fukushima Fukushima 2012/2013

[@tokyo 14]

MO, how far does it take to get round there from Inawashiro, by the lake?

[@tokyo 14]

I mean Grandeco.

 

(Any idea what the name means?)

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Cheers, fruity and @tokyo. A meet-up would be nice if it works out.

 

Grandeco is about a 25-30 minute extra drive from the lake area, depending on weather and traffic.

 

The name seems to come from "Deko Taira," the name of the flattish bit mid-mountain, combined with the English word "Grand" I guess.

[Mick Rich 78]

Am toying with the idea of taking the nightbus to "Grandekotaira" next weekend!

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Don't forget the cheese, Mick!

 

As an update, Grandeco will be running the gondola and #1 and #2 quad lifts from tomorrow.

Minowa will be running the B and C lifts.

[Mick Rich 78]

Don't forget the cheese, Mick!

 

I didn't make it! Another fail to add to my list! Is (Snow Paradise) Inawashiro still opening up this weekend??

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Yes, looks like Inawashiro is still planning to open Saturday, the 22nd. That will be the Chuo side and the upper half of the Minero side to start, with the lower half of the Minero side not opening until the 27th.

 

Grandeco is currently 80% open, with the gondola and Quads 1, 2 and 3 running.

 

Minowa is running their B and C lifts, and is "getting ready" to run the A lift.

 

Nekoma opened the 12th, and as of the 15th was 75% open.

[muikabochi 208]

Don't you just love that "getting ready" thing.

 

[Mick Rich 78]

I'm getting ready increasingly impatient for my first outing of the season!

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Spent Dec. 30 and 31, 2012 at Inawashiro.

 

Morning of the 30th:

 

It was above zero, and unfortunately started to rain after lunch. Got pretty heavy, so retired for most of the afternoon.

 

Spotted an old poster from perhaps 10 years or so ago? Put out by JH (Japan Highways, now NEXCO), suggesting one use their "highway cards" (abolished in 2005) to visit Inawashiro ski area:

 

Rain cleared up towards end of afternoon, and the clouds settled into the valley below the ski area:

 

You can see Minowa and Numajiri ski areas in the distance:

 

Minowa on the far left, Numajiri on the right:

 

 

Lights of the nighter:

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

On the 31st, the temperature dropped, and it snowed.

 

First, omiyage check:

 

One of the clearest views to be had over the two days, can almost see to the top of the ski area. View from the bottom of the Chuo side:

 

After this, clouds rolled in, and snow started in earnest.

 

Moving over to the Minero side:

 

Lift to the top of the Minero side:

 

Top of Minero side:

 

There is a traverse from the top of the Minero side to the top of the Chuo side, through a narrow forest trail:

 

Now we're getting somewhere:

 

The top lift on the Chuo side is shut down, and the only access to this course now is via the traverse from the Minero side:

 

Lots of fresh snow to be had, if one could see it...:

 

Visibility got so bad we had to take a bit of a break while it blew out.

Got in another few runs after it cleared up.

 

Mid-hill restaurant on Chuo side:

 

And then the clouds descended again at the end of the day:

[fukdane 2]

Nice Metabo. Pity about the rain.

I kind of like seeing the old posters.

[Aggro Crag 1]

I'm down for a trip up to Fukushima. Let me know if anyone would like a ride.

[joshnii 2]

Thanks Metabo

 

Some funky cloud stuff going on in this one!

 

[hellyer 216]

Thanks Metabo, good report.

 

Are you sure this is not something bought at the old Mt G clearance sale?

 

[seemore 66]

Cheers Metabo

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Cheers Metabo

 

Cheers, guys.

 

Nice Metabo. Pity about the rain.

 

Ended up getting in plenty of skiing in on the second day, so no complaints overall. But (once again) impressed at how quickly the weather changes on that mountain. It could be clear one minute, and by the time one rode the lift up, pea soup.

 

 

I kind of like seeing the old posters.

 

Kind of reminded me of the old Robert Palmer videos.

 

Thanks Metabo

 

Some funky cloud stuff going on in this one!

 

I'm kind of partial to this one:

Reminds me of a day at Mt. JEANS last year.

 

Thanks Metabo, good report.

 

Are you sure this is not something bought at the old Mt G clearance sale?

 

 

Yeah, the top of that run really looks abandoned. Kind of surprised they keep it officially "open" (if only accessible by traverse from the other side), but glad they do. Some day, I swear I will hit that place when the weather is clear. The view from that spot should be choice, right over the lake. (Well, maybe the view from slightly off to the side from that abandoned outhouse...)

 

 

I'm down for a trip up to Fukushima. Let me know if anyone would like a ride.

 

I hope you get some takers!

 

As for me, I'm thinking of hitting Adatara Kogen this weekend... and that may well be it for me for most of the rest of the season, for scheduling reasons. May manage to get out again in April or May, or may not... In any case, hope to live vicariously through others' reports.

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Went to Adatara Kogen on Sunday, 13 Jan. 2013.

 

On the way, highway repairs complete:

 

The gondola was on wind-hold all morning. Looked like someone hiked up to hit the Upper Andromeda course:

 

Gondola started running after lunch, and ran for about half the afternoon before being stopped again.

 

 

Old pennants to mark the start of hiking season at the top gondola station:

[joshnii 2]

Dramatic clouds again I see.

 

Looks like some goods runs there.

 

Thanks MO.

[hellyer 216]

Thanks MO - that bowl top right in the second pic looks tasty

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Cheers, guys.

 

They do have some good steep runs for their size, though that juicy-looking back face is out of bounds. But lots of semi-legal (?) terrain available to the left of it coming down from the gondola.

 

One thing my snowboarding kid pointed out, though, is that most of the chairlift off-ramps there are rather steep for boarders. Not something I would have noticed on my skis, so something to be aware of if one is of the monoplank persuasion.

[muikabochi 208]

Love the clouds, Metabo Oyaji.

Dramatic indeed!

Like seeing these places I have never been to.

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Managed to squeeze in a trip to Grandeco yesterday.

 

On the way, stopped at the Gohyakugawa Parking Area to walk the dog. Discovered a helicopter landing pad there:

 

There was an 8-km traffic jam leading up to the Inawashiro-Bandai Kogen exit. Never seen that before! Traffic added at least 45 minutes to the drive.

 

Finally made it to Urabandai, follow that bus!

 

Getting close:

 

The view from the far end of the lower parking lot. Never seen the parking lot this full before:

 

The place was hopping. More on that later. For now, focus on the pink figure to lower-left of center in this picture. The Deco Rangers are back -- that's one of them preparing to ride up:

 

Chopper waiting to greet folks at the top of the #1 Quad:

 

There was also an Anpan-man at the bottom of the #2 Quad. But more interesting were these feet-shaped fun-skis:

 

Since the Deco Rangers were out, the kid insisted on visiting the Kashmir on-hill restaurant where they work:

 

Snowed all day, harder in the afternoon. On the #3 Quad:

 

There were announcements over the loudspeakers that the #1 and #2 quad lifts were very crowded, so it was suggested to hit the #3 and #4 quads instead. However, the lines at those lifts were almost as bad. #4 Quad:

 

A good day to use the singles line. The lift operators did a good job of filling the chairs from the singles line, leaving no empty seats on the chairs.

 

Micky greeting riders on the #4 quad:

 

End of the day snowbank at the side of the lower parking lot. If one looks carefully, one can just make out the tracks my dog left hiking up the snow bank:

 

The snow conditions were very good, with fresh snow falling throughout the day. The crowds, though, were insane. I've never seen crowds like that there before. People I spoke to who work there commented on what a busy day it was, too -- the busiest day of the season, maybe longer.

 

So, is this year shaping up better than last year overall? Actually, no. This season has apparently only been running at about 94% of last season, attributed to bad luck with weather on weekends this year. One might also speculate that the highway tolls going back to full price this year may have had an effect, having been free last year and capped at 1,000 yen for a couple of years before that. Whatever the reason, this season has been running a bit behind last season, which itself ran a bit behind typical (pre-3.11) seasons.

 

But not yesterday. Yesterday, everyone and their dog was out.

[muikabochi 208]

Nice one Metabo.

 

I almost want to go to meet the Rangers!

[KlingKlang 1]

Did the dog not ski, MO?