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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

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)?

 

Got a backpack with a built in back protector - Ortovox - then I pack it with extra clothing to protect the camera.

 

On the outside of the pack is a shovel pocket where I keep my shovel blade.

 

Taken some pretty big tumbles this winter and no problems.

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DAY 37 : FRIDAY 21 DECEMBER 2012

 

18 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

For Craig's first day on snow we headed to Rusutsu.

 

As has been the case so far this winter it was deserted with plenty of powder to play in.

 

Craig tasting Hokkaido powder for the first time

 

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Nerys in the Rusutsu powder

 

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Fabulous introduction to Hokkaido snow for Craig.

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Mike that first pic looks like the side of East Mt?

A bit steeper than most of Rusutsu.

 

It's Across-B the black, ungroomed pitch just off the cat track that leads down to the Isola No. 2 quad.

 

Normally it's bumped to all glory. That day it was deep.

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Mike that first pic looks like the side of East Mt?

A bit steeper than most of Rusutsu.

 

It's Across-B the black, ungroomed pitch just off the cat track that leads down to the Isola No. 2 quad.

 

Normally it's bumped to all glory. That day it was deep.

 

Today it was deep :)

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DAY 38 : SATURDAY 22 DECEMBER 2012

 

9 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Craig spent the day in Niseko United with his mate Mike Butler - up from Tokyo for the weekend - whilst Nerys, Claire & I skied in Rusutsu.

 

There was still plenty of powder on the fringes of the groomed runs and in the trees, with a smooth covering of new snow on the groomed runs that skied like velvet.

 

Big changes for Claire in terms of embracing the fall line and then accelerating through the curve of the turn.

 

And big changes for Nerys with linked, shorter radius turns in knee deep powder.

 

Claire Weeks-Pearson skiing at Rusutsu

 

 

 

 

Nerys Royal skiing at Rusutsu

 

 

 

 

The five of us had dinner at Niseko Pizza for the TGR Premiere Movie Night - The Dream Factory and Further - organised by Niseko Pizza, Explore Niseko & Niseko Photography.

 

A great evening, two excellent movies, and Nerys and I got very lucky in the raffle. She won The Dream Factory DVD and I won Further.

 

Afterwards we popped upstairs for a Corpse Reviver cocktail at the Maki Lounge After Party.

 

 

 

DAY 39 : SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2012

 

12 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

As of today 501 cm (197") has fallen at MQ

 

 

Although there was a great covering of dry powder and periods of brilliant sunshine, today was a rest day for Nerys, Claire & me.

 

Craig and Mike went out for the morning and reported great conditions in Annupuri.

 

After Mike took the bus back to Chitose, Claire, Craig, Nerys & I went to Yugorotei Onsen at the entrance to Niseko Moiwa.

 

Very relaxing, especially the massage chairs.

 

Snowing heavily as I type and much colder than of late.

 

Plenty of snow forecast for the coming week with the temperature plummetting to -20 C with the wind chill.

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DAY 40 : MONDAY 24 DECEMBER 2012

 

5 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

An absolutely glorious Christmas Eve in Niseko Hirafu and Hanazono.

 

Sunshine, blue skies, quiet slopes, and Santa skiing around. What's not to like.

 

Nerys and Claire in the Hirafu gondola

 

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Craig, Claire and Nerys at the top of the Swinging Monkey lift with Mt Yotei as the backdrop

 

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Claire and Craig ringing the Hanazono bells with Annupuri peak as the backdrop

 

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Claire and Nerys ringing the Hanazono bells with Annupuri peak as the backdrop

 

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Jonathan Martin of Nisade skiing at Hanazono with one of his Vale guests

 

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After a great morning in Hanazono we headed back over to Hirafu skiing Jumbo, Rinkan and Green down to Boyoso restaurant.

 

Best food, value and atmosphere on the mountain for me. Ten-don (prawn tempura with rice) being my favourite.

 

Craig and Claire enjoying lunch at Boyoso in Niseko Hirafu

 

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Nerys doing her best Guns'n'Roses at Boyoso

 

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Claire, Nerys and Santa on the slopes

 

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Claire

 

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Nerys

 

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Claire Weeks-Pearson skiing at Niseko Hirafu

 

 

 

 

Nerys Royal skiing at Niseko Hirafu

 

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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

 

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Craig and Claire in the festive spirit

 

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Nerys Claus

 

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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

 

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We ordered the seven course degustation menu which included

 

a medley of lamb, foie gras, vegetables, salmon and mussel

 

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braised leek

 

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pumpkin soup

 

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octopus and a beef & pork sausage

 

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turbot for the ladies

 

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and venison for the gentlemen

 

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bitter chocolate tart with pumpkin ice cream

 

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and to finish coffee and petits fours

 

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A thoroughly wonderful experience which I can't recommend highly enough.

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DAY 42 : WEDNESDAY 26 DECEMBER 2012

 

37 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

It was snowing and blowing on the drive out and back from Maccarina last night and we woke to a foot or so of fresh and sunny skies again (which turned to snow around mid morning).

 

Boxing Day was spent at Niseko Hirafu.

 

For the non-Commonwealth amongst you, Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Hong Kong the day following Christmas Day, when traditionally servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their superiors or employers known as a "Christmas box".

 

Our "Christmas box" was powder and sunshine.

 

We skied the green courses Green, Sennoki and Kogen and the red course Alpen for most of the morning.

 

I managed one lap of mid-thigh deep and face shots in the old lift line and Craig made a couple of laps in the old lift line and Miharashi with Ben Thorpe from Japan Ski Experience. Ben made the arrangements for Claire & Craig's accommodation in Kizuna.

 

We had lunch at Boyoso again, but instead of taking the Holiday Pair Lift and walking up to the restaurant as we did on Christmas Eve this time we skied Ni-Kabe down to the front door.

 

This was Claire's first black run of her Hokkaido holiday and she nailed it. Especially the knee deep crud and bumps at the bottom of the run.

 

Today was the last day I skied with Claire this holiday and she's made big changes in the time we spent together.

 

First and foremost she had a great time and wants to ski next winter. She last skied five winters ago in Tignes, France and didn't really want to try it again.

 

And over the course of skiing five different areas - Kiroro, Rusutsu, Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Hirafu, Niseko Hanazono - she's come to embrace the fall line and balancing with the mountain not against it.

 

She also got to see 250 cm (98") of snow fall during her visit.

 

Here's Claire skiing Kiroro on her first day and then Niseko Hirafu today

 

Claire Weeks-Pearson skiing at Niseko Hirafu

 

 

 

 

Before lunch Nerys ran in to a shoddy piece of Hirafu grooming avoiding a snowboarder and got a stinger to her hamstring as she ejected from her bindings.

 

So after lunch she and Claire pulled up a chair at the Tanta An bar in the Grand Hirafu Mountain Center and watched skiers and snowboarders flying down to the Hirafu gondola. Sometimes literally.

 

Craig and I stayed out and did laps in the old lift line

 

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Craig Menyweather Riding at Niseko Hirafu

 

 

 

 

Cocktails at Maki were followed by dinner at Niseko Pizza with Ian M.

 

The new menu has been unveiled and the smoked salmon with asparagus sauce pizza and wholemeal crusts are excellent additions to Cezar's extensive repertoire.

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DAY 43 : THURSDAY 27 DECEMBER 2012

 

28 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Nerys' last day of skiing on Fantasy Island :(

 

For this trip :)

 

And with her leg all good it was back to where we started, Kiroro.

 

They've had a bit of snow at Kiroro

 

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It was cold, windy at times, and snowing heavily off and on.

 

Nerys happy to be indoors for a bit

 

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Nerys kicked it up several notches today with effortless groomed skiing, ripping powder skiing on the fringes of the red runs, and her first ungroomed black run with knee deep powder and crud.

 

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Nerys Royal Skiing at Kiroro

 

 

 

 

A great way to finish and already looking forward to her return in March.

 

 

 

DAY 44 : FRIDAY 28 DECEMBER 2012

 

29 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

As of today 602 cm (237") has fallen at MQ

 

 

Today's new snow was of the highest order but it was a day off the slopes for me as I drove Nerys, Claire and Craig to Chitose for their flight to Tokyo.

 

They're spending a couple of days in the city before flying back to the UK.

 

Great to see them all and to spend Christmas with them.

 

And great to see Nerys on the island and on skis again.

 

She got to ski five different areas - Kiroro, Rusutsu, Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Hirafu, Niseko Hanazono - and see 344 cm (135") of snow fall during her visit.

 

December delivered.

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DAY 45 : SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 2012

 

14 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Day 1 with the Wikmans from Brisbane, Australia

 

Liz and Graeme, their children Jack, Tim & Annie and patriarch of the family John Pidgeon.

 

Fantastic first day on snow in Niseko Hirafu with perfect grooming, blue skies, sunshine, and light powder in the trees.

 

Tim, Annie, Jack, Liz and John on Sennoki

 

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Graeme and Liz at the top of the King Hooded Triple chair

 

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DAY 46 : SUNDAY 30 DECEMBER 2012

 

0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

R-A-I-N

 

A miserable day in the Niseko Resort Area.

 

Rain to approx 700 m for most of the day, at times torrential, meant a day off snow and a shopping excursion to M Pocket, Co-op and Takiguchi for Graeme, Liz, John and I with lunch at Yotei Maru.

 

Found out this morning that an image I took of Greg Heptonstall off the Peak at Niseko Hirafu was chosen as the cover for SnowAction magazine's Ski Japan 2013 Mega Guide

 

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Happy days.

 

 

 

DAY 47 : MONDAY 31 DECEMBER 2012

 

3 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

December brought 473 cm (186") of snowfall with snow falling on 29 of the 31 days.

 

The biggest 24 hr snowfall was 46 cm (18") on 10 December, and this was the second snowiest December in the seven winters I've been keeping records.

 

December 2011 was the snowiest with 514 cm (202") of snowfall.

 

 

Yesterday's rain and below freezing temperatures overnight had set up an icy rain crust on and off the groomed runs that was only marginally covered by the new snow at first lifts this morning.

 

The upper mountain was on windhold, which meant queues of up to 10 minutes at Center 4 and 20 minutes at the Hirafu gondola.

 

The pistes were rock hard with dust on crust and chicken heads everywhere until lunchtime.

 

Less than ideal.

 

Then the snow started to fall in earnest and each run got progressively better, with the crunch being replaced by the velvet swoosh.

 

Big improvements for John and Liz today.

 

I joined John and the Wikmans for dinner at Ezo Seafoods in Hirafu.

 

The best crab and oysters I've had on Hokkaido.

 

Bar none.

 

Happy New Year and here's to a deep & light 2013.

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DAY 48 : TUESDAY 01 JANUARY 2013

 

25 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM HOKKAIDO

 

2013 broke calmer and warmer than the last day of 2012, with Hokkaido feathers covering my deck.

 

I met Ian M at a deserted Hirafu gondola at 9 am and we skied Konayuki and Miharashi until 10.45

 

We were joined for two laps by Daniel Barker, formerly of the parish of East Grinstead and now of Tokyo, holidaying here with his family.

 

Ian had skied with Daniel last week and said he liked to ski the same lines we did. That was good enough for me.

 

48 hrs ago Miharashi got rained on. Today it offered up knee to waist deep powder.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly this mountain changes.

 

Ian in Miharashi

 

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Daniel in Miharashi

 

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Met up with Graeme, Liz and Annie at 11 am and we did laps on the Center 4 quad until 1.30 pm

 

All enjoying the new snow and letting the skis go.

 

Tim joined us for lunch at King Bell and then after lunch Tim and I made laps on the King Hooded Triple Lift skiing knee to waist deep powder (for me) and at times chest deep powder for Tim in Rinkan.

 

Tim Wikman skiing Rinkan at Niseko Hirafu

 

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A fabulous way to start 2013.

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