Mick Rich 78 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I'm sat here in the Kanagawa sunshine looking at this week's weather forecasts and reckon that tomorrow may be the best bet for some ok-ish conditions, with snow forecast today/tonight and low-ish temperatures/freezing levels. This is also my last week off work, so is my last chance of some mid-week action! I'm therefore thinking of doing a last-minute overnight bus trip to a Honshu resort. Looking through my brochure, which restricts my options somewhat, I'm thinking of one of the following:- 1. Niigata - conditions around Yuzawa don't look too bad for tomorrow, so maybe Kagura though I wouldn't mind checking out a new resort - maybe Naeba, Centleisure-Maiko or even Joetsu Kokusai? Obviously Mt G is closed otherwise there'd be no need for this post! 2. Fukushima - I really wanted to go to a Fukushima resort this season but it looks as though the forecast snow is being accompanied by high winds! 3. Nagano - I've "done" Hakuba and am tempted to go back to Ryuoo, but again, wouldn't mind checking out somewhere new, maybe Nozawa, Togari or Sugadaira (though the reviews for the latter two are very mixed). Any thoughts, suggestions or advice would be much appreciated!!! Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I've been watching the forecast pretty closely and we came up with this: Monday - Suginohara (Myoko Kogen) Tuesday - Madarao Kogen (Nagano) Wednesday - Happo One I'm a bit worried about the wind but I've got a bunch of tickets burning a hole in my pocket that I need to use up. Fingers crossed for good spring conditions as this will be my second (or third if Fuji happens) last trip of the season. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I'm headed to either Ishiuchi Maruyama or Maiko on Tuesday....probably Ishiuchi as I've already been to Maiko this year....got an SJ ticket to use up. Personally think Kagura would be best as the freezing level is gonna shoot up to the summit of both maiko and ishiuchi, but Tuesday is the only day I can go......it says its gonna be sunny, as long as there is no rain then great. I like spring riding in shades Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Nozawa pains me because the best part of nozawa is the bottom half of the mountain. Well, at least the piste. No idea about off piste at nozawa. The top is too short and cut off. The middle are two flat ridge lines. The bottom are all the steeps and fun ungroomed areas. (this all doesnt consider the skyline of course). That being said, ill be there tuesday. Wednesday and thursday will be ryuoo (or ryuoo/x-jam if conditions at ryuoo suck). Thursday night i might go to kousha and play on that, or maybe even head to shiga kogen. Only problem is i believe that almost all the nagaden buses are done for the season. I think the dude at ryuoo said that the bus from nagano ends today. This obviously puts spanners in plans and would be worth definitely checking out. ETA: also sad to see the weather reports massively scaled back this time. Numbers are a lot smaller than they were just yesterday Ah well, slush it is. : ) Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Thanks guys!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Mick, perhaps you could go to Mt Granview and hike? Obviously it's not the experience as riding their '7' lifts, but you old get to see the big G.... Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Well, I just got my ticket for another trip to Kagura tomorrow! By some stroke of good fortune, it turns out both my boss and supervisor are away this week so I decided to take a day off! Also, looks like its started snowing there! Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 2. Fukushima - I really wanted to go to a Fukushima resort this season but it looks as though the forecast snow is being accompanied by high winds! Just got back from Grandeco, which was forecast a little snow and high winds (so I was actually thinking of going somewhere else, but the kid insisted), but which turned into little wind (due to being on the leeward side of the mountain, I guess) and surprisingly heavy snowfall, which was still continuing as I left. Caught me by surprise, and others as well. Overheard conversations on the lifts were almost all about how surprisingly great the snow was. Had some of the best runs of the season, snow-wise. Looks like it is predicted to continue snowing into Tuesday there, too, and for the winds to drop... Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 That's tempting for Tuesday because my Monday plans are now sorted! Completely independent of this post, my Hakuba mate emailed me this afternoon to say it was dumping down and to get myself up there! I therefore made it over to my local Teco Plaza office before it closed and booked a seat on tonight's nightbus to Cairo Goryu! Right, I'd better pack and get myself up to Shinjuku before 22.45!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 All talk again I see, with the Mt Granview love, Mick. I am disappointed. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I will be off to Kusatsu in Gunma on Wednesday with my daughter and friends of mine, to use the free tickets I won from snow Japan! Looks like Wednesday will be a nice dry day with not too cold and not too warm conditions, and hopefully fairly good snow after fresh that should be falling until around Tuesday. Will do a report after I get back from there! Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I will be off to Kusatsu in Gunma on Wednesday with my daughter and friends of mine, to use the free tickets I won from snow Japan! Looks like Wednesday will be a nice dry day with not too cold and not too warm conditions, and hopefully fairly good snow after fresh that should be falling until around Tuesday. Will do a report after I get back from there! Look forward to the report, for many and varied reasons Kusatsu is the only place I get to go skiing, so I like to see what other people think of the place. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Look forward to the report, for many and varied reasons Kusatsu is the only place I get to go skiing, so I like to see what other people think of the place. Second the interest in the Kusatsu report, but you got me curious about why Kusatsu is the only place you get to go skiing... In-laws run a ryokan there or something? (Don't need to answer, of course.) Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Look forward to the report, for many and varied reasons Kusatsu is the only place I get to go skiing, so I like to see what other people think of the place. Second the interest in the Kusatsu report, but you got me curious about why Kusatsu is the only place you get to go skiing... In-laws run a ryokan there or something? (Don't need to answer, of course.) Lots of reasons really: My wife doesn't like snow or skiing, lots of Onsens there that she does like Kids don't ski yet, next door Hotel has swimming pool which they enjoy The company my wife works for has accomadation there, means it's cheap to stay My wife works, I stay at home looking after the kids, like most Japanese she puts in lots of overtime, so it would be a bit unfair to go off on the weekend using "her" money to go skiing leaving her behind with the kids So all in all, a couple of weekends at Kusatsu is what I get, the rest of the time I read everyone elses trip reports and look at their photos and dream :-) Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 They sound like convincing reasons you got there onehunga. Isn't Manza within easy reach of you up there? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 driving it is. Gunma isn't that far.......but time hinges on the Devil road that is the Kan-Etsu!! In saying that, the Gunma resorts tend to be a bit further from the IC than, say the Yuzawa ones that are a little further up the devil road........actually I shouldn't tempt fate, I'm heading up tomorrow Play nice tomorrow, Kan-Etsu....I beg you!! Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I hope to try Manza next season, will depend on the amount of snow there is as the access road looks a bit hairy. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 My wife works, I stay at home looking after the kids, like most Japanese she puts in lots of overtime, so it would be a bit unfair to go off on the weekend using "her" money to go skiing leaving her behind with the kids Your mission is to get the kids hooked on skiing early as possible. Then you can take them on the slopes with you while your wife rests up. Win-win! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Will try, next season we intend on getting them ski lessons. By then they'll had had a year of swimming and gym lessons so should be able to be "good" students, follow directions, listen to instructors. My wife also wants them to ski so she can sit at the base drinking hot chocolate. Apparently the hot chocolate at Kusatsu is very, very good. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Will try, next season we intend on getting them ski lessons. By then they'll had had a year of swimming and gym lessons so should be able to be "good" students, follow directions, listen to instructors. My wife also wants them to ski so she can sit at the base drinking hot chocolate. Apparently the hot chocolate at Kusatsu is very, very good. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 I like a good hot chocolate! All talk again I see, with the Mt Granview love, Mick. I am disappointed. Going back to the OP, mission accomplished!!! Just got back from a powder day at Hakuba - report to follow tomorrow! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 May I suggest that Mt Granview would have been even more of a powder day, and even more epic? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Sounds good. Though I do think pie-eater has hit the nail on the head there. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 You 2 can just go and take a run and jump eat pies and take photos respectively! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Oh well, as long as you got some good Cheese shots I suppose. Link to post Share on other sites
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