pdoull 2 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 btw. Off to Annupuri today Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Great Photos Mike Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks Rucky Inu and seemore. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 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 Alex Ria Craig Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Chapter 2 - Upper Silver Dream Alex Hayden Neil Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Chapter 3 - Lower Silver Dream Alex Ria Hayden Neil Craig Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Chapter 4 - Run Silent, Run Deep Alex tall, relaxed and patient in Ten Turns Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Chapter 5 - Ten Turns Ria Hayden Alex Neil Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Chapter 6 - The Legend of Shinya Neil 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Dunga 1 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Awesome photos as always! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks Dunga. Awesome day. Link to post Share on other sites
Sciclone 2 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 So jealous... I will have to make it up to Niseko one day or just tour around Hokkaido, Car Danchi-style. Link to post Share on other sites
alexeiw123 2 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 God I love this thread. Makes the wait so much harder though. 10 days left. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites
anything 6 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 nice shots! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Thanks Sciclone, alexeiw123, seemore and anything. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Love that one of Fuji with clouds on the previous page. Let's scenery! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Fuji's baby brother perhaps Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Slight mistake there. Link to post Share on other sites
gozaimaas 61 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 must have been a very clear day lol Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I'm sure you meant Ezo Fuji yeah muika? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 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 Hayden in the trees beside Setsuzoku Ria in the trees beside Setsuzoku Then the sun came out and we headed to Silver Dream Alex enjoying the unrivalled combo of sunshine and powder off Silver Dream Craig Ria Neil Craig off lower Silver Dream Alex off lower Silver Dream Neil, Hayden, Alex, Ria and Craig in the trees above Silver Dream We lost the light, but found light, dry snow in 10 Turns Craig Hayden Neil Ian MacKenzie joined us today and got this double wave in 10 Turns For dinner we went to Kakashi near the Hirafu gondola. A really good izakaya with delicious food and a warm welcome Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I'm sure you meant Ezo Fuji yeah muika? Does Ezo = Hokkaido? Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Ah yes, I see it is! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 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 We used the packed powder and light crud on the fringes of the groomed runs to work on technique Neil Craig Alex Ria and found boot top to knee deep powder in the trees Alex Craig Ria Hayden 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 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. Link to post Share on other sites
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