Will Lee 0 Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Hi all. I`m seriously thinking about taking the overnight bus to Shizukuishi(and taking another overnight bus back). I`d like to know how is the snow quality IN GENERAL between early to mid March(i.e. is it really worth going all the way there). I know very well that this kind of thing is hard to predict but please let me know how it was when YOU were there around that time. My thanks in advance. Link to post Share on other sites
spyder 0 Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Very good snow. Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Last year the snow was pretty thin around that time. Grass patches and rocks everywhere. If you are going to take a trip to that region, there are some better resorts that get more snow that I think are a lot more fun. I personally do not like Shizukuishi - it is too flat, too boring, absolutely no trees to ski and there are too many ski school kids littering the slopes. The only run with any redeeming quality is the men's downhill and that is only if you go balls out down it. What kind of skiing/boarding do you like to do? Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 I have to agree about the little kids thing at Shizu. Stay away on the 1st and 3rd sundays of each month cause those are "Kids are Free" days. Its not that I don't want the kids to be there - they have just as much rights as me but their parents (and the schools) don't teach them etiquette and so they just do their own thing (like coming off the lifts onto the course without looking) which increases the risk of accidents. Shizu has a good free-ride park though. Speaking of kids - some of those little kids hit the free ride park and get more air than they are tall. Very cool (and humbling) watching some of them. Link to post Share on other sites
Will Lee 0 Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 Thanks for all the input so far and please keep them coming. I know there are other places in the region that get more snow but unfortunately I`m going by the availability of the few tours that are willing to go that far in the first place. I believe when Plucky referred to the flatness he`s talking about the Prince Gelande area? Don`t worry, I`ve already studied a detailed map and am not planning on spending too much time down there. I do mostly freeride and rarely go into the trees. I prefer quality powder and or well groomed slopes(but not packed down too hard like at Hunter Mountain)most of the time. I am very interested in the board park they`ve got over there, though. Is it true that long run(Lady Downhill?)on the very right of the resort is closed on weekdays? Now that would be a bummer. Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Yes - as far as I know, the Ladies downhill is closed mon-fri cept for holidays, some of the Japanese "pro's" practice there from what we could tell when we went. There are a few "flat spots, but nothing that will stop you on a board, but there are plenty of groomed slopes where you can get lots of speed. I didn't see too many places you could go into the trees even if you wanted too. Given the right conditions, I think Shizu has a lot of potential but when we went, the skier/boarder ratio seemed like 70/30 with most of the skiers acting like they owned the place - running very fast, too close to other people, and then stopping in the middle of the course. Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 I've been to the Shiz around 10 times in the last two years and I don't think I've had a very good day there yet. It's always too icy, too windy, TOO groomed, too crowded, too little snow, etc... I may just have bad luck there and I encourage you to structure your own opinion about the place. Post on here once you get back. The women's downhill has NEVER been open when I've been there and that is always on weekends. I went there about a month ago and a lot of runs were closed. We did find a run with a nice powder stash that was untracked. But, once we skied it twice, the hordes came over and tracked it out. Oh well. We stayed over there and built a kicker that subsequently got taken over by boarders. I just can't win at this place. But, still beats a day at work. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 Why've you been 10 times then, Plucky - live near there or something? Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 I like Shizukuishi and Appi for a change to the normal Niigat/Nagano diet. Needs a few days to get out there though. Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 Ya big-will, I do live near there. The only reason I go there is because of the ski club I work for. I don't have much of a choice on the matter. Gotta make the members happy. Hey, I always have a good time, just not my favorite place. Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I've always wanted to make the trip up there. Link to post Share on other sites
semisenil 0 Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 It's worth the trip, for sure. I love it up there. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Worth a trip from Kobe? Maybe thats pushing it a bit...Niigata is pushing it for the likes of me. Link to post Share on other sites
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