anything 6 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 im still shocked that Wild Bills does 'food' Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 DAY 57 : THURSDAY 10 JANUARY 2013 29 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ As of today 808 cm (318") has fallen at MQ And what a day to break through the 8 metre mark. After yesterday's rest day the Lovelocks, Craig & I were taken to Niseko Moiwa by Ian Mackenzie of Niseko WOW. This was their first visit and my first visit for this season. Moiwa has just three lifts and whilst small compared with the Niseko United and Rusutsu, is perfectly formed. The first double chair accesses wonderful beginner terrain and then it's a logical progression to the other double chair which accesses the wide open pistes that dominate the lower mountain. The covered quad chair accesses one winding run that sets the boundary of the resort and everything you can see inside the ropes. There's also a backcountry gate at the top of the quad - Gate 6 - which offers a short hike / traverse into the backcountry terrain between Moiwa and Niseko Annupuri. The lower lifts open at 8.30 am and the quad to the top of the mountain opens an hour later. This gives an enforced 1 hr warm up which so many skiers and boarders skip when the powder frenzy kicks in. This set the tone for our day which was relaxed, effortless skiing on powder covered groomed runs and waist deep and deeper powder in the trees and the open stashes. I didn't think their first day at Hanazono would be bettered this trip, but this surpassed that. The evidence m'lord Warming up on the "groomed run" Course 6 Ria Craig Hayden Alex Neil Ria skiing Course 6 Then they went off the groomed runs and got a little deeper Neil Craig Ria Hayden Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Then the sun came out for a little while Craig Hayden getting taken down by the snow snakes Ria Alex Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 And last but certainly not least, Neil I was invited to dinner at Ezo by John Pidgeon for his last night in Hirafu. The same high standard with the crowd favourites - crab, oysters, sashimi - plus the special of the day lightly fried whitebait. Great evening. Thanks John. Ordering at Ezo Kampai Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 About time we saw a stack great photos again in a great thread Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Wow Mike great pics. Stoked for you that you are having so many great days. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Great pics as usual Mike I noticed in the later pics of Neil at Moiwa he had a contour helmet cam and a pic later he didn't - did he lose it? the mount was still there Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks seemore and panhead_pete and snowjunky. Didn't lose the camera, he passed it on to Ria. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 DAY 58 : FRIDAY 11 JANUARY 2013 33 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ With another healthy snowfall overnight it was back to Moiwa for the Lovelocks, Craig & I. And today we were joined by Ian. The snow wasn't as light as yesterday but there were stil plenty of great turns to be had Alex Craig Then it was back to Ezo Seafoods for two consecutive nights of top notch seafood. What does a face shot look like? If you haven't experienced the powder washing over you as you ski through it then seeing pictures and video of skiers and boarders temporarily blinded by snow might not seem like the best feeling. We're very lucky on Fantasy Island to have the quality and quantity of snow that results in the snow engulfing you as you ski. This is an idea of what it's like. Now where's the feel-o-vision when you need it? Driving between Hirafu and Higashiyama before the plow has been Link to post Share on other sites
anything 6 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 if only my goggles had windscreen wipers! Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 DAY 41 : TUESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2012 2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ After opening up our stocking and presents, we headed to Annupuri for Nerys, Claire and Craig's first ever Christmas Day turns. It was also the first Christmas away from Wales for Nerys. No pressure then. Thankfully it was another sunny morning with great visibility and spongy powder on the fringes. We lapped the quad and gondola for a couple of hours and then headed in for the buffet lunch. Craig, Claire and Nerys with the crackers Craig had brought over from Australia Craig and Claire in the festive spirit Nerys Claus For Christmas dinner we skipped the turkey and went to Maccarina (also spelled Makkarina) in the village of Makkari half-way between Hirafu and Rusutsu. It's one of two 1-star Michelin restaurants in the area - the other being Kamimura in Hirafu - and is a French influenced restaurant using the finest local ingredients. http://www.maccarina.co.jp Claire and Nerys at Maccarina We ordered the seven course degustation menu which included a medley of lamb, foie gras, vegetables, salmon and mussel braised leek pumpkin soup octopus and a beef & pork sausage turbot for the ladies and venison for the gentlemen bitter chocolate tart with pumpkin ice cream and to finish coffee and petits fours A thoroughly wonderful experience which I can't recommend highly enough. Hi Mike How far from Rusutsu is Maccarina and any idea on a cab fare please? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 10-15 minute drive. No idea of cab fare sorry. The hotel should be able to organise it if you're staying there. Link to post Share on other sites
ILoveZao 8 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Great pics always Mike Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Cheers Mate Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Food looks great. What are the prices like before and after? Norrmally I avoid anything Michelin recommends. I just hate the Michelin Star thing, just makes me want to barf at their partisan hyprocacy. Gauge the taxi fare for your reference: Hirafu to Niseko Village (Higashiyama) costs 4,500Y. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 There's no way you'd want to get a taxi there and back. It'd be cheaper hiring a car for the day. I think Mike has underestimated the time to get there considerably, especially from Hirafu where most people would be staying. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I think he's asking from Rusutsu Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Ah so he is. 10-15mins is about right then. As Mike suggests the hotel should be able to organise the trip and advise the cost. Love Maccarina myself. The wife and I enjoyed a few meals there on special occassions. Once Kamimura set up in Niseko though it was much closer and just as good, if not better. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Cheers GN Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 surely you're not gonna go for the jacked up prices? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Food looks great. What are the prices like before and after? Norrmally I avoid anything Michelin recommends. I just hate the Michelin Star thing, just makes me want to barf at their partisan hyprocacy. surely you're not gonna go for the jacked up prices? To my knowledge they haven't increased the prices since receiving their Michelin star. Nor has Kamimura. I'm heading to Kamimura on Saturday. Looking forward to a great meal in the new space at Shiki. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 DAY 59 : SATURDAY 12 JANUARY 2013 26 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Lots of light, dry powder overnight and the day spent at Hirafu and Hanazono with the Wikmans, Giles, and Graeme's pal John. Started the day in Hirafu with Graeme, Liz, Giles and John and then met Annie and Tim in Hanazono 308 for lunch. Giles skiing in Rinkan Liz playing to the gallery Giles Liz getting deep Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 For the last hour of light Tim and I skied Rinkan and Miharashi. There was still plenty of powder to ski and Tim hit and landed this pillow perfectly. Not bad for a boy with a broken wrist He flies through the air with the greatest of ease Big changes for Graeme today. He'd been flirting 'venturing beyond the orange poles' as Tim puts it and today he was all in. First the fringes of Center and then on to the ungroomed Shirakaba with boot top to knee deep powder and crud. Graeme skiing Center at Niseko Hirafu DAY 60 : SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 10 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ For our last day together this trip the Wikmans & I went to Rusutsu. This was their first visit and they got fresh, velvet snow on the groomers and sunshine. It was busier than normal it being a Japanese holiday weekend but that meant the Steamboat cafe was packed, not the slopes. Graeme, Jack, Annie, Liz & Tim at Rusutsu Annie Graeme finding his flow on Heavenly View And Graeme got to ski his first black run, Heavenly Ridge-A. Tim, Jack, Graeme and Liz with Shiribetsudake in the background To cap off the day we drove over to the Rusutsu hotel to see the talking tree, the carousel, Daniel St, and taste Dippin' Dots, the ice cream of the future. Annie with rainbowitis Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 DAY 61 : MONDAY 14 JANUARY 2013 7 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Another beautiful sunny day in Rusutsu for the first ski there this trip with the Lovelocks and Craig. The wind had packed in Saturday's powder so we spent the day on the groomed runs and the fringes working on technique. Excellent awareness and improvement of pressure control by all in the mixed snow conditions. DAY 62 : TUESDAY 15 JANUARY 2013 2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Another sunny day at Rusutsu, but no new snow. Co3der temperatures meant the moisture had been sucked out of the snowpack which made the powder lighter and more consistent. Another great technique day working on soft moguls and crud in the trees. For the last run of the day Neil, Craig & I traversed into one of the chutes lower down on Shiribetsudake accessed from West Mt. Good boot top powder and crud. Neil and Craig in the chute Craig For dinner Ian MacKenzine of Niseko WOW picked us up and drove us to Irori, a small izakaya restaurant in Makkari. Excellent welcome, service and food at one of Ian's out of the way gems. Preparing bibinba - a rice and vegetable dish cooked in an hot earthenware bowl. Neil and Ian enjoying yaki niku - barbecued beef - at Irori Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'm curious, I was wondering this before when you posted about Ian MacKenzie of Niseko WOW, as I remember him just being a dull Ian MacKenzie last year. Has Ian MacKenzine of Niseko WOW changed his name legally to Ian MacKenzine of Niseko WOW? Which bit is his surname? Is he Mr of Niseko WOW, or is his Mr MacKenzie of Niseko WOW. And is is ok to call him Ian MacKanzie of Niseko Wow without the capitals, or is that not an appropriate promotional message? Link to post Share on other sites
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