Anyone near Morioka

[billi-bobbu 0]

Anyone here near Morioka? I live about 20 mins out of the city (to the west). Can't wait to get the board on soon.

[jared 0]

I'm near mizusawa - plenty of people come down here from Morioka to ski, and strangely plenty of people from down here go up past Morioka to ski.

[scouser 4]

Up there in Morioka, how far are you away from Appi and Shizukuishi, et al?

[Plucky 0]

I live an hour and a half north. Some good ski areas down that way. I prefer Hachimanti Forest over anything I've skied in Japan and hope to make it down there this weekend. I went to Appi last Sunday and only one run was open from the top. The place looked like a bomb had gone off. I've never seen so many boarders sprawled every which way over a run. Made the moguls at the top interesting

 

Glad to see there are some other N. Japan people on here. Let's pray for some more snow! How in the hell has (Cr)Appi held at 40cm all week with the high temps and no snow?? Liars!

[Ocean11 0]

Haha! I love a man who bears a grudge!

[Plucky 0]

Ocean11, have you been up anywhere yet this year? I know it's not a good statistical sample with it being so early in the season, but I swear it was 90% boarders and 10% skiers last weekend. Last year it was at least 60%/40%. Boarding is taking over the world.... I guess I'm alternative now. When do you predict the cool factor will swing it back to skiing in Japan?

[Ocean11 0]

I've been to 47 and Happo once each so far. Both seemed to be about 50-50.

 

I don't really think it's got much to do with 'cool' meaning 'trendy'. I reckon for many people they're completely different sports, despite the similarities. That's the way it is for me who has never skied, and also for my boarding mates who used to ski.

 

But of course there are folks who will do things for the sake of fashion, and others who have a gift for things athletic and can do all sorts of sports equally well, and they're the segments that will swing it one way or the other.

 

I just hope that they feed off each other and bring about some benefits for resort users in general. At the moment, I think the attitude of most resort management is still probably 'Ski', and I'd like to see that change.

[Plucky 0]

I have to agree with you on that Ocean. I do think the resorts are geared to skiers still. I hate to say this, but wake up! The resorts are populated by mostly boarders now. Hey, it does me fine since I ski with boarders and go where a lot of them can't go.

 

I have to agree - I hope they do feed off each other for the benefit of all. Japan has to be the worst on off piste policy (no big secret). We just duck the ropes anyway. never got caught last season and that's all we did at a lot of resorts. We did get chastised over the loud speaker once, but couldn't understand them .

 

Oh, and the Morioka/N. Tohuku region rips! (to stay consistent with the thread)

[NoFakie 45]

Too early to tell Mr. Plucky.

 

Anyone out early season has been ignoring the accepted "wisdom" that it must be rubbish because the season hasn't officially started. That points to "more eager than your average" customers being on the slopes. At that level, there are disproportionally more skiers than in the general populance, I think.

 

I normally go to Hakuba 47, and that has definitely had far more skiers than normal this year, probably because there's nowhere else for them to go. As Happo opens up properly, the number of skiers at 47 will surely fall.

[Plucky 0]

I don't know about the whole "wisdom" thing. snow on slopes - runs acceptable - I go. I don't mean this in a derogatory way at all. Hell, it sucked with all the boarders trying to get through moguls where they shouldn't be. I had a few words for them.

 

As far as 'wisdom' goes, disproportionally, I had a different experience. I 'chose' to ski. I had 'fun'. At least in N Japan, your hypothesis is wrong. Way more boarders by far. You trying to paint some picture???

[Karnidge 2]

90% boarders.

 

How really uncool.

 

Expect the ski boom cycle to start this year.