kokodoko 67 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 lots of sassa grass still stickin up... ha ha.. relax mike! I will be hooking in in a couple of weeks. leave some for me. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Mike has promised to ship all of that snow down here to Nozawa in a few weeks, kokodoko. Sorry! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 DAY 24 : SATURDAY 08 DECEMBER 2012 18 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Niseko Hanazono opened for the winter this morning and it seems it was the hot ticket as Niseko Hirafu and Niseko Village were deserted after the first lift cycle. With my experiences in Miharashi this past week I didn't think the Strawberry and Blueberry Fields snowpack would be set up with no skier / boarder traffic to date. Word on the street is I was wrong and the Hanazono powder was creamy and smooth with big features to pop off and very accommodating landings. Today's turns were made with long time ski partner Ian MacKenzie and newly arrived in town Hamilton from Washington State, USA by way of Tokyo. Hamilton is mixing cocktails and sharing stories at Maki Lounge - on the first floor of Sekka - this winter. It was the first time on snow this winter for both Ian and Hamilton so we lapped the Center 4 chair and the gondola for the first hour. The grooming at Niseko Hirafu was average at best which is very disappointing considering over 2m of snowfall and the lack of traffic, so it wasn't long before we were skiing the ungroomed and the trees. The powder wasn't as light as yesterday but there were still loads of great turns to be made in Onsenzawa, Miharashi and Konayuki. It started snowing around 2pm and with cold temperatures and over 50 cm forecast between now and Wednesday the coming week is set fair. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 DAY 25 : SUNDAY 09 DECEMBER 2012 19 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ With all four areas of the Niseko United open, Niseko Hirafu was pleasantly quiet for a Sunday. I had the opportunity to spend another day on the mountain with 9-year old skier Kai Martin and 11-year old boarder Conrad Mitchell and I jumped at the chance. Not literally, but they certainly did. We lapped the Center 4 and Hirafu gondola getting powder, pillows and air in Konayuki, the old lift line, Miharashi and the Hirafu terrain park. Kai warming up in the old lift line Conrad warming up in the old lift line And a little higher Kai going a little higher Conrad getting up and down in Miharashi Kai launching and landing in Miharashi Great day out. Fun to ski with them and watch them eye their lines. There's no substitute for starting early and being brought up in the mountains. Thanks for your patience boys, when you just wanted to rip. Link to post Share on other sites
surfarthur 22 Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Great stuff Mike. It is always humbling to see kids riding better than I can, whether it is in the surf or on the snow, but it is always an inspiration to see how much fun they are having, and helps me to simply enjoy being out there riding. Of course, some days it just annoys the crap out of me Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 yeah its really cool when u see that. On Saturday there was this really young boy ripping on his snowboard....cool as!! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Cheers surfarthur and TubbyBeaverinho. Here are the boys in action Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Nice!! I wish I learned to ski/snowboard when I was that young. I wasn't even aware you could DO skiing in Scotland until I was in my late teens. My father was strictly a football guy so it was my big brother who introduced me to the joys of sliding at 19yrs of age. When I have kids I definitely wanna get them started as young as possible so that its 2nd nature to them Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Sounds like the plan TubbyBeaverinho Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 DAY 26 : MONDAY 10 DECEMBER 2012 46 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Yes you read that right, 46 cm (18") of dry, light Hokkaido powder in the last 24 hrs. As of today 304 cm (120") has fallen at MQ The deck and van were buried Sumi making trenches but not as much as this car left overnight in the Alpen car park at Niseko Hirafu The excitement at Center 4 was palpable and the mad rush down Super course was exciting to watch. Spent the first two hours of the ski day playing the model for Glen Claydon getting some deep powder shots. Then it was off to Chitose to meet Nerys who's back on Hokkaido for her third ski trip of 2012 but the first of the 2012/13 season. Watch this space! Link to post Share on other sites
alexeiw123 2 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Watch this space! oh I'm watching... can't wait! Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Awesome got to love the groms (if thats what they call kids who ski/board) seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 DAY 27 : TUESDAY 11 DECEMBER 2012 24 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Cocktails by Hamilton at the Maki Lounge with Ian MacKenzie, Andy & Pam Laidlaw, and Nerys yesterday evening followed by dinner at Niseko Pizza was the perfect start to Nerys' Hokkaido holiday. Hamilton's Secret Martini comes highly recommended. Nerys & I woke to a bluebird powder day in the Niseko Resort Area but I took the tough decision of driving on by and heading to Kiroro for Nerys' first day on snow this season. Nerys learned to ski in Kiroro in February 2012 and in my experience 'familiarity breeds comfort'. By the time we got to Kiroro the sun had disappeared and it was snowing heavily. Exactly the same conditions when she first got on skis. We'd been shopping in the close season and Nerys was in new boots - Head Edge +8.5, the boots she rented last season - and on her first set of skis, the Rossignol Temptation 82 (132-82-119 in a 152 cm length). Both performed with aplomb in the very mixed conditions we experienced over the course of the day, from perfectly groomed runs - some with a 5-10 cm covering of new powder the consistency of talcum - through to knee deep tracked powder. Great to see Nerys get right back into the flow despite 8 months off skis They've added a few menu items to the day lodge, this one's Szechuan style bean curd with rice "It's just like riding a bike" All in all an excellent first day back on skis. Link to post Share on other sites
alexeiw123 2 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Nerys & I woke to a bluebird powder day in the Niseko Resort Area but I took the tough decision of driving on by and heading to Kiroro for Nerys' first day on snow this season. you're a stronger man than I. Edit: on the plus side, I just took a peek at the webcams, looks like another blue day, I hope for you there's still plenty of untracked to be had. Link to post Share on other sites
anything 6 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Edit: on the plus side, I just took a peek at the webcams, looks like another blue day, I hope for you there's still plenty of untracked to be had. after yesterday my raccoon tan is coming along nicely was very busy in the morning with what seemed like every local and tourist out to make the most of the blue sky day. in the more accessible areas the 20cm ish of fresh snow was tracked super quickly into a choppy leg smasher by midday it was almost empty, was rare to see another person on a run. but even at 2pm i was still getting some fresh turns in the more out of the way areas. the snow had started to show a bit of a crunch tho from the sun beating down on it all day. after only 3cm last night, the sun, and tracked out stuff yesterday, i was too lazy to head out today. interested to hear how it was tho. 2 blue skys in 2 days. how rare! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 Nerys skiing at Kiroro Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 welcome back Nerys - I like your style You must have a good teacher Link to post Share on other sites
alexeiw123 2 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 "this video is private" Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 Sorry, fixed. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 welcome back Nerys - I like your style You must have a good teacher She says thanks snowjunky. Me too Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 DAY 28 : WEDNESDAY 12 DECEMBER 2012 8 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ We drove away from another bluebird day in the Niseko Resort Area this morning, but today we were rewarded with blue skies, sunshine and fresh powder of our own at Rusutsu. I've never seen the resort so quiet, but the deserted slopes and pockets of powder on the fringes of the perfectly groomed pistes were just what Nerys needed for her second day on snow. I ventured in little further and there was plenty of fast, untracked, knee deep powder to enjoy. We also got to enjoy wonderful views of the Niseko Resort Area, Mt Yotei, Shiribetsudake, Lake Toya and the Pacific Ocean. Throw in frost & snow encrusted birch and it made for a fabulous day. 12 for 12/12/12 Nerys with West Mtn, Hotel Rusutsu and Shiribetsudake in the background Nerys skiing Heavenly View on Mt Isola with Lake Toya and the Pacific Ocean as her backdrop Nerys skiing on and off Heavenly View Nerys in Narnia The deserted Heavenly View "Where do you want me to turn again?" And in the evening we had a couple of drinks at Black Diamond's 12/12/12 party in Higashiyama. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Now I am really jealous Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Me too - another 6 weeks till i head over Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 Thanks seemore and snowjunky. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 DAY 29 : THURSDAY 13 DECEMBER 2012 2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ After two great days on the mountain and a lateish night at Black Diamond Lodge, a day off snow was the call for today. Breakast done we went through The List: Food shopping at Max Value in Kutchan New thermals from Homac in Kutchan at a fraction of the ski shop prices Nerys had custom molded orthotics/foot beds made by Ned Buckley Ned's based in Rhythm Snowsports on Hirafu-zaka (the road heading up to the Alpen Base area) We'll report back on how they feel after the next couple of days of skiing Swapped my Dynafit bindings from my 173 cm Movement Jams (136-85-117) to my new 173 cm Coreupt The Caspers (112-79-105) at Takiguchi Sports in Kutchan I've really been wnjoying the narrower platform of my 170 cm Head Supershape i. Magnums (121-71-107) and this next change is taking the narrower platform to it's next stage I'm either going to Dive & Thrive' or 'Drown & Frown' in the powder. Only time will tell! Lunch at Prativo in Niseko Higashiyama They offer a lunch special for 1,500 yen which includes unlimited tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, salad bar, two desserts, and a choice of 1 main course - normally 1 meat, 2 fish, and 1 vegetarian Excellent food, excellent value and excellent views of Mt Yotei. Well worth a visit Apres drinks at Maki Lounge is quickly becoming part of our daily routine Great welcome from Hamilton, warm atmosphere, and very interesting & delicious cocktails Quiet night at home with dinner, a bottle of Malbec, and catching up on Homeland. Link to post Share on other sites
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