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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 53 : SUNDAY 06 JANUARY 2013

 

27 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

The Lovelocks and Craig rolled in to town yesterday evening for three weeks of Hokkaido powder.

 

It was great to see Neil, Ria, Alex, Hayden and Craig and we caught up over cocktails at Maki Lounge and pizza delivered from Niseko Pizza downstairs.

 

For their first week they're staying at J-Sekka in Hirafu, followed by a week in Rusutsu and a week at Kiroro.

 

All their arrangements are being taken care of by Ian MacKenzie of Niseko WOW

 

 

Day 1 of the trip was spent at Niseko Hanazono.

 

With no night skiing and no accommodation base the overnight snow blanketed the pistes and we were making our first turns before the lifts in the other areas of Niseko United were loading.

 

Two laps of knee deep powder on the Setsuzoku and Stairway to Heaven pistes and we were all in the groove and ready to venture into the trees and ungroomed slopes.

 

Either side of an early lunch we skied Silver Dream, Ten Turns, Blueberry Fields and Legend of Shinya and a lot in between.

 

It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

Here's the first few chapters of War & Peace.

 

Chapter 1 - The trees beside Setsuzoku

 

Neil

 

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Alex

 

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Ria

 

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Craig

 

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Chapter 6 - The Legend of Shinya

 

Neil

 

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It was very staisfying to see Neil, Ria, Alex, Hayden and Craig hit the ground running and pick up where they left off last winter.

 

By day's end all were skiing better than they were at the end of their last holiday.

 

With massive grins on their faces.

 

Hokkaido powder + knowing where to ski + the right skis under your feet = a day for the ages

 

 

It didn't stop snowing until 3 pm and with high winds higher up the mountain keeping the crowds in Niseko Hirafu, this was by far the best snow I've skied at Hanazono.

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DAY 54 : MONDAY 07 JANUARY 2013

 

16 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

After such a great day yesterday we returned to Niseko Hanazono for more of the same.

 

The snow wasn't as good, but that's like saying Paradise is not as good as Utopia!

 

No lift lines and plenty of untracked lines all over Hanazono all day.

 

The face shots weren't as plentiful, but they were still there to be found.

 

Craig in the trees beside Setsuzoku

 

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Hayden in the trees beside Setsuzoku

 

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Ria in the trees beside Setsuzoku

 

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Then the sun came out and we headed to Silver Dream

 

Alex enjoying the unrivalled combo of sunshine and powder off Silver Dream

 

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Craig

 

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Ria

 

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Neil

 

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Craig off lower Silver Dream

 

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Alex off lower Silver Dream

 

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Neil, Hayden, Alex, Ria and Craig in the trees above Silver Dream

 

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We lost the light, but found light, dry snow in 10 Turns

 

Craig

 

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Hayden

 

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Neil

 

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Ian MacKenzie joined us today and got this double wave in 10 Turns

 

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For dinner we went to Kakashi near the Hirafu gondola.

 

A really good izakaya with delicious food and a warm welcome

 

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DAY 55 : TUESDAY 08 JANUARY 2013

 

7 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Day 3 with the Lovelock's and Craig was spent at Niseko Annupuri.

 

A beautiful day with sunshine, no wind, perfectly groomed slopes and no lift lines.

 

Alex, Neil, Craig, Ria & Hayden at Niseko Annupuri

 

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We used the packed powder and light crud on the fringes of the groomed runs to work on technique

 

Neil

 

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Craig

 

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Alex

 

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Ria

 

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and found boot top to knee deep powder in the trees

 

Alex

 

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Craig

 

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Ria

 

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Hayden

 

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Another excellent day, with big improvements for all.

 

 

I joined the Wickmans and John for dinner at Wild Bill's to celebrate Tim's 14th birthday.

 

Excellent company. Excellent food. And two great singers kept us entertained all evening.

 

Tim at Wild Bills

 

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DAY 56 : WEDNESDAY 09 JANUARY 2013

 

8 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

For my last day with John Pidgeon for this trip we skied Niseko Hirafu.

 

John and I drove over to the Hirafu gondola side and lapped the Holiday Pair Lift #1 skiing Boyo until lunch.

 

A great morning, with John really feeling the mountain and letting his skis go in the gully under the lift.

 

Great improvements this trip for John with turns made at Niseko Hirafu, Niseko Annupuri and Niseko Moiwa.

 

We met up with Graeme, Liz, Annie and Giles for lunch at The Vale, and by the time we got back out there around 10 cm of new snow had fallen.

 

We lapped the Hooded Triple lift skiing progressively deeper and deeper snow on Center, Shirakaba, and everything in between.

 

And by day's end it was knee deep all over the mountain.

 

No pics unfortunately as it was bitterly cold with driving snow, but everyone skiing really well in the rapidly changing conditions.

 

None more so than Graeme who has progressed from a red run groomed skier to skiing the powder and trees on the fringes of the runs.

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