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DAY 3 : SATURDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2012   0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ     Pulled an all nighter watching Wales lose to Samoa in rugby and then had a relaxing, indoor day avoiding the torrential rain a

DAY 1 : THURSDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2012   Back on Fantasy Island, and picked up at New Chitose Airport by long time skiing partner Ian MacKenzie.   Great to see him and great to be back.   Just over a

DAY 5 : MONDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2012   23 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ     5am alarm and the snow was still coming down.   It took me longer than I'd anticipated to get my kit together which meant out

DAY 30 : FRIDAY 14 DECEMBER 2012

 

12 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Back to Kiroro for Nerys' third day on snow.

 

2,100 yen for 5 hrs of fun courtesy of the voucher book I received with my seasons pass.

 

5-15 cm of cold, fast, dry powder on the groomed runs with up to knee deep on the fringes was the order of the day, all day!

 

Heard that the snow turned to elephant snot in Niseko United around 2 pm, but it was still snowing in Kiroro when we left at 4pm.

 

First day for Nerys with her custom orthotics, and already a big difference.

 

Standing taller and more centred on her skis.

 

Moving a lot freer with lightness and subtlety.

 

By day's end Nerys was playing 'follow my leader' skiing right on my tails and matching my shapes.

 

Nerys getting amongst it on the Yoichi #2-A Course (green) and the Center-B Course (red)

 

 

 

 

First day on my new sticks too.

 

Great on the groomed, in the crud, and the lighter powder. A little trickier in the wind blown powder on the Nagamine #2-C Course with the 112 mm tips diving below the wind crust immediately.

 

I'm sure I'll get the hang of them over the next couple of days. Just in time for the next big storm system rolling through.

 

We stopped off at Maki Lounge on the way home for our daily constitutional.

 

For the lady, an El Presidente and a Hamilton Landing.

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DAY 31 : SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2012

 

2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

A day off snow for Nerys & I and a drive to Chitose to pick up Nerys' best friend Claire from London.

 

It's Claire's first visit to Japan and she's on Hokkaido until the 28th when she, her boyfriend Craig (who's arriving from Australia on the 20th) and Nerys leave for two days in Tokyo before flying back to the UK.

 

For the first part of her trip she's staying at Sekka suites right in the heart of Hirafu.

 

So it was an easy choice to have cocktails at Maki Lounge and dinner at Niseko Pizza her first night in town.

 

Both were excellent.

 

 

 

DAY 32 : SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER 2012

 

11 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Claire's first day on snow in 5 years so it had to be Kiroro.

 

It snowed most of the day and with quiet runs even on a Sunday, Claire got right back into it.

 

Like many skiers who've been taught the braking plow in a group lesson environment there's a mechanical and psychological reluctance to accept the acceleration when both skis are pointing straight down the mountain (in the fall line) and to have the patience and confidence for the whole body to balance to the pitch of the slope.

 

Balancing into the hill, whilst feeling safe, results in a tense and tired skier with no fluidity.

 

Over the course of her first day on snow Claire became more and more comfortable with allowing the glide at the start of the turn, staying long in the leg with consistent separation between the feet and the knees, and using the curve of the turn to slow her down not the skidding and pressuring of the snow that is all too prevelant on the slopes.

 

Some big changes for Claire today.

 

The lightbulb starting to go on for Claire

 

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Back in Hirafu we had cocktails at Maki Lounge.

 

Hamilton preparing the French 75

 

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Claire and Nerys

 

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Hamilton keeping a warm welcome

 

 

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And then a great dinner at A-bu-cha 2 on Hirafu zaka which was already full this early in the winter.

 

Deservedly so. Great atmosphere, service and food.

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DAY 33 : MONDAY 17 DECEMBER 2012

 

12 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Rusutsu today with Nerys and Claire, and a big improvement for both ladies.

 

After yesterday's green runs at Kiroro, Claire progressed to red runs all day.

 

Quiet, perfectly groomed slopes, a little fluff on the sides, and the sun made an appearance too.

 

Claire skiing Heavenly View

 

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Nerys skiing Heavenly View

 

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Claire finding out how deep the snow is

 

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Nerys & Claire at Rusutsu

 

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Claire

 

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Claire skiing at Rusutsu

 

 

 

 

Nerys skiing at Rusutsu

 

 

 

 

Cocktail hour at Maki Lounge was followed by dinner at Wild Bills.

 

Sashimi platter, crab cakes, Niseko rolls.

 

Oishi - delicious.

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DAY 34 : TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2012

 

10 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Back to Kiroro for Claire's 3rd day and Nerys' 6th day on snow for this trip.

 

It didn't stop snowing all day, and by day's end the powder was boot top deep on the groomed runs.

 

Snowing too heavily to get the still camera out, but did manage to get video of Claire and Nerys enjoying the snow.

 

Another day of big changes for both of them.

 

Claire Skiing at Kiroro

 

 

 

Nerys Skiing at Kiroro

 

 

 

 

Claire checked out of Sekka this morning and in to Kizuna this afternoon.

 

Many thanks to Ian, Rina and Hamilton for their hospitality and making Claire's stay so enjoyable.

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DAY 35 : WEDNESDAY 19 DECEMBER 2012

 

41 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

As of today 426 cm (168") has fallen at MQ

 

 

A rest day for the ladies, so after an hour of shovelling I headed to Hirafu to meet up with long time ski partner Ian M for our first powder day of the season.

 

BIG WEDNESDAY

 

Today has to go down as one of the all-time Niseko Hirafu days.

 

Ian and I lapped the Hirafu gondola with a couple of rides on the Swinging Monkey chair skiing Konayuki, the old lift line, Tetsu's, and Miharashi.

 

It was untracked, over the head powder all morning.

 

Ian M in his happy place

 

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Ian M coming up for air on the Hirafu Gondola

 

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Ian M Video

 

http://contour.com/stories/legends-of-the-fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

Met up with Nerys & Claire for lunch at the sushi train restaurant Yotei Maru in Kutchan

 

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followed by cocktails at Maki Lounge and dinner at Niseko Pizza.

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was cool to see you out on wed Mike, pity new goggles were driving me insane!

following day (an extra 40cm on top) was one of my best days ever at Niseko, look forward to hearing your report.

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was cool to see you out on wed Mike, pity new goggles were driving me insane!

following day (an extra 40cm on top) was one of my best days ever at Niseko, look forward to hearing your report.

 

Likewise anything. Shame about the goggles.

 

We were on a roll there :)

 

Your Thursday was far deeper than mine :thumbsup:

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DAY 36 : THURSDAY 20 DECEMBER 2012

 

36 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

8cm was forecast, a lot more came down.

 

Time for Nerys & Claire to ski Niseko Annupuri for the first time.

 

It snowed most of the day which gave us laps on the Annupuri quad with powder covering the groomed runs all day.

 

 

Nerys getting in and out of the powder

 

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Claire skiing powder on Paradise

 

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Claire and Nerys on Family with the Annupuri back bowls in the background

 

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Nerys back in the powder

 

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Claire Weeks-Pearson skiing at Niseko Annupuri

 

 

 

 

Nerys Royal skiing at Niseko Annupuri

 

 

 

 

Claire's boyfriend Craig arrived from Sydney this afternoon and the four of us had a fabulous dinner at A-bu-cha 2

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Nice shots MikePow. I've always wanted to take my DSLR up on a nice pow day but am too afraid of the repercussions and would not want to go too hard with it in my back pack. How do you protect your camera up there (from impacts and snow)?

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