Tom_UK 0 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Hi all! This is my first season in Japan - I have been working and living in Matsumoto since April. Just wanted to see if anyone was going skiing/ boarding this weekend around Nagano? So far I have been to Happo (23rd and 25th November), Ontake (1st December), 47 (2nd) and this weekend Tsugaike. Tsugaike was outrageously good right until they closed all ski lifts at about 2.30 - not sure why, think it may have been too windy Anyway, that is when it got even better as we had to board down to the Gondola mid station. I have never witnessed so much snow on piste before! There must have been about 50cm of the stuff, couldn't see my board for most of the time down (even when my face wasn't stuck in the snow) If that is a sign of things to come, the next 4 months will be epic! Anyways, I am thinking Norikura (near Matsumoto, not North of Hakuba) but am happy to see new place In a bit Tom Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Hi Tom and welcome Already done a bit hey? But, didn't happen without..... http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/ Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 welcome Tom!! Good to see that you've been out n about exploring....but if there are no pictures of cheese at the resort, then it didn't happen!! Yeah, this is indicative of a snow season in Japan, the next 4 months are going to be outrageous fun. What part of the UK are you from? Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Hey dude, im always in and around nagano. Ill be in nozawa though for the majority of the season. Living in Matsumoto Hakuba is pretty much a no-brainer so i can see why youd want to go there. Dunno if youre going by train or car, but kamishiro gets you to goryu/47. I dont think youve seen the best of it (wasnt it just the gondola and the E-lift that weekend?). Make sure to get back there once its all operational (probably is now). As for this weekend... veryvery little snow on the horizon. Last weekend was a one off early christmas present, the season often doesnt really get into gear until around christmas and then its straight pukarage for a month. We might get lucky though... well, we already have in truth... massive dump last weekend, small pico dumpettes up to the november holiday weekend opening up the resorts mid november... Just dont be too disappointed if it starts pulling back for a couple of weeks before taking off for real. In fact when you consider that last season stretched past golden week up kagura way (they even kept it open top to bottom), its been all round an exceptionally fun year for snowboarding. Heres an outline of the season according to my personal experience: November - lucky if you get a drop. But it happens (im two for two in the years ive lived here (2008 and this year)). December - random dumps if youre lucky. If the november dump didnt hppen youll get a december one. If not then operations end up scaled back as the hot weather maks a last stand. Late December - Taps turn on. Always. Never once have i gone past christmas without a serious dump. January - Pretty consistent powder mayhem. Early to mid feb - less consistent snow, but the heavens seem to be squirreling it away because it PUKES when it does drop. Late Feb - Taps turn off. Youll get a few dumps here and there, but you best start getting lucky with your timings because the temps are going up and the snow is getting heavier March - Youll get a few snow days. Unless you get a lucky cooling though its pretty usual for it to be pretty much snow free, bluebird, starting to get slushy in a lot of places. A few of the smaller resorts will start closing down and if its a bad year, some of the bigger ones will start scaling back. April - Shut down for a stack of resorts. The cherry blossoms are out. For the biggest resorts, the aim is to hit golden week, but realistically its game over mid april. If it stretches beyond this consider yourself lucky. May - A few of the bigger/higher resorts might still have a very skeleton operation running. Depends on the base we got and the temps obviously. Kagura were brilliant last year in making the most of what hey had and managed to push it to late May if i recall. I think happo were the lst dudes in Nagano to offer a full run. June - if you really want to ride, youre going to that place in fukushima or wherever the hell it is. So to summarise: november - late december: build up. Late december - Early Feb: Peak. February: inconsistent puking. March: wind down and slush. April: Wet and heavy May: holy shit! im going snowboarding during golden week! Hope that gives you a (flawed) general idea of the season. I know when i first came to nagano it was one of my biggest questions (i like to manage my expectations). Anyways, as for this weekend off to nozawa to actually pick up my season pass this time after screwing it up last time by being 2000 yen short. oops. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Welcome Tom Yeah loved Tsugaike when I was in Hakuba but alas I am not there to ride with. mate we need photos or footage please seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 If that freakin tunnel wasn't out of service I'd be up there...as it is it's just too much fartin around in the car. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Chris just take the Fujinomiya route... that should bypass the tunnel, shouldn't it? Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 You big wuss, Chriselle! Hike it! I bet you even use ski lifts to gt up the hill! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Chris just take the Fujinomiya route... that should bypass the tunnel, shouldn't it? Is that the one that goes over the pass and down into Kofu-Minami...? I took that as the tsunami escape route to Nagano and it was horrendous....traffic that is. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 You big wuss, Chriselle! Hike it! I bet you even use ski lifts to gt up the hill! If this is what you mean....I'm in. A couple hills I'd like to "hike". Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 This would be more of a hike Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 She is strangely arousing ..... or is that just me... Link to post Share on other sites
Tom_UK 0 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 welcome Tom!! Good to see that you've been out n about exploring....but if there are no pictures of cheese at the resort, then it didn't happen!! Yeah, this is indicative of a snow season in Japan, the next 4 months are going to be outrageous fun. What part of the UK are you from? Note to self - take cheese...expect photos next week I am from the Midlands originally but Norwich through and through Link to post Share on other sites
Tom_UK 0 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 You big wuss, Chriselle! Hike it! I bet you even use ski lifts to gt up the hill! If this is what you mean....I'm in. A couple hills I'd like to "hike". I hope this will be an ongoing trend that all my future topics have breasts posted on them Link to post Share on other sites
Tom_UK 0 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 Ippy, if I am boarding come Golden Week then I will have to do something special to mark the occasion! (although not willing to commit to anything too ridiculous at this stage) Based on no experience whatsoever, I would say that from going on what I have seen so far, it should be good for the rest of December - especially Tsugaike Then I expect no less than a 1m of the fresh stuff each week for the first 2 months of 2013 Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 weather report doesn't look too good for next weekend......well for Kagura anyway....warming up and a rain event on saturday....hope they've got that wrong Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 You big wuss, Chriselle! Hike it! I bet you even use ski lifts to gt up the hill! If this is what you mean....I'm in. A couple hills I'd like to "hike". I hope this will be an ongoing trend that all my future topics have breasts posted on them Oh yes...and never ever considered off topic... Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 weather report doesn't look too good for next weekend......well for Kagura anyway....warming up and a rain event on saturday....hope they've got that wrong Rain event......? Where can I get tickets for that? Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 just wait until pie-eater spots this! edit: he already did! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Am 90% taking the day off work on Friday and going up. Thursday looks like some snow, with Friday some nice weather before the rain. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I think I'll have a cheeky day up next week....depending on the weather of course Link to post Share on other sites
Kansaiash 6 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I was planning on hitting up Skijam in Fukui for opening day on Sat but looking at the current forecast I think ill be sitting in the pub instead. Taking the Friday off is a great idea and I wish I could do the same. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I just went out for a walk round my neighbourhood. Most of the back roads along the rice fields are now blocked, hopefully until late March. Snow is about 80cm in places untouched by the roads and it is snowing nicely now. Not icy, not too cold. Certainly the resorts that planned to open this weekend will be surely able to do that. A good start I think, would be very good if we could avoid that rain at the weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 i will do both mornings for a couple of hours....just need to finish a project then so much free time for 3 months! Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Honshu forecast isnt good. The Hoks forecast changed from rain to snow so lets hope the came happens on Honshu. Another dump happening mid week though. Link to post Share on other sites
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