Queen Cosmo 0 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 So yesterday I was riding at Higashiyama and I experienced a **mini** slide in the wooded area to the right of Miso Shiru, near the bottom half of the run by the old gondola. Scared me right good, but I really need to stress that it was a small, mini avvy in one of the rollovers in that area, which should probably just be avoided to begin with due to obstacles and the fact that the whole thing is kind of a terrain trap. So this is what happened... (and I'm not proud of it but it's worth sharing!) Imagine Miso Shiru, the slope to skiier's right of the Mori-no chair. To the skiier's right of Miso Shiru are some sweet woods. We will call them the 'sweet woods' for lack of any other available name that I know of. To the right of the sweet woods is the old gondola line (now disabled). Toward the top of the run, the gondi line is good skiing. In the bottom 1/2 of the run, one should not go too far right for you can get stuck in the gut of the gondi line and have to do a hard traverse left through bushy stuff or schlep out at the bottom. In general, I would not classify the area as high-potential avvy terrain, but there are a couple of little rollovers in there and one of them completely slid and swept me about 15 meters down the hill. It did not bury me; it was more like a strong sluff of heavy wettish snow, but the way it fractured and ran, I have to say that what happened was a small avalanche and it swept me downhill 15 meters and scared the sh*t out of me. I was skiing with a less experienced rider, showing him around Higashiyama, and had all of my avvy gear with me. We skied the sweet woods on the previous two runs and I told him not to go too far right in that area. However, the third run had me searching a little too hard for the untracked lines and I did not follow my own advice and ended up going a little too far right. At the instant I realized I needed to go left back toward the sweet woods and Miso Shiru, I busted a hard left turn on the top area of one of those little rollovers (essentially performing an inadvertent ski cut). The top layer (about 30+ cm) sloppily fractured, and it was running almost before I realized what was going on, and an instant later when I figured it out, I was on the move, sideways, down the hill. The slide pushed me by my thighs and gained strength as it slid, but the whole system was weak enough not to really take me out or bury me, thank goodness. When it stopped, I paused, took a deep breath, and found a careful and delicate way out of there. The snow quality of what slid was considerably wetter than what we had been skiing all morning. The time was about 12:30 and we had received minimal solar. I wanted to share this to stress that these things happen when you least expect it, even within the resort in un-roped areas. It served as a (thankfully) gentle, but very real, reminder to be careful where you go, continue to make judgement calls as you descend, go with a friend, and always take your gear, because avalanches can and do happen. I am very lucky to have received such a gentle reminder and not have been vacuumed up into Middle Earth with no oxygen and a guy with no avvy training to find me and dig me out. Have fun out there, and go safely. I should add that I was a tad hung over- just a little headache and some brain fog. Keep your wits about you folks; I was lucky but it could have been much worse! And when you have to shop too hard for freshies, it's time to move to another area. We could have gone to Annupuri or Hanazono instead, both which have amazing powder and trees. Cheers and oh-so-thankful! Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 16, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 16, 2011 Hi Queen Cosmo, just want to say moved this over to this section for the moment - will get more people seeing it here. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hi Cosmo, sort of wondered what ever happened to you after the start of last season. Have you taken up residence in Hokkaido? Glad to hear you made it out of your pinch safe. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Glad it wasn't worse, QC. Will be up there monday p.m., leave some fresh stuff around for me pls. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Yeah, even relatively micro terrain features can get you. If you're racing your mates etc., they can get your whole group. Good to know you're okay. Even if you don't get buried, being bounced off some trees can end your season, if not worse. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Glad you are ok Queen Cosmo! A reminder for early on in the season. Don't be a stranger this year, hey? Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 shitty story. No one wants impact trauma for their holiday Glad all is well Link to post Share on other sites
Queen Cosmo 0 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 Thanks guys, yeah it was a very real reminder, as was the vid I just watched that someone posted of a guy falling in a hole. That happened to me last year at Chisenupuri, in the pillow lines skiier's left of the chair lift. Backwards, head first, down a huge rock well. Managed to get myself out (delicately) only to lose a ski 5 meters down the hole in the process. The whole event was made more sketchy because as soon as I slithered my way out of the hole, I realized that what I was standing on was an unstable snow bridge between several gigantic car-sized boulders. We reinforced the snow bridge with our probes and ski poles and it took three guys and me, holding ankles, to get my ski out... another very lucky day. Thankful for not ending up resurfacing belly-up in a smelly onsen weeks later. OK enough scary stories for one day. The powder is absolutely amazing here right now, folks. DiGriz, it's supposed to keep snowing right through until sometime Tuesday, and I assure you there is plenty to go around. You won't be disappointed! Metabo and Muika- Sorry about last season- I did not intend to abandon the site. After my Malunuma post, we spent a rainy couple of days in Hakuba, then drove to Niigata, hopped on a ferry, and came here. I was so memerized by the crazy snow here that I became incapable of turning on the computer. Then we discovered Rusutsu. What ensued was a very snowy fairy tale and only a few photos, which I am happy to post if people don't mind getting last year's news. We had come here with intentions of staying for a week and that week turned into two weeks and then a month. And now I'm back again, this time for the season. I am living in HIgashiyama, working at Hooting Owl Lodge, which is a stone's throw from Black Diamond Lodge, where Mitchpee will be working once again this year. I will also be doing some evening work at the Black Diamond Lodge restaurant. So, rock on up here, get your own glorious face shots, say hi to Mitch and me and maybe I'll even pour you a beer. We are trying to be better about taking photos this year. I have my own personal photographer, Kenji Funahashi. He takes amazing action shots. So, hopefully, there will be a few more posts this season... again sorry about last year Hope to see you all soon! Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 17, 2011 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 17, 2011 Glad to see you back, Queen Cosmo, and glad you are ok. Looking forward to hearing and seeing more. Take care all! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 All is forgiven..... .... as long as you make up for it. . 1 Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hi QC I arrive at Black Diamond late Thurs night for 6 days, if you are up for meeting another forum member one night for a beer I'd be keen. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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