muikabochi 208 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Got up early this morning and was out by 6:30am, destination White World Oze Iwakura in Katashina, Gunma. Got on the always-popular Kanetsu Expressway at Shiozawa Ishiuchi and got off at Numata IC. Negotiated the rather busy Route 120 in Numata area, then was interested to see the new tunnel connecting Numata with the Katashina area. It really does cut a chunk off the journey which is nice to see. Photos at the bottom here. My house to White World was just under 90 minutes. White World is an interesting place. I agree with lots of what Gunma Boarder said in his review here: http://www.snowjapan...ews/detail/1982 (I'll write my own sometime later). Blue skies looking up to the resort, hazy in lots of other directions (though not as funky hazy as it was when I returned to Minamiuonuma this afternoon). Snow was... well, I was a bit disappointed. It was snowing a bit yesterday there I believe and I was expecting to get lots of lovely cruising groomed runs in early morning. But they didn't seem to have bothered with the grooming at all. No corduroy that I could find. And it wasn't soft, my knees were taking some load there on the long cruising runs. The lift system is not obvious here. I made a few mistakes early on even though I have been here before a few years ago. Worth studying the map before going. Even when I know them though, it's a bit disjointed but that's hardly unique in Japan! There's also a few lifts over the back that they have discontinued since 3.11 and they don't look like they'll be moving again anytime soon. But I quite like lots of the courses here, and would have liked them better if there was more fresh snow and it had been groomed. (I wanted a groomed morning). Also had a kebab. Though forgot to take a pic of that, before I knew it it was gone! Mister Donuts at Numata on the way home. I quite like it here, though I'm not sure I'll be making the journey much. The tunnel on the Numata side.... ...and on the Katashina side... Old road just about visible in both. Looking very lonely! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Now that looks like a much better morning than mine! Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Looks good muika. Probably worth mentioning that this: is Oze Tokura. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Oops yes, I meant to say that. I'll also put it in that other thread... Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Nice pics as always muika. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I won a ticket to White World, thank you SJ, and so I hope to be going soon. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 How was the kebab? Link to post Share on other sites
NECK 14 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Nice photos muika That place looks like it has a lot of potential! Can't wait to get there and give it a rinsing Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 why don't my photos look like that? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Thanks. Yes worth a visit I think. It's odd you can't see the skijo at all from the roads. You need to get to the car park for it to open up. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Oh yes I am really not keen on the long walk up a slope to get to the ticket office from the car park. I was knackered when I got there! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Kebab was... hmmmmm, er, ok. Basically the bread envelope thing, some chicken, cabbage and sauce as far as I could tell. Nothing particularly exciting. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Looks like some nice on-piste powder still. Is there a sliver of yet another ski are far beyond Tokura? (Okutadami Maruyama...?) Or maybe just a power line. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Nice muika. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Looks like some nice on-piste powder still. Is there a sliver of yet another ski are far beyond Tokura? (Okutadami Maruyama...?) Or maybe just a power line. It was a mixed bag really. In some places so nice spray coming up but mostly it was quite juddery going, if that makes sense. Not silky smooth. Not sure about the other question, I suppose Okutadami is off in that general direction. Interesting! Link to post Share on other sites
egglesby 1 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I like the look of that place. Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I agree about the walk up from the car park. They should at least let you buy tickets by that first lift so you can get up there and ski back down to the gondola. Link to post Share on other sites
Gunma Boarder 14 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 NIce photos! You did the beauty of Iwakura justice. That close up of the backside of Hotaka is amazing! I wasn't sure what I was looking at at first. That would be an amazing BC line. When I went on Sunday the snow was really good, so good I kind of forgot to take some of the pics I was planning on. Would you mind if I used the one below in a thread? I would of course give you all the artistic credit. This shot really shows the tree runs I was riding all morning! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Of course you can, please go ahead. Link to post Share on other sites
NECK 14 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 This shot really shows the tree runs I was riding all morning! Which trees were you riding in relation to this photo Gunma Boarder? It all looks pretty nice Link to post Share on other sites
Bushiman 6 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 After seeing those photos and knowing I have a free ticket to this place, this tune sprang to mind... Just fingers crossed for some better weather! Link to post Share on other sites
Gunma Boarder 14 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Of course you can, please go ahead. Thank you! It is a really nice shot! This shot really shows the tree runs I was riding all morning! Which trees were you riding in relation to this photo Gunma Boarder? It all looks pretty nice Mostly the trees between the two runs in the background. They were really good! For more info you will have to read the thread I'm about to write Link to post Share on other sites
NECK 14 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Of course you can, please go ahead. Thank you! It is a really nice shot! This shot really shows the tree runs I was riding all morning! Which trees were you riding in relation to this photo Gunma Boarder? It all looks pretty nice Mostly the trees between the two runs in the background. They were really good! For more info you will have to read the thread I'm about to write Looks like a lot of fun to be had in there! Is it a one lift hot-lap?..... Definitely gonna go there with Bushiman as soon as the weather looks better and there is some new snow We should coordinate a visit and I will bring the 161 Slackcountry for you to check out Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Nice pics, muika. Where's next? Link to post Share on other sites
NECK 14 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Hey Gunma Boarder, don't suppose you are going to Oze tomorrow or Tuesday 11th?... Link to post Share on other sites
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