Mike Pow 52 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 Yeah she's back GN Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Lucky her...wish it was me! Link to post Share on other sites
Karnidge 2 Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Awesome what a dude Link to post Share on other sites
Nisekubazawa 0 Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Great that the season is underway up there. And agree, what a trooper! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 DAY 10 : SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2012 14 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ NISEKO : THE NEXT GENERATION New snow overnight had filled in most of yesterday's tracks and made previously closed runs doable today. Still just Ace Quad Lift #2 Center 4 and Ace Pair Lift #3 chairs open but when the day ticket costs a mere JPY 2,000 (15 quid; 19 euros; US$ 24) and the snow is already as good as many places get on their best days of the season there can really be no complaints. Today I had the pleasure of skiing Niseko Hirafu with two of Niseko's up & comers, 9-year old skier Kai Martin and and 11-year old boarder Conrad Mitchell. Both live year round in Niseko and both try to get out on the mountain as much as possible. School gets in the way a bit though. Kai doing the Sasa Slalom in to lower Onsenzawa Conrad airing in to and out of lower Onsenzawa Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 Kai getting air below the Ace Hill restaurant And skiing it out Conrad getting air below the Ace Hill restaurant We dropped in to Konayuki and the boys were popping off the snow covered rocks and rollers with ease but unfortunately I ballsed up the videoing. Hopefully I'll have another chance this winter to catch them in full flight. Conrad and Kai back at base 1 Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Different world at the moment! Snowy and white, but here all brilliant blue skies and no snow at all. Love the pics of the temple and dude(ttes) there. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 Thanks muikabochi. It'll come, have faith. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Oh yes, it comes in style in these parts! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 DAY 11 : SUNDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2012 7 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ After getting to sleep at 4am from watching Wales get thrashed by New Zealand in rugby and waking at 8.30 am, I missed the bluebird powder start to the day that hopefully some caught and captured for posterity. Afer all, November bluebird powder mornings are as rare as unicorns in the Niseko Resort Area. 7cm of fresh, superlight powder around my house, between 15-20 cm up on the mountain. Ready to go at 9.45 and I bumped into Nikki and two of his housemates, James from Wellington, New Zealand and Lee from Quebec, Canada. The four of us rode together for a couple of hours, never really catching the sunshine at its brightest. We found a little pow though. Thanks for your patience guys & gal. Nikki riding under the Ace Pair Lift #3 chair James riding under the Ace Pair Lift #3 chair Lee getting deep in Konayuki (Powder Snow) And once we found the goods in Konayuki, we lapped it up. Nikki flying in Konayuki Lee flying in Konayuki Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 Nikki going deep in Konayuki James going deep and spinning in Konayuki James the Wraith Lee getting down & up in Konayuki Nikki breaking on through And to top off an excellent day, the moon rising over Mt Yotei Link to post Share on other sites
Sciclone 2 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Looks awesome... Wish I was snowboarding, instead of sweating in 30+ heat. Link to post Share on other sites
igloo 3 Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Really enjoy reading Mike. One question, what does "SR" mean? Link to post Share on other sites
Nisoko 6 Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Great stuff Mike. Had my first day yesterday. Twas lots of fun. Link to post Share on other sites
snowbender 3 Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Season Report perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 SR= Season Report TR= Trip Report Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Thanks all, and yes SR = Season Report. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 DAY 12 : MONDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2012 5 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Went to bed in Higashiyama, woke up in Whistler. 5 cm of heavy, wet snow had fallen overnight - which will help build the base and flatten the sasa - but by mid-morning the worst four letters a ski town can hear made a very unwelcome appearance R - A - I - N As I type (close to 2pm) it's turned to sleet / wet snow at approx. 300 m and the forecast is for the temperature to drop through the day and snow to return. Pretty sure it's snowing above mid-mountain but with the only uplift in Niseko Hirafu being uncovered chairlifts I'm not the martyr to find out and report back. There's another spike forecast for Wednesday evening, but after that it looks like winter is here to stay with the freezing level dropping to sea level. With a base area at 570 m, a freezing level of 650 m tonight, and close to 25 cm of snow forecast in the next 18 hrs Kiroro could well the destination tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 DAY 13 : TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2012 7 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Shovelled lighter snow this morning and set off for Kiroro bright and early. Got as far as Hirafu and the blizzard started. Snow blowing horizontally, gusts shaking the van. Got about 5km out of Kutchan on Rt 393 to Kiroro and pulled the pin. Was down to 15 kph and about 10 m visibility. No fun at all. Did my weekly shop at Max Value and then went to check if Niseko Hirafu was running. Nope. And hardly surprising. Drove home and had a laundry and shovelling day. Cleared 35 cm so far and it's still coming down as I type at 5.30 pm Thankfully the wind has let up. If the lifts run tomorrow, then it could be pretty special up top. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
MagSeven 40 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Really bad weather today in Hokkaido eh! Winds up to 150km/h in places, and 40,000 odd people without power in Muroran area. Seems like alot of snow has fallen though. Every cloud! Link to post Share on other sites
blu 3 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Mike is it possible to get into Miharashi yet? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 My mate was up at Teine and made a bad call to hike further up.....said he couldn't see his hand in front of his face Link to post Share on other sites
Fonty 1 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I have been watching the cams.....until I couldn't see anymore. Looked like you got a real belting. The best cam to check the snow fall and still be able to see was the Furano town site. Lucky ducks. You will hopefully have a great day tomorrow! Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I was just looking at Kitanomine down road. Looks like a small amount. Dunno about th wind of course. Link to post Share on other sites
MagSeven 40 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 My mate was up at Teine and made a bad call to hike further up.....said he couldn't see his hand in front of his face Thought Teine was closed today? Looked pretty unpleasant up there either way! Heading up on Saturday, hoping for good things! Link to post Share on other sites
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