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That was a great day.   For now though. Need. More. Fresh. Snow.

I wouldn't head across JUST yet though Mike.......it needs a big storm. A lot of the good trees on Isola weren't filled in with a lot of sasa poking through

Some friends of mine headed off to Chamonix on xmas day because they found Niseko too busy last year!

Are there any buses that go up that way, Mag?

 

Not sure! Never needed to take one! Alot of buses stop at the Michi no eki up there right next to the ski jo, so there must be somthing. Whether they're scheduled buses or just private tour groups, I don't know!

 

And, incase sunny park laps isn't enough to tempt you up there Tubby, later in the month and through Golden Week I think they have a load of jingis kan grills fired up at the bottom of the slope!

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DAY 132 : TUESDAY 08 APRIL 2014

 

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With clear skies and no wind overnight I set off before dawn for another day out on Mt Eniwa-dake on Lake Shikotsu.

 

For my third visit this winter I was trying to find the runs cut for the Men's & Women's Downhill skiing events at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics.

 

Mt Eniwa-dake across Lake Shikotsu

 

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The plan today was to cycle the closed Rt 78 9.1 km down to the lake, hike up the mountain, ski down, and then cycle back out to the car.

 

The route by bike & hike (green) and ski (red)

 

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On the way down to the lake I passed by what would have been the base area for the downhill events.

 

True to the organising committe's aim there was no trace that runs, lifts and buildings had once been there.

 

The downhill venue, Mount Eniwa, was created expressly for the Olympic competition. However,

immediately after the Games, the mountain was returned to its pristine state in compliance with local

conservation laws. It cost $2 million to construct and dismantle the 2 downhill runs, 2 cable cars, and

chairlift.

 

 

 

Mt Eniwa Aerial photo

 

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Mt Eniwa Trail map

 

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1972 Sapporo Olympics Men's Downhill

 

 

 

 

I continued down to the lake and had a little walk around a closed campsite before hiking up the trail into one of the SW facing gullies

 

Entrance to the closed lakeside campsite

 

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The cabins

 

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The view of my line on Mt Eniwa-dake from the shoreline of Lake Shikotsu

 

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Moonrise over Mt Eniwa-dake

 

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Mt Eniwa-dake Solo 3

 

http://youtu.be/cMEKvQxvHk8

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That's an awesome road to cycle down to the lake round the backside of Eniwa! Not so much coming back up. I prefer continuing along the lakeside path all the way round to Bifue campsite (even if it does mean pushing the bike over landslide debris and fallen trees!)

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DAY 133 : WEDNESDAY 09 APRIL 2014

 

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A hazy day in the Niseko Resort Area.

 

Took the day off snow and went exploring the Lake Toya area and the peaks of the Kariba Mountainous District above the fishing village of Shimamaki on the SW coast.

 

Lake Toya

 

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DAY 134 : THURSDAY 10 APRIL 2014

 

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Heavy rain hammering against the roof woke me at 4am.

 

It stopped raining around 8am and it was blustery and sunny for the rest of the day with a ight dusting up snow up high.

 

 

 

DAY 135 : FRIDAY 11 APRIL 2014

 

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The vilage was white again this morning but it didn't last long in the Spring sunshine.

 

I spent the morning skiing Niseko Hirafu with local photographer Glen Claydon.

 

The top up of new snow certainly improved conditions with great turns off the Ace # 3 double chair, but high winds kept the top lifts closed all day

 

Yours truly in a Glen Claydon pic

 

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DAY 136 : SATURDAY 12 APRIL 2014

 

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The upside of the Kiroro Snow World gondola being closed during the week is the snow that fell this week covered up and smoothed out the spring crunch.

 

Expecting a day on the groomed runs, Ian and I were pleasantly surprised with the 5-15 cm of untracked powder in 'Hangman'.

 

A great way to finish the season at Kiroro.

 

Ian

 

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DAY 137 : SUNDAY 13 APRIL 2014

 

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For my final day on snow this Hokkaido winter I drove 90 min south west to the coastal fishing village of Shimamaki, the gateway to the Kariba Mountainous District.

 

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In the winter months the road beyond Chihasegawa Hot Spring onsen is closed, so it was a 9km (2hr) skin on a very gradual gradient to the car park area for the Garo-no-Taki waterfall and the base of Higashikaribayama (1319 m).

 

A further 2 hr skin took me to the summit of Higashikaribayama and fantastic views of Mt Kariba (1520 m), the Sea of Japan, and the Niseko Range from Iwanai to Mt Yotei.

 

Mt Kariba

 

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The Sea of Japan and the Shakotan Peninsula

 

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Mt Obira (I think)

 

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There was a crew of snowmobilers out who rode to the top of Higashikaribayama and if you had access to a snowmobile the travel time from Chihasegawa Hot Spring onsen to the summit would be about 30 mins.

 

The skiing was great.

 

A light covering of dry powder up high and corn down low.

 

Higashikaribayama

 

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Mt Fumonnai

 

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The Kariba Mountainous District

 

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The Hokkaido Backcountry Club are hoping to offer cat & heliskiing in this area in the future and it certainly has the above treeline terrain suitable for all ability levels.

 

Who knows, it could become the 'Haines of Hokkaido'

 

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Seasons in the Sun

 

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DAY 138 : MONDAY 14 APRIL 2014

 

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I took the day off snow cleaning MQ and sorting out what I'm taking back home to Wales.

 

 

 

DAY 139 : TUESDAY 15 APRIL 2014

 

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Homeward bound after another fantastic winter in the Shiribeshi area of Hokkaido.

 

The total snowfall I recorded at MQ in Higashiyama, Niseko Resort Area (~ 300 m) this season was

 

13.58 m (535")

 

 

The mean for the 8 winters I've been measuring is 14.27 m (562").

 

So slightly below "average" ;)

 

Late November into mid-December we had three rain events which wiped out the snowpack down low. Took a while for all the sasa (bamboo grass) to be covered up.

 

Biggest change this winter was the increase in wind events resulting in lift closures and sometimes whole resort closures.

 

Despite the above, the powder was excellent.

 

I skied 100 days, of which 63 were knee deep or deeper powder days.

 

Not many areas in the world have that consistency.

 

The 2013/14 List :

 

Ski Areas

 

Asarigawa Onsen (2), Kiroro Snow World (38), Niseko Moiwa (10), Niseko United (30), Rusutsu (9), Otaru Tenguyama (1), Sapporo Kokusai (3), Sapporo Teine (1)

 

 

Heliskiing

 

Shiribetsudake with the Hokkaido Backcountry Club (1)

 

 

Ski Touring

 

Kariba Mountainous District (1), Mt Eniwa (3), Tengudake (1)

 

 

Many thanks to all those I skied with for their patience when I was taking pics and video.

 

 

 

And it might not be over for this winter.

 

I'm hoping for a late season ski in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales.

 

Last season I skied on 15 May :)

 

SR : Wales 2013 / 14

 

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/23316-sr-wales-2013-14/

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