Thundercat 60 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Well, it's been a long time coming but sometimes things more important than snowboarding get in the way ( ). It's going to be a short review too because unfortunately I don't have the time to get into it too deeply. Feel free to ask any questions though and I'll do my best to answer. Charmant has been a place that I've wanted to get to for quite some time now but for one reason or another it had been impossible until recently. It's not a big place with only three lifts (only two were running while we were there because of too much snow) but it's rangy and there is a lot of terrain to cover with pretty long fail lines. I knew I would like it as soon as I arrived when I saw loads of powder boards and skis in the rental shop and a bunch of boarders standing around the base area with a bunch of homemade noboards and snow skates. It's really an out of the way place at the end of a long drive down a super snowy valley. Without a car I don't think it's the kind of place that you'd want to go to. The ticket prices are really reasonable and if you look around you can get a pretty decent discount. We got 1000¥ off our day passes from our accommodation. Like most places they have half day morning and afternoon passes but they also have a lunch time pass that goes from 10-3 (If memory serves me right) which is a pretty unique type of pass. I like it and I would certainly go back but it's a hell of a long way from where I live! Link to post Share on other sites
surfarthur 22 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Looks like an awesome place BM Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 **** me that looks proper deep! Good work dude! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 You'd think they might have made the lifts a bit.....taller! Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Or the ground lower. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Yes! Either may work. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 **** me that looks proper deep! Good work dude! Yeah, they had broken 6m just before I got there. I think it was 4.5m at the base. The snow walls along the road on the way up were crazy. It also snowed the whole time we were there, about 60cms in two days. The weather was insane near the sea of japan. It was rainy, windy, snowy, thunder and lightning, sunny and hailing on a 20 minute cycle. There was also some really serious waves with 20 foot faces... it's certainly a place where hardy people live. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks BM! . I read about Charmant Hiuchi before I came Japan and have wanted to go ever since. Maybe next season! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Very cool. Ta Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted March 17, 2013 Author Share Posted March 17, 2013 I think I said that for like 5 seasons in a row. It's got a really local feel to it and it's not really easy to flesh out places to stay. I was talking to some locals who told me that it can get really busy at times as well because there aren't really any other options nearby. I found it a little hard to believe but I imagine it would be a nightmare with lots of people. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Where did you stay in the end? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I've been a few times, but not for about seven or eight years. My wife got concussed once on the jump at the bottom. Basically, its one main covered quad up the guts. about 500 vert in one ride. From the top it fans out on both sides with some fun microterrain. They never used to have any ropes at all, which is great obviously, but also indicates that its not steep enough to slide. Some bits may touch 30 degrees, but its mostly closer to 20 even straight down the lift line. Like BM said, a lot of cool locals and some friendly people. The first time we went, the people from the (freestyle) ski school got talking to us and they ended up guiding us round the less touched parts of the hill. They used to write a blog that was mainly just big photos of people riding deep stuff with "PAU! PAU!" in massive letters. Off the scale on the cool factor. Its also just about Japan's snowiest resort. Riding pow is much more popular with Japanese people than it was when we used to go, so maybe it gets a bit busier now. Unless you're coming from Kansai on the Hokuriku, the roads make it much more out of the way than other resorts, even though its just on the back side of the old Arai. That should seriously limit the number of people going there. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks BM, interesting. Never been myself. Asked a few Japanese skiing friends about it. The most common comment seemed to be "too far" (even for us here in Niigata). Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Interesting sounding place thanks for sharing Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Actually not too far from where I am, but still haven't made it there. Link to post Share on other sites
yamaski 0 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Thanks Black Mountain. I have been a few times over the years, it's an interesting place. And can be quite busy. Definitely a different flavor to it than most skijo. Link to post Share on other sites
Hokkaidough 4 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Always like to hear about places that get ridiculous amounts of snow. Link to post Share on other sites
Gunma Boarder 14 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I think I have to go there next year, looks awesome! Link to post Share on other sites
HoTRoD 2 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Is this nearer to Hakuba or Myoko, or basically in the middle but a bit far from each? Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 I think it's closer to Myoko, especially if you take the expressway. That being said, I believe it's still about 1.5 hours from there. The more I think about it the smaller it seems to me... funny that. Also, there is another thing I really don't like about the place. On the left side of the mountain (skiers right), there is a cat track that runs back and forth across the face of the mountain that sneaks up on you in a hurry. On more than one occasion I was letting my board run and dropped down onto it only to bounce off in the opposite direction. I definitely had a great time there but that was because it was my birthday weekend and my wife and I stayed at a nice pension and ate out at a couple of great restaurants. Taken as a whole it was a really fun trip and nice to explore somewhere I'd never been before. The sea of Japan reminded me of the east coast of Canada (one of my favourite places in the world) but I rate the mountain as pretty average. Timing is everything though, isn't it Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Btw, the second and third photos I posted were off the back of the mountain. I'm not sure if you could even get out of there if you went down. There are no roads or anything in that direction, just a big river. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I have this image of it being very 'remote' and harsh. Must put it on my list to try out once. This year my list of places was rather uninspiring! Link to post Share on other sites
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