muikabochi 208 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Bright sunshine from early morning today and so I felt compelled to get out there again. And I am very glad I did. Destination Iwappara in Yuzawa, about 25 minutes drive from my home. I really enjoyed Iwappara this morning. The snow was better than yesterday at next door Maiko, which was a bit odd, but there you go. And I really enjoyed whizzing down that top run. I think I did the "just one more lift" thing about 5 times! It is a bit sad to see so many lifts not moving - and not moving for the season. Iwappara have not used their Gondola for handful of seasons now and there are a few more pair lifts that are there but unused. This season the lift going down on the far right side joins the 'rested' lifts. I liked that course. You can still ski half way down that course but now have to turn back in to get back to the main slopes. Early on it was deep blue skies but it was interesting to see how gradually wispy clouds were forming and now that we are at 1pm it has become much greyer. Rain is even forecast for later on which isn't good to hear. Anyway a fine morning and here are some shots. Looking south towards Tokyo (probably, maybe) Minamiuonuma to the right Kandatsu Kogen on the left in the background and you can see the Mitsumata courses top right too. The ("it was hazy in this direction and so the") Black & White corner! Look! No cables! Kanetsu Expressway (Not) Opening Soon Getting more hazy/cloudy. Home in the background. Top of Centleisure Maiko to the right. Link to post Share on other sites
norcal 5 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Great pics! So many great resorts...so little time in winter! Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Amazed at how quickly and how many top quality photos you take, muika. Keep them coming, always great to see. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Is the Gondola all still there, so to speak? They haven't used that for 3-4 years now (more)? Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Amazed at how quickly and how many top quality photos you take, muika. Makes you sick, doesn't it? Only kidding, great stuff. Always look forward to your photos, you on a roll this last few days! Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 +1! So how far is this from Ishiuchi Hanaoka & Mt Granview? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hihi, thanks. Quality of subject matter makes it easy. I think it must be 4 seasons or so that the Gondola has not moved. It's all still there - well the stations and the towers and cables... It's very grey all round here now. Changed so quickly. Going to be raining soon by the looks. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 +1! So how far is this from Ishiuchi Hanaoka & Mt Granview? I made this for you Mick http://www.snowjapan...velMode=DRIVING 4 days on the trot now. But it's rain and then snow until the end of the week so I'll probably be taking a break until the next sunshine! Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I always thought the Iwappara Gondola was a bit of a non-necessary. It never seemed busy and it doesn't open up any more terrain - in fact it doesn't go as high as the top quad. Perhaps a bad plan in the first place. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 +1! So how far is this from Ishiuchi Hanaoka & Mt Granview? I made this for you Mick http://www.snowjapan...velMode=DRIVING doumo! That route goes past GALA and I guess the world famous telephone box as well! Too many places to visit in too short a space of time!!! I've been harbouring thoughts of living in Hokkaido but at this rate I might have to consider moving to Niigata!! Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I really like the way you can seek out some beautiful shapes and curves, ones I would never think of taking pics of. Then again, I am totally rubbish at photos. Can't really put it into words.. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Yes it goes past Gala and the phone box and Yuzawa Kogen too http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/21315-yuzawa-kogen-niigata-3rd-february-2012/ Link to post Share on other sites
kokodoko 67 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 more good photos. Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I have been with muikabochi when he has done his photo thing. He really does it very quick, there's certainly no faffing about. So his point and shoot comments are totally legit. He's just pretty excellent at knowing how to frame and compose a good photo. A skill I sadly don't really have. Obviously has a good camera too. It was really funny seeing the photos he took and the photos I took from the same day, mostly pretty much from the same places as well! Link to post Share on other sites
nagpants 1 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Tell you what, I bet a few people have been to some places because of muika's photos. Enough of the lovefest - can I do some requests? Get to Hakuba please, and Shiga Kogen. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Great stuff, Muika, as always. Brought back memories of my earliest ski days at Iwappara and the now Yuzawa Park. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 As glossiful as ever! I only went once quite a while ago and I came back with the feeling that lifts at Iwappara were.. just too slow. Correct? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 They have 4 (5 if you count the parallel one) slow pair lifts and 2 quads operating. For anyone much over beginner you really need to stick to the top quad - which is basically what I do when I go. Even if you don't and you want to ski the main middle area, stick to the central quad for minimalising all of those 'romance lift' frustrations! Link to post Share on other sites
Swedon 0 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Great picsmuikabochi! I know I'll try Iwappara atleast once as I'll be staying there most of the time. I can even see my place in one of the pics! Now I can't wait to get there. Will be interesting to compare to Iwappara/Yuzawa in summertime. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Kanetsu Expressway Much more serpentine-looking than I had appreciated. Great pics, as always. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 its actually way easy to get to if youre coming from tokyo and using the local train. I know! People can do this! Basically once you get past takasaki the train stops a couple of places before hitting up numata, and minakami. It then pops through a tunnel then a looooooong tunnel, then its nakazato (and yuzawa park i believe) and iwaparra before arriving at echigo yuzawa. Ive been kinda tempted since the train literally spits you out at the resort, but neither of them seemed that much of a draw... even if the pics make them appear to be as ever Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 how long does that take yo on local trains Ippy? Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 theres a direct train that runs from omiya at around 7am and arrives at echigo at 9.44. It passes me around 7.25. Kinda handy Otherwise its around 3.5 hours what with having to make changes at minakami and takasaki. Theres possibly one that goes from tokyo too, dunno about that though im afraid. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 for me it would take forever....I'd never get there in time. I'll stick with the shink, was just interested to see how long it took Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 its pretty awesome for me though. 2 hours and 20 minutes and saves me 2500yen each way. Bean counter to the max. And yet somehow i always go way the hell over my budget... :| Link to post Share on other sites
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