frannyo 2 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I was just looking at that thread about new year and someone said that the lift systems have improved making waiting for 30 minutes less common than before. The downside of that being that the slopes are crowded and you need to look out not to crash! Got me thinking, if I had to choose I'd rather have to wait a bit for a lift* than put up with too crowded slopes. Hate not being able to get my run in and have to dodge everyone. Not much fun that. (* not 30 minutes though, I think I'd rather just not be there!) Link to post Share on other sites
fb_steve 0 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I definitely agree with you there, although wait times are frustrating there is nothing worse than having stop every 50 meters to aviod a collision with another person! Crowded runs are terrible! Australia can have some pretty bad lift lines so you kind of get use to that. One thing i like about Japan is that they give priority to paying patrons over school groups. Here they let the school kids in before you, and when there is a whole pack of them it gets frustrating! Link to post Share on other sites
stepchild 0 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 lots of japanese resorts don't seem to have 'singles' lines at the lifts. i find that pretty frustrating. they ought to be present at every lift and their use encouraged. and i also see a lot of half-full lifts going up even when there are heavy queues. that annoys me too. it really doesn't matter if you can't talk to your mate for the 5 minute lift-ride does it??..and you might meet a new friend too!!! i'd rather wait a little longer than have a busy run. i hate those runs when you get snaked on every hit or rail.... Link to post Share on other sites
snobee 0 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Definitely less crowded runs. Altho the frustration that can be created by a long wait can make those runs pretty hazardou s affairs. Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 What's even worse is when consecutive groups of people ride the quad lifts in pairs, even when there's a line behind them! Though, inefficiency is one of the great Japanese characteristics Link to post Share on other sites
bettyx 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 totally. no-one ever wants to sit next to me if i'm by myself. what's with these people? Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 I once waited over 40mins for a lift........a T-Bar at Porters heights in NZ waiting on a Wednesday! (90cm of snow over 3days will day that) it was all tracked by about 10am, the whole lot! I have noticed that things are smoothing out in Japan, I havent seen the crowds waiting for lifts I saw 5 years ago. Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 I think the longest wait I have had in a lift line in Japan was about 3 min. If you want to see long lift lines, crowded slopes and lifts stopping almost everytime you get on then come to Australia. Oh I forgot to mention that they don't remove the snow and ice off the chairs. I love Japans lift system. Link to post Share on other sites
krotch 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 I've done both. Thanks to crappy slopes in S.Korea. Believe me, the wait is worse than the crowded slopes. Most skiers/snowboarders are beginners and intermediate. Always head right for the expert slopes, where it's less crowded. Hyundai Ski Resort. Roughly a 20 min wait for the lift (from the bottom) and all you do is dodge ppl, until you get to another lift (1/4 up the mountain) and ride up higher. The next lift after that (about halfway up the mountain) will take up to the top. From there you simply ride from the top to the halfway mark. The lift wait is roughly about 0-2 mins and the slopes aren't as crowded. It's when you make that trip all the way to the bottom that really sucks. I try not to. I'll stop somewhere, pull off my board, do some walking, and take my piss. I also take a backpack with me, so I can eat on the slopes. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by number9: What's even worse is when consecutive groups of people ride the quad lifts in pairs, even when there's a line behind them! I hate this So annoying especially when you have 3 or 4 workers standing around doing nothing. They should be pairing people up. I also hate getting a fast chair in the back of the legs. Link to post Share on other sites
sava 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 What's worse is when you try to go up with other people and they start making go away motions and talking to you really quickly in Japanese! Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 Really? That's never happened to me. Though I only started skiing again last year.. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 sava, have you tried washing your skiwear? Link to post Share on other sites
oakesash 0 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 hiya, am looking for someone who's been to Japan skiing in December. Am booked for mid december in Sahoro but can't find anyone to tell me if there is usually enough snow round that time or not in that area. ANyone know? BTW, yes, washed ski gear with waterproofing detergent. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 I've rarely had long waits for the lift in Japan, apart from the Tsugaike gondela sometimes. Lift queues I exprienced at Mt Hutt on a powder day were horrendous. I do agree that the lifties should get off their chuffs and get the bums on seats. As for the crowded slopes, simple, stay off the runs, or be selective about where you ride i.e. go down the sides of them. After boarding in NZ it reinforced the feeling that I'm completely spoilt in Japan Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 Waiting for lifts here is not the norm. It sure was though 10-15 years ago apparently. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 It's me who said the crowded lift waiting line in another thread. Stepchild - I think it's hard to find "single" lift, they have tried the transportation ability up. Exactly I don't know how crowded in the slopes in busy time like around new year's day coz I have a lot to do then. My guests tell it to me. I usually ski by myself, I have same case with bettyx. Sometimes someone tries to shair a pair lift seat with me speaking " Eigo hanashi masuka?" Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 > Stepchild - I think it's hard to find "single" lift, they have tried the transportation ability up gamera, he means having a separate, priority line for people who don't mind riding a quad or whatever with strangers. 47 has/had one I think. Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 I've seen some single lines on triples and quads. Thought they were pretty common, no? Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by Ocean11: > Stepchild - I think it's hard to find "single" lift, they have tried the transportation ability up gamera, he means having a separate, priority line for people who don't mind riding a quad or whatever with strangers. 47 has/had one I think. Oops! My bad I think some parts of 47 has some, not sure Goryu does or not. My memory is gettins so unsure nowadays. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Don't the two pretty much go hand in hand? I would much rather have more crowded slopes and be able to get to the top quicker, though. You can always find a sneaky way down that isn't too crowded. Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 Naeba's quad didn't have a singles line this weekend, but Karuizawa's did apparently. So, it's not even company policy (both owned by Kokudo). Link to post Share on other sites
IwateKen 0 Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 no9 - did you have to waiting at Naeba? Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 No, there was hardly any wait time at the lift lines, at most a couple of minutes. But the slopes got kinda crowded sometimes. Link to post Share on other sites
Flash 0 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I dislike both but I probably hate crowds on the slopes most. If its like negotiating yourself round a snow version of Shinjuku station at rush hour, wheres the fun? Link to post Share on other sites
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