johnferris 0 Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Hi I'm looking at spending a week or two over Christmas and New years in either Furano or Niseko with a bunch of mates (from NZ / Oz). Most of us are boarders looking for some powder, but theres one or two learners too who will need lessons. A couple of questions: 1) What is the chance of good powder over xmas (which place would you recommend) 2) Do the instructors there speak english Cheers J Link to post Share on other sites
sava 0 Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Not sure about furano, but for niseko there's lots of english instructors. Read the niseko now updates to get an idea of the snow levels of that time for previous years. It will be interesting to see if the even more aussies this year will totally kill the powder. Link to post Share on other sites
woywoy 0 Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Do something different Johnno and go to Furano or somewhere more interesting than Niseko. It is the new WHISTLER ... crowded and packed with Aussies. Link to post Share on other sites
sava 0 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 NPM: while I agree that there are lots of aussies, that's what quite a few aussies want... They want more of a ski holiday rather than a trip to japan or a ski trip with a couple of days of japan (maybe one or two days in a city etc). It's personal preference - a lot of J people used to come to the gold coast in Australia for the same reason. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 We decided against Niseko, that was one of the reasons why. Link to post Share on other sites
sava 0 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 It's why I'm not going there also I think after a while you'll start to see the numbers of aussies at niseko drop as they move towards other parts of Japan. The profile will change as niseko harmony resorts or whatever they call themselves start attracting people from China which they said is one of the markets they're looking at. Link to post Share on other sites
RichE 0 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 I'd be surprised if extra Aussies next year 'kill the powder'. It depends entirely on what parts of the mountain you ride. While runs like Strawberry Fields tend to get tracked out quickly, there are much better options. We went for the first time this year and on most of the 'runs' we skied we hardly saw another person. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by NPM: Do something different Johnno and go to Furano or somewhere more interesting than Niseko. It is the new WHISTLER ... crowded and packed with Aussies. Nothing wrong with Whistler NPM It's an amazing area that will challenge even the pros Link to post Share on other sites
69 5 Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Yeah I'd love to spend some time at Whistler.... Link to post Share on other sites
happyhappy 0 Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 Me too. Way more than I would Niseko as well. Link to post Share on other sites
johnferris 0 Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 Thanks for your help Guys . . . have spent some time lookkng at other options and now thinking of Nozawa . . . Cheers Johnno Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by Toque: Quote: Originally posted by NPM: Do something different Johnno and go to Furano or somewhere more interesting than Niseko. It is the new WHISTLER ... crowded and packed with Aussies. Nothing wrong with Whistler NPM It's an amazing area that will challenge even the pros while i agree with you regarding whister's challenge, and although this is a topic about niseko, the problem with whister is that unless you are a pro, you will be challenged just to get on the mountain. lift tickets alone will break the bank at whistler. and try getting first chair. ha! powder is chewed up in half a day and you will spend half of that time waiting in lines. if canadian powder is what you are after, go to the interior. oops, no wait a second, go to whister. stay there. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Just have to know where to go at Whistler Powder even gets tracked out in the Interior really fast As for the ticket cost all you have to do is become a Uni student and score a cheap season pass. It is expensive though. But that seems to be the case for a lot of hills in NA Link to post Share on other sites
Error404 0 Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 How expensive compared to JApan toque? Remember as well that in Niseko you will have Aussie Santas to look forward to Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted August 10, 2005 Share Posted August 10, 2005 Quote: 1) What is the chance of good powder over xmas (which place would you recommend) Somewhere in Hokkaido is your safest bet. It's a bit early for Honshu. Check the archives for the Now reports to see how much snow has been at the main areas at this time of year. Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted August 10, 2005 Share Posted August 10, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by Error404: How expensive compared to JApan toque? Remember as well that in Niseko you will have Aussie Santas to look forward to if you can get the uni ticket, which requires 4 friends also in uni, then it is very cheap. assuming you can find a place to stay. but word is that they are becoming much more strict regarding the uni pass. you have to now prove enrolement. but there is a loop hole regarding a highschool equivelency course that will count and will only cost you $70. so if you enrole in that and find four friends to do the same (it is a group pass) then it will run you about $400. however, if you cannot swing that a day pass will run you about $80CAN and a season's pass is about $1500CAN. and like i said, assuming that you can find anywhere beside a closet, and by closet i mean shared closet, then you will have a tough time finding anywhere to live near the mountain. there is always squamish or pemberton, and if you have a car then it isn't bad, only about an hour away from the mountain from either place. and the rent is reasonable, but even still you have to arive in september to find anything decent. otherwise you will have to drive the two+ hours from vancouver on what is a terrifying stretch of highway. oh, one more thing, if you intend to move to whistler, move there with a girlfriend. good luck finding one while you are there. whistler, more so then most other resorts is a sausage fest. and the girls there are already taken by somebody that arrived there before you did. so, go to red mountain, go to whitewater, go to fernie, or go to golden if you want wicked skiing. go to banff if you want a cheap party. go to whistler if you want to try to make it in the highlife. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted August 10, 2005 Share Posted August 10, 2005 I put up some people who have a second house in whistler. So I can stay there for free when and if I go. the uni pass is also age restricted. did you ever meet alisha clinne down there? Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 i met her at the sunshine village extreme comp a couple of years ago. she is pretty cool. Link to post Share on other sites
Error404 0 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Thanks daver, I think the chance of me getting a uni ticket are exactly zero Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts