Go Native 70 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Today was great up on the mountain. There wasn't a lot of snow overnight but it made all the difference. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Today was great up on the mountain. There wasn't a lot of snow overnight but it made all the difference. :tantrum:No fair! I am back in the land of inefficiency and grumpy faces. Do you think Aussies would smile more if there was just a bit more snow? Enjoy it GN. Link to post Share on other sites
CnnmnSchnpps 0 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Said it in another thread but went to Maiko today and the conditions were very spring. Everything felt spring. Dry roads, even heard some birds singing at one point, a real spring feel to the air at the moment. Having said that had a lot of fun. I have done 20 (mostly half) days now, hope I will get in another 10 or so by the end of the season. I really want to get to these places before the end of the season: - Naeba - Kagura - Nozawa - Myoko Enough of Maiko for this season I reckon. Honestly I'd skip Naeba if I were you, just too tiny to be really fun. The other 3 are golden though.. Had a nice day in Akakura on Saturday. Just a bit of snow overnight, but everything below the top lift was like riding a slushie.. Hiked up to Mae-Yama at 1935m though, and it was a totally different story, lots of untouched fluffy snow... Dropping off the wrong side and barely making it out to Tsubame Onsen before nightfall was a little less fun Riding til July, -D Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I don't suppose you realise that muikabochi lives in the Yuzawa area and has probably been to Naeba many many times...... Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Naeba tiny? Are you sure you have been there? Or is this just one of those 'I want to keep my favourite place secret' kind of comments that should have a thing going on? I know Naeba well, CnnmnSchnpps. Probably been over 15 times, maybe more. Been to the other places on my list too. I just want to get there this season as I haven't been yet. Link to post Share on other sites
CnnmnSchnpps 0 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Hmm dunno I've been there 3-4 times but I just get the impression the on piste riding is pretty limited. There's a couple good runs but they get pretty crowded (especially that one directly below the left-side gondola where the entire resort's traffic gets funneled).. The black slopes were closed when I was there this year due to avvy risk. If you know any good spots, please educate me! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 the top to bottom naeba run is decent fun. I definitely wouldnt call it tiny. Nozawa and Kagura on the other hand both have a similar issue that plagues them both (though maybe not now - but certainly earlier in the season when theres a bit of snow on it): They both have an annoying flat green run that makes up a significant brunt of the ride. In kaguras case its the gondola run which is god awful when theres coverage and millions of people getting stuck and unclipping/clipping/skating it. In nozawas case its from the top of the gondola to just before the ridges drop into the main resort area at the skiers right gondola (skyline is decent, certainly long, and doesnt suffer from this but it does feel like its rip or go home). Myoko on the other hand... akakan is fun in the top half, but its weak and flat in the bottom half after the hotel. And Suginohara has been absolutely gutted by the stupid decision to remove one of the most important lifts in the whole resort. You can do the long top to bottom run there (and its LOOOOONG), but after you get past the midway point with the restaurants youre down to cruising speed. Once you get past the trees it gets seriously flat (in the spring slush its hellish requiring a long walk to the lift), and then you have that annoying 9 minute chair ride on the two seater to get bakc up to the gondola. I think naeba has them all kinda beat in terms of a long, varied, consistent and fun ride to be honest. Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Naeba is probably bigger than 95% of ski resorts in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I definitely prefer Naeba to Kagura (*on the condition of both being similarly weekday not busy). I used to love Kagura and it often delivers on the snow of course but it does frustrate me somehow. Naeba is easier to navigate and there's a good selection of terrain. I like, er the top bit and the middle bit. And even some of those lower courses when the snows good and they are nice and smooth so I can zoom down them. Yes, nerdy technical, I know. Oh, and the photo potential is always better at Naeba, something that is important for me. Link to post Share on other sites
CnnmnSchnpps 0 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Different strokes I guess.. Definitely hear you on Kagura's gondola run back to Mitsumata but I don't mind doing it once on the way down after spending the day in the trees up top. Noz and Akakura also have some of the best and easiest access slackcountry I've seen in Japan (I would argue that the terrain is even better than e.g. Niseko, although the snow is obviously not quite as good). I do have to check out Naeba on a weekday though.. Always been there on weekends when it's just crawling with people trying to kill me Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 But 'different strokes' really doesn't suddenly make Naeba tiny, hey? Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 actually from what i witnessed yesterday riding that gondola run, not only is it much quicker now, you can also duck off to the side of it in loads of places that you definitely couldnt ride before. It creates the prospect of a really long (and AWESOME) run at kagura... traverse the skiers left hand side from the top lift, head as far as you can to the nearby ridge, then play in that area for a while. It then spits you out at the gondola where you can just cruise down to the bottom playing in the trees, hitting the little rollers, or just buttering up the groomers. Though honestly i thought about doing this, i never once succeeded, instead i just went back to the mistumata high speed and played up the top. I mean why the hell would you when youve got all that to play in? Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 All of this is really making me want to do a mid-week trip to Naeba/Kagura!!! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Oh definitely do that if you have the option. Unless i kinda had my fill of kagura though or it was a super early start, id probably just ride there all day. Getting to the dragondola is pretty quick, its just getting back thats a bit long. It took from about 2.10 to around 2.50 to get back to the mitsumata area which really knocked me off schedule (i wanted to do the full run top to bottom, but really didnt have anywhere near enough time to catch my bus to catch my (now no longer running) train. Pity. If id have known, i could have just got the 5.30 shink back home (the only one actually dropping off at kumagaya), and spent that extra hour scoring a couple of top to the gondola, runs. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Kagura golden but Naeba tiny...? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I don't really rate Naeba either to be honest, I reckon kagura kicks its ass. Tree and powder runs are definitely Kagura's forte, anytime I've been to Naeba, I haven't been able to see any easy trees to slash up. When the top lift at Kagura is open, I will only ride down to the top of Kag gondola then take the lifts back up.....there is no reason to go down the Gondola run unless you are going home.....or wanna try the park bit at Mitsumata, but I don't do that anyway, especially if the pow is on. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I prefer Naeba. Like others have said though, not when it's busy!! Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Spent a bit of time in Nozzle. Not the best timing, but still had fun. Will post some thoughts and pics when I get settled back into real lift. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Naeba and Kagura are a good combination for a few days I think. They are quite different in what they offer and both have their appeal. Still sends shudders to think how busy that place used to get 20+ years ago. Insane it was. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 20+....Hell...I thought I was the old timer.. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Naeba and Kagura are a good combination for a few days I think. They are quite different in what they offer and both have their appeal. Still sends shudders to think how busy that place used to get 20+ years ago. Insane it was. Definitely agree with this (not the 20 years ago part! were people even ALIVE twenty years ago!!!?"???!). I feel like naeba is more "fun". Its more resorty in a way (this is off less than 4 hours combined riding it). Its the kinda place that has a little bit of everything and all on piste and all in one top to bottom run. It gives you loads of diversity on what you want to do in your ride, which means youre going to have a great time just lapping the gondola. The base also has a tonne of stuff to do by the looks of it (though i only really spent time in the food court because the clock was ticking). If you were on a holiday and its winter, and you want somewhere that you can have just a really fun ride regardless of a) the conditions, the people (thanks 1 person speedy lift queue jumping), then naeba ticks the boxes. If you want to rip, you can rip, if you want to cruise, you can cruise, and if you want to just chill out with the family or your friends, then you can chill out. Hell, you dont even have to ski or snowboard here. Its like butlins. Kagura on the other hand feels way more serious. The lines arent as long, but what they provide are a casual-purists dream (though probably not a purist purists dreams id wager unless all they wanted was deep pow near to tokyo) . When the conditions are rocking the place is off the hook insane. BUUUUUT it does feel like tashiro is kind of a bit of a waste of time for the most part (unless you really know the mountains secrets - which i dont), as is the area down mountain of the gondola (aside the park if thats your thing). Basically, its the mitsumata area with its millions of lines and relatively easy to access slack country that delivers in kagura. The piste is a little dull and were i still a beginner and just getting down my carving, it might be alright, but nothing special. The piste lines are just too short to really give you a good ride of it (and this is where naeba definitely offers something else). Kagura delivers in conditions, access to slackcountry, and the sheer lack of queues or numbers. Naeba delivers awesome terrain on piste, loads of lines to ride, a CONSISTENT and decent intermediate gradient or some solid steep (but kinda short) black runs, and tonnes of resort facilities for your bored mate/kids to keep them occupied while you ride. Naeba feels like a genuine resort, whereas kagura feels more like the jumping off point for off piste shenanigans. Link to post Share on other sites
CnnmnSchnpps 0 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 ^ Good summary! Naeba is great for spending a more relaxing weekend on the slopes with the gf / less-"hardcore" friends. The black ungroomed runs on the front face are nice when they are open and fresh. The top to bottom run is OK but does get old quickly, lacking variety. If you want lots of cruisy terrain there are better options out there IMHO - I'm thinking Jkokusai.. Kagura is much better in my mind for serious powder hounding. On a good day it is just insane. So many tree run options, you could spend a week there and barely scratch the surface (esp if you don't mind hiking a bit). The Tashiro area is kind of a pain to get back out of, but I need to explore it more - it really looked like it had potential for some nice lines as well. --edit-- Now back to your regular programming.. Is that some snow I see on the forecast this weekend?? Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 It could well be...! I've got a hotel provisionally booked in Hakuba and ready to go....! Fingers crossed! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 but Mitsumata is not the area with all the lines, thats just the bit at the top of the ropeway down to the bottom of the Kagura Gondola.............Kagura is where all the lines are Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Now back to your regular programming.. Is that some snow I see on the forecast this weekend?? I noticed that too, though it was a positively balmy 15 degrees down here this afternoon - almost t-shirt weather!! Link to post Share on other sites
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