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This year I would like to add a back country helicopter trip to my been-there, done-that list.

 

Anybody here done it? Is there a particular destination that is worth the expense? Any company you would recommend?

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didn't you know that's not Gnarly enough in Japan??!! You have to hike every non-lift accessed mountain!! ;)

 

I'd like to do one as well (sarcasm aside). Kagura do one but don't open until the start of april

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didn't you know that's not Gnarly enough in Japan??!! You have to hike every non-lift accessed mountain!! ;)

 

Naked, of course.

 

 

Pies, I thought that was a given and only wimpy, non-Gnarly dweebyzoids would need it pointed out!! ;)

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This year I would like to add a back country helicopter trip to my been-there, done-that list.

 

Anybody here done it? Is there a particular destination that is worth the expense? Any company you would recommend?

 

Many many years ago I had the pleasure of a trip from RAF Brise Norton on a training sortie which involved the doors being open in November. I swore I would never sit in a helicopter again.

 

Years after, I took the trip from HK to Macau in a very loud chopper. It was ace. It got me to the food and casino in no time.

 

That's all the experience I have with choppers. If you want to heliski, try Tomamu. Book in advance.

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This year I would like to add a back country helicopter trip to my been-there, done-that list.

 

Anybody here done it? Is there a particular destination that is worth the expense? Any company you would recommend?

 

Did it a couple years ago.......................in NZ! :D Not naked though! :doh:

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2012 Dates for Tsugaike Kogen are scheduled for March 10 to April 1, then April 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, and April 28 to May 6. This is a 14 km. long run...

 

Price is JPY 10,000. Cash only.

 

Last season, I could not go on the heli ski tour at Kagura Mitsumata, which would have been great because it was held on my birthday weekend, April 8, 9, and 10. Each day is limited to 100 people, and cost is JPY 16,000, lift ticket not included. They also have a package with overnight stay, lift ticket, and tour.

 

Course is 7 km. long, with 1043 meters vertical!

 

They also have a hike up tour which is JPY 7,000. For both you need lift ticket in order to access meeting point.

 

It is recommended, but not required, that snowboarders bring poles.

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That's Y16,000 for what's basically one long beginner run (7:1 ratio) . Yes, I'd think boarders would definitely want to have poles for that.

 

Which one are you calling a beginner run, Tsugaike Kogen or Kagura Mitsumata?

 

I'm looking at the topo maps for Tsugaike Kogen. Shiroumadake (2932m) which is one of the 100 most famous mountains of Japan is on that ridge. Does anybody knows where the helicopter drops you off? A geo location would be awesome :D

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err, the Y16,000 one, although I've been told by those that did it the Y10,000 one isn't much better.

While lift passes in Japan are cheap, at least compared with N.America, the few heli/cat operations are in comparison pretty much of a ripoff (IMHO).

More than a few cat-ski outfits in N.America offer you at least 6,000 - 8,000 meters vertical of untracked powder in a day for less than Y30,000, on far more interesting terrain. You can ski more untracked on a good day off lifts in Niseko, Hakuba and other areas that those ``heli-ski'' runs, and again on far better runs.

Azuki, I remember when Sugadaira had chopper lifts up to Neko-dake. It looked pretty tame.

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