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Very jealous!

Tengudake/Yama has always been a dream for me, looks so steep and inviting when driving that way.

You skinned it in 4hours, what you think it would take with snow shoes?

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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!

Looked a beautiful day for it Mike!

 

Weather recently has been gorgeous....course not for the snow.....but it's been nice just being up the hill and out in the warm sunshine

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DAY 122 : SATURDAY 29 MARCH 2014

 

0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

Once the early morning valley mist had burned off leaving blue skies and sunshine I started my day at Niseko Village taking the gondola and single chair to the top of the ski area and then traversing over to the King Lift #4 (pIzza box) at Grand Hirafu.

 

At the top of the single chair it was skis off for the hike to 'The Peak' for the first time this winter.

 

A short walk later I was atop Mt Niseko An'nupuri ('The Peak') at 1308 m, enjoying a 360 degree view of all this area has to offer.

 

The summit marker and Mt Youtei

 

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The Niseko Range stretching out to the sea

 

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Ready to drop in

 

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Grand Hirafu, Hirafu village and Mt Youtei from 'The Peak' of Mt Niseko An'nupuri

 

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I dropped in to the north face hoping for smooth corn snow and for the first half of the run was met with rutted, re-frozen hardpack which hadn't softened in the sunshine.

 

My fillings got a good work out.

 

As I traversed skier's right back around to the front face the snow softened and I could let the skis go.

 

The run out through Jacksons was smooth, and I haven't seen so little snow depth on the road out from the golf course in all the times I've skied it.

 

As I was taking the Hanazono lifts back up to do another lap I bumped into Greg Heptonstall and instead of hiking again we did laps through Gate 4 dropping back to the Hanazono 3 chair lift.

 

Great skiing with plenty of unskied spring snow to enjoy.

 

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Hi Mike enjoyed your report touring around Jyozankei dam. Wondering where you source your topo maps. Any info appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

I use google maps and earth and the link at the top of this pic

 

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DAY 123 : SUNDAY 30 MARCH 2014

 

0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

It was raining when I woke, so I took the day off snow.

 

The rain turned to very light snow in the afternoon.

 

 

 

DAY 124 : MONDAY 31 MARCH 2014

 

0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ

 

 

March saw 151 cm (59") of snowfall at MQ, the 3rd lowest total in the eight winters I've been collecting data.

 

The highest total was in March 2010 when 271 cm (107") fell.

 

 

A skiff of new snow had settled at MQ overnight but I was on the road to Lake Shikotsu and a solo skin & ski of Mt Eniwa-dake.

 

The route up (green) and down (red) of Mt Eniwa-dake

 

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The peak of Mt Eniwa-dake from the skin track

 

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East Face of Mt Eniwa-dake with Lake Shikotsu in the background

 

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The volcanic vents, chutes and snow of the East Face bowl

 

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My line

 

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Mt Eniwa-dake from lakeside

 

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Mt Tarumae and Mt Fuppushi-dake from lakeside

 

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The skin up was straightforward and straight up. A few tricky sections towards the summit. Took 3 hrs.

 

The ski in the East face bowl was great with a solid platform and spring snow. The line goes top to bottom but not at this time of the year.

 

I cut back to the skin track and the descent through the trees was hard work. Breakable crust and knee deep slush in tight trees.

 

With mid-winter powder it would be excellent.

 

Mt Eniwa-dake Solo 1

 

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Thanks muikabochi.

 

Trying to mix it up with scenics and action. Don't have a tripod with me, so action shots when I'm skiing solo are tough ;)

 

With the better weather we've had recently it's the ideal opportunity to get on top of a hill and get some landscapes.

 

More on the way. Working through them now.

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It is OldKarl. Very different from the Niseko Resort Area, Rusutsu & Kiroro where I spend most of my winter.

 

Yes Metabo Oyaji, Mt Eniwa hosted the Men's & Women's Downhill events for the 1972 Sapporo Olympics.

 

It was the only mountain nearby that had the requisite pitch and length needed to satisfy the FIS criteria.

 

After the events had finished the lifts were dismantled.

 

Haven't managed to ski the runs yet.

 

Words & pics to follow shortly :)

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I find that story about them making a skijo complete with Ropeway etc for the Olympics and then dismantling it soon after.... somewhat mad.

 

Same with alot of Olympic facilities after the Games finish. But yeah, a whole ski hill built and then left to nature is crazy.

 

Great photos of some interesting trips recently MikePow! I've hiked alot around those areas in the summer/autumn, I really should make the effort to get out with my skis in the spring to make the most of the snow and sunny weather!

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Are there any other instances of a complete skijo built just for the Olympics; taken down right after; the mountain being quickly reclaimed to nature with trees planted etc?

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That's how much money must have been flying around in the Boom years Error404.

 

Thanks MagSeven. Yeah a great time to get out and about and ski some great peaks that are logistically quite difficult to get to in mid-winter.

 

Not what the Sarajevo Olympic Committe intended, but the 1984 venues have gone to rack and ruin

 

External link - hope that's ok SJDavid.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/02/21/sarajevo-olympics-1984_n_4823919.html

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