Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 hope we get some decent snow fallage this coming weekend....I'm off for winter hold from next wednesday and had planned a day trip up to Yuzawa....of course weather permitting, but damn I'm getting restless to get on the plank. Hakuba will hopefully have the goods over new year, there usually is always a big storm around new year that seems to get even the slowest start back up to speed......c'mon Hokkaido, stop hogging all the snow!! Link to post Share on other sites
Nisoko 6 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I do feel sorry for you Honshu peeps what with your lack of snow an' all Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Its a bit selfish, but Im kind of glad its not snowing right now, cos I just had to pay a load of tax and have no money to go skiing until next paycheck! Id be a bit gutted to see it puking down and not having the cash to go out and enjoy it! It can't be far off now and with a bit of luck, most people would have had the sense not to book too early - you are always taking a big chance before Christmas. Link to post Share on other sites
kokodoko 67 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 its puking in furano at the moment.. by the webcam i can see about 30cms(plus or minus ten cms) on the road sign.. afaik.. Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 most people would have had the sense not to book too early - you are always taking a big chance before Christmas. Can we put that in bold red letters on the front of the Forums come August/September next year. It gets forgotten by tons of people every single year. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 hope we get some decent snow fallage this coming weekend....I'm off for winter hold from next wednesday and had planned a day trip up to Yuzawa....of course weather permitting, but damn I'm getting restless to get on the plank. Hakuba will hopefully have the goods over new year, there usually is always a big storm around new year that seems to get even the slowest start back up to speed......c'mon Hokkaido, stop hogging all the snow!! when are you going? to yuzawa that is... Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 You'd think by now you'd know that saying anything positive about Hakuba will result in the usual bitter accusations of being part of some 'chessy-propoganda' machine. That's taking things to the other unrealistic extreme. Why can't people just talk about places without going to one extreme or the other. I dont like reading all the cheesy stuff - of which there most definitely IS more from Hakuba than other places, leading me not to know who to believe - and I don't particularly like the sniping back either. And is any of this new? In one corner the people who are being accused of crying wolf etc. Their 'mates' come on and defend them, and express outrage and call the ones in the other corner things. ( bitter? ) It's all extremely predictable down to the list of people on either side. Can we get onto the next track please. Personally, I think there's more cynicism in the people pushing stuff than there is in those questioning the barrage of it. (And btw I'm not implying you, pete). I know what you mean Muika and I was just having a bit of fun... which doesn't always come across properly online. A few seasons ago I posted about having crap conditions during one of my trips there... and got shouted down by the 'chessy-propaganda-Hakuba' camp. Then posted about having some awesome conditions a week or two later only to be accused myself of being part of the 'cheesy-propaganda' camp. It's all quite predictable by now... which was the point I was trying to make (in jest) in my original post. BTW, I didn't call anyone any names, I said the 'bitter accusations' meaning the accusations are bitter... Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Well put Black Mountain. Look Happo has been considering opening for 2 weeks now. People have been hiking Happo and skiing for well over 2 weeks now. The Hike to bowls in the Back Country are holding about 2 meters of snow at 2200 meters. The real thing this year in Hakuba and maybe other places this season is business is going to be tough. I don't really sense that Happo or 47 feel the need to force an early opening just to do so. It is a money loosing option. The numbers be month last season for Happo were actually something like this 108% of the year before until the Tsunami. After that they took a hit to 78% visits until April and may which saw a recovery to 110% or there abouts. Much of this had a lot to do with Hakuba being open and other areas shut for lack of skiers. Nozawa also saw a huge decrease after their second quake which took down the gondola for a few weeks. I didn't see the numbers but i'm sure they were close to Hakuba's mid season. The one time I went to Noz in March the Stand up gondola was a zoo from 8 to 10am. worst Ive ever seen it but good for Noz. So my point really is this. There is snow it isnt in the valley floor though. The resorts really have no interest in loosing more money this year so those of us on Honshu aren't going to see a push to open quickly. That said Happo announced that they will open tomorrow I think 3 lifts. Gondola, virgin and the kurobishi quad. The Weekend should see the kokusai course open as well. The Kita Nagano JHS and SHS kids come back from a ski training trip to China in 2 days. Those ski teams will push hard to get the man made hard stuff laid down on Kokusai. The first ski race of the season was held this past weekend and the kids said it was a joke. About 20secs of tucking to the line. Pete have a great trip to Hoks hope to see you on the back end but I doubt it. When you are here my advice is just rent a car and follow the weather. Myoko is cool but try to grab a mate that has been before. The patrol there are relaxed the only thing they hate is skiing the lift lines. That is the word I got from their patrollers sounds wierd I know. Also Pete opened a new bar if you want to get the details get in touch. Link to post Share on other sites
igloo 3 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I don't really sense that Happo or 47 feel the need to force an early opening just to do so. Out of interest, why did they (47) do that 2 weeks ago? It lasted one and a half days, right? Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I believe it was bottomless for that short period, igloo. I really want to go Christmas weekend. Which, blimey, is less than 2 weeks away. Come on snow. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Of course there's never any need for hype in Niseko. The reality always exceeds the hype anyway! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 hope we get some decent snow fallage this coming weekend....I'm off for winter hold from next wednesday and had planned a day trip up to Yuzawa....of course weather permitting, but damn I'm getting restless to get on the plank. Hakuba will hopefully have the goods over new year, there usually is always a big storm around new year that seems to get even the slowest start back up to speed......c'mon Hokkaido, stop hogging all the snow!! when are you going? to yuzawa that is... I HOPE to go up wednesday or Thursday next week. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Of course there's never any need for hype in Niseko. The reality always exceeds the hype anyway! Damn well hope so, GN, as I'm up there next week! Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 For how long mate? Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Next week four days, 19-22; may head up to Sapporo 26-28, probably ski at Kokusai and Teine or Rusutsu. Happy to join you for a few runs or a beer or two if it works with your schedule. Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 47 and Goryu like to be the first to open. In a year where they are likely going to loose alot of money they decided to keep things closed while there was little chance to entice people mid week. At this time of the year Hakuba is more about construction and finishing off projects before the snow well and truely locks in. Link to post Share on other sites
minus 1 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Damn, and here's me thinking that it was The Place Where Dreams Come True and bottomless. My own Dreams have been shattered! Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 This season is going to be hard for every resort in Japan that has seen growth through Foriegn invesment. As an example Niseko has already lost the Daily flake this season. No funding or advertising this season was the reason. That is just one of the many problems that will come to light this season at various resorts around Japan. I used this example Link to post Share on other sites
griller 9 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 But with everyone cutting back, it kind of makes all the major updates that SnowJapan put out there every year - especially this year - all the more impressive. Well done, guys. Continued success to you. Link to post Share on other sites
Nisoko 6 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 That was just an annoyingly-voice promotional puff exercise anyway. Yes, kudos to the SnowJapan guys for bringing the goods big style. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 13, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 13, 2011 Aw, shucks, thank you! Work has already started on next years (ie. 12-13 season) update, which will be a big one. Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Sorry my net cut out. I used that example because it was well known and also had expanded to include other resorts outside of Niseko. But that said the funding was from what I know all Niseko based. Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 As for the living the dream comment that is different from person to person or even person to place. For me Im living a very good lifestyle that has turned out better than what I thought could have happened. I can afford 2 properties and a piece of land for future developments. I have a Part time/ Full time job that is a very short walk from home. 3 kids that get nature to play in. I play Ice hockey every Sunday night in Nagano and can ski 5 minutes from my home or cross country in my back yard. Everyone has their idea of what there dream lifestyle is. I was lucky enough to come to Japan and be able to save lots of money before the bottom really dropped out of the English Market. That amount of luck and the fact that I can spend lots of time with my family equals a very lucky dream come true situation. That is as honest as I can put it without trying to spin any marketing. I personally know TJ. I knew TJ before he bought here and of course know him now. Quite frankly he can go overboard on here that is TJ. That said he is one of the most generous people you will ever meet. He truly does believe he is living his dream even if he does go over board. Locals will always have a passion for where they live. My surf is better than your surf or our trails are better than your trails. Heck when I played hockey for my small town we thought our town was a slice of heaven as kids. Our parks beat your parks our ponds we better than your frozen water. Too be honest most people from Hakuba are scared to even post or write anything positive anymore. So on that note Happo is now open for the season. Lets hope that certain areas can get by this year. I have no doubt in my mind that some areas wont survive this season at all. I hope all my friends that are invested in this area or elsewhere do well or at least hang in there for the year. These types of years will happen in a resort industry but never in my wildest dreams did I expect what happened to happen. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Too be honest most people from Hakuba are scared to even post or write anything positive anymore. Oh come on that is just ridiculous. Firstly, surely everyone in Hakuba is way too gnarly to be 'scared'. Secondly, if certain people would simply post things that don't read like they come from an 80's Marketing 101 Manual or an airline tv ad, there would not be an issue. I can't recall ever getting accused of bigging up this area in the same way, and I am fairly sure I love it as much as other people love their regions. Cry wolf too much and what do you expect? I think some people really have only themselves to blame - it's not doing anyone any favours and actually does damage. As can be seen. I think I'd be actually annoyed with my friends, if they did the same for this area. Whether in real life these people like little fluffy puppies and give to charity is really beside the point. It's not many people really that do that, but they just got a reputation and you know what happens when an in-joke takes hold... Why not other people like yourself and other Hakuba types try to turn the trend by writing stuff that doesn't come across that way? If you want to join in this community, why not post photos here to show people and back it up? Why not report things that may be less than amazing, as well as only popping up here every now and again to 'report' the amazing things? Surely that's the way round the problem. And you never know, it could turn out to be far better 'free marketing' on here (for want of a better word) than any cheesy one-liners. I don't think anyone is averse to proper stoke! I would say it's totally in your hands. And really, it sounds pretty pathetic to come up with a comment like 'people are scared'. You said that last year if I remember rightly..... why not do something about it? I'm sure it will be welcomed. Good to hear Happo has opened I noticed that on the now report this morning. I hope you have a good season and hope to hear and see about it. Link to post Share on other sites
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