapan...cture=Fukushima

)

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Hi Snowpony,

Hasuike is around 20 minutes on the bus from Ichinose & arounf 30 minutes to ski to.

It is a rather flat & boring area to ski - mostly short green runs.

Not sure about cable tv in Ichinose area - not on my priority list, though I do recall seeing it somewhere but I think the only english channel was CNN.

Advantages of staying at Ichinose area. Central to the best ski areas, virtually ski ski out and minimal uphill walking (important in ski boots), 4 or 5 other options for eating at night rather than the sameness of the hotel fare i not a lot compared to hakuba but the best range for shiga. Apart from that the elevation at Ichinose would be around 400 metres higher at Ichinose than Hasuike. I have stayed at Sunroute Hotel, Hotel Mt Shiga and Hotel Khuls. Sunroute had the best food, Khuls the best location & Mt Shiga the best combination.

 

Looks like Ichi wins by a nose

thanks for the advice

one other question any places that are able to do base grinds in that area

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I had a wax & edge grind done at the ski shop in Shiga Koken Olympic Hotel (number 87 on the map below) The shop is right at the bottom next door to the Yamazaki store.

I also noticed what looked like a ski tech shop near Hotel Japan Shiga (78 on the map)

 

Ichinose map

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All over the place, but especially Kagura and a trip or two to Hakuba. I'd also really like to get up to Fukushima again - a day or two at Nekoma would be great - its quiet at the best of times and I imagine there'll be hardly anybody there this year! Unfortunately, my friend who usually drives us up there has left Japan now.

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Right, a question......Why do people seem to want "base grinds" all of a sudden? Up until a few weeks ago I'd vaguely heard of them as somthing hard core dudes did....all of of sudden everyone is talkingabout em....what advantage do they give and why did no one seem to talk about them/do em last year??

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Doing my best to cajole a short early March trip for my birthday.

As it will be a short trip (less than a week I would say) it will be somewhere we have been before, Niseko or Hakuba.

Will utilize the long weekend and school 4 day weekend 2-4 March inclusive and add a day or so either side.

Will book closer.

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Right, a question......Why do people seem to want "base grinds" all of a sudden? Up until a few weeks ago I'd vaguely heard of them as somthing hard core dudes did....all of of sudden everyone is talkingabout em....what advantage do they give and why did no one seem to talk about them/do em last year??

a mate borrowed & shredded the base on my board at Hotham & strangely no-one does grinds here in Perth not sure why

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Doing my best to cajole a short early March trip for my birthday.

As it will be a short trip (less than a week I would say) it will be somewhere we have been before, Niseko or Hakuba.

Will utilize the long weekend and school 4 day weekend 2-4 March inclusive and add a day or so either side.

Will book closer.

 

Have you thought about Shiga MB. As easy to get to as Hakuba, just a different bus from Nagano.

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Doing my best to cajole a short early March trip for my birthday.

As it will be a short trip (less than a week I would say) it will be somewhere we have been before, Niseko or Hakuba.

Will utilize the long weekend and school 4 day weekend 2-4 March inclusive and add a day or so either side.

Will book closer.

 

Have you thought about Shiga MB. As easy to get to as Hakuba, just a different bus from Nagano.

could do Pete, but the whole idea about going somewhere known for a short time is maximising the time, by doing stuff smart. I love going somewhere new, but it always takes a little more time to find the preferred runs, where to go for lunch/dinner etc, specially when you are family wrangling.
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Have you thought about Shiga MB. As easy to get to as Hakuba, just a different bus from Nagano.

 

Hi Pete, What's Shiga like for steepness, much like Niseko do you think, or more steeps on offer?

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Hi Sand, hope all is well.

 

Its really similar to Niseko in some ways and not like some of Hakuba that's for sure when it comes to steepness. I really liked it as it was huge, all linked and you could cruise around all day in relative peace and quiet without being swamped by Aussies. Some great deep pow runs when it was on. Ippy may be better placed to comment and Im no Jeremy Jones but I didnt see anything at Shiga or the areas I rode at Niseko I wouldnt drop, unlike Hakuba which has places that are downright gnarly for someone like me. Hope that helps mate.

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Put my leave form in today, hope it gets approved. Dec 23 - Jan 14. Few days down south in Fukuoka sight seeing and riding, then Hakuba/Shiga maybe Myoko.

 

I'm off during that same time Pete. Might have to meet up at some point again!

 

Still not entirely sure as I don't think Hokkaido will happen this year but I'm off from Dec 13 - Jan. 10 (and then random weekends etc during the rest of the season). I'll probably spend most of the xmas/new year time around Hakuba (provided it snows!). Random weekends are still undecided.

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Hi Sand, hope all is well.

 

Its really similar to Niseko in some ways and not like some of Hakuba that's for sure when it comes to steepness. I really liked it as it was huge, all linked and you could cruise around all day in relative peace and quiet without being swamped by Aussies. Some great deep pow runs when it was on. Ippy may be better placed to comment and Im no Jeremy Jones but I didnt see anything at Shiga or the areas I rode at Niseko I wouldnt drop, unlike Hakuba which has places that are downright gnarly for someone like me. Hope that helps mate.

 

Its all good thanks, hope all is well with yourself. Thanks some good useful info to keep in mind.

I am sure there are plenty of places in Hokkaido that could scare the cr@p out of me, but may need a guide to find them safely.

All set from some short (1 day) BC missions, got drivers license last Friday, hire car here I come :)

 

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