SKI 15 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Yeah, the Sapporo games though that was the plan from the beginning wasn't it. Do the games, get out, nature reclaim mountain. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Yeah, the Sapporo games though that was the plan from the beginning wasn't it. Do the games, get out, nature reclaim mountain. That's what I heard too. Shame. Some great terrain. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 DAY 125 : TUESDAY 01 APRIL 2014 0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Cool and sunny today but also very windy, with the upper lifts on wind hold all day. After yesterday's exertions I took a day off to recover. DAY 126 : WEDNESDAY 02 APRIL 2014 0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ The wind died down overnight and the morning broke clear, so it was back to Mt Eniwa-dake for another solo skin & ski. After skiing the East Face on Monday, today I was looking to find the lost resort of Mt Eniwa, host to the Men's & Women's Downhill skiing events at the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics. The drive around Lake Shikotsu was spectacular this morning with the waters calm and crystal clear Mt Eniwa-dake (the East Face Bowl and ascent ridge on the right hand side of the peak) Mt Tarumae and Mt Fuppushi-dake Mt Fuppushi-dake's 'E.T. Couloir' Mt Eniwa-dake The East Face bowl Today's route - walk (green) and ski (red) Rt 78, closed until 05 May 2014 Avalanche path off the summit Rt 78 is closed to traffic but is plowed clean at least to the 6 km marker (of 9.1 km). That's how far I walked down the road trying to get sight of the Olympic runs. Nothing. And with Mt Eniwa-dake being volcanic, the gullies separating the many faces of the mountain are deep and steep sided. A no go to traversing around. So I turned around and walked 3km back up the road until I got to a car parking area where I put on the skins and headed up the mountain to make some turns. The snow was solid and the skin up quick and easy. Went up to just below the summit ridge and then dropped in to the trees that took me back to the road. Great pitch and nicely spaced trees, with some fun gullies and steeper shots. Turns out the Olympic venue is at the end of the road, 9.1 km There's a storm rolling through this weekend and the next clear day is early next week. Looking to head back on Tuesday, this time with a bike to finally see what's left of the '72 Olympics venue. The search continues. DAY 127 : THURSDAY 03 APRIL 2014 0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ A cool grey day in the Niseko Resort Area with mist & drizzle rolling in around 11 am Greg Heptonstall went up the mountain this morning and reported awful conditions. A good day to be indoors. Had the buffet lunch at Prativo in Higashiyama, which as always was great. DAY 128 : FRIDAY 04 APRIL 2014 0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ I woke at 6am to the rain hammering down on the roof here at MQ. It's eased off a little but there's more on the way before the temperature plumments and the snow returns. 30 cm forecast this evening into tomorrow, so fingers crossed we see the return of powder and face shots Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Awesome pics Mike!! I love the shots of the mountain reflected in the lake.....reminds me of Mt Fuji a bit Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Yeah those reflection photos are fantastic! Beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thanks TubbyBeaverinho and muikabochi. Doesn't happen very often at Lake Shikotsu Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 +1 on the love for those photos Mike! Am also intrigued to see what's become of those '72 downhill runs, so hope you can make it out there. ganbare!! Link to post Share on other sites
gvm3373 4 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 +2 on that much prefer these sort of tour reports and photos than photos of face shots at the resorts. Well done. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thanks Mick Rich and gvm3373, fingers crossed. UPDATE : WEDNESDAY 02 APRIL 2014 Mt Eniwa-dake Solo 2 http://youtu.be/hvt_ePNUm8k Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Those lake reflection shots are spectacular, especially this one: That one alone beats a thousand face shots. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thanks Maetabo Oyaji. But I'll take the 1,000 face shots every time Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 problem with face shots is they all look much the same. If it's you, or you took it, brill. Otherwise... Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thankfully on Hokkaido you can have both Link to post Share on other sites
TsugaikeKogen 79 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thankfully on Tsugaike Kogen you can have both Tsugaike Kogen 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 You wish Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Great photos Mike I like face shots as well scenery shots a great though 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 DAY 129 : SATURDAY 05 APRIL 2014 2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ The rain stopped around mid-afternoon yesterday and turned to very fine snow soon after. But as has happened far too often this season it was accompanied by very high winds which blew what little snow had fallen all over the place. I woke to winter views this morning and the heating went back on for the first time in a week. The 30 cm that had been forecast hadn't materialised and with the high winds still raging in the Niseko Resort Area - which closed all the upper lifts all day - I headed to Kiroro Snow World on my own to see what was on offer. The car park was white and quiet and the slopes were covered with a new layer of powder. No spring crunch underfoot Only the bottom three quads and the backside uncovered double were operating today, and after a couple of laps on the groomed runs and the fringes I headed into 'Walk in the Woods' to see what I could find. 12 days with no snow Sunshine Warm temperatures Rain and after 1 storm I got boot to boot top powder all day, with knee deep turns and face shots each run. Stay Another Day It was snowing as I left and I'll be heading back over tomorrow. Hopefully the gondola will be running. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 DAY 130 : SUNDAY 06 APRIL 2014 5 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ The wind that almost cracked 'Eggshell' - the proper name for MQ in Higashiyama - Friday night into Saturday morning moved north overnight keeping the Kiroro Snow World upper lifts closed for the second consecutive day, but more importantly flattening all of yesterday's powder It was boot deep at best today but on the plus side the groomed runs were in perfect mid-winter condition. I came back to Higashiyama mid-afternoon and 5cm had already fallen. And it's coming down hard and straight as I type. The upper lifts in the Niseko United ski area have been closed for the past two days too, and with tomorrow forecast to be sunny it's going to be a tough call to decide where to ski. Watch this space. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 It was good at Teine today Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Good to hear Deep? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Not super deep but enough for face shots at tfe top of the bowls. In the more sheltered runs you couldn't touch the ice crust even on a hard turn Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Fabulous. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 DAY 131 : MONDAY 07 APRIL 2014 6 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ Spring returned to the Niseko Resort Area this morning with sunshine, blue skies and fresh powder. It was the same at Kiroro Snow World for Ian and me, unfortunately we didn't get the memo that as from today the gondola will only open on weekends We warmed up on the groomed runs which were excellent, but after only one run in the trees off the Nagamine chair ski patrol was on us like shit on a stick. Not surprising really as we were the only ones skiing off the groomed runs. Glen Claydon reported fun turns off the peak at Hirafu this morning but with Hanazono closed for the season, it was cutback central to make the Hirafu lifts. Link to post Share on other sites
sapporo 8 Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Rusutsu closed yesterday. Teine only weekends... Spring is here! Nakayama Toge resort should be opening soon? Link to post Share on other sites
MagSeven 40 Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Yep Nakayama is open. The park is looking lush. Link to post Share on other sites
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