Webcam watch

[Markie 0]

Have been keeping a close watch on the webcams for about a month already. This is the second time this season I have woken up and have been delighted at what I found on the webcam pages.

It's falling quite hard in Hakuba, more so than that first big one last month it seems. The Happo One and Goryu webcams show a good picture of the conditions. The Tsugaike ,Iwatake and the other Hakuba resort webcams are still out but the Hakuba 47 highway cams are showing some snowy conditions on the road.

Up north, in Hokkaido, I'm glad to see the Rusutsu webcam is back on line but is seems they are not getting as much as Hakuba. The Kiroro base station webcam has been off for more than a week but the other Kiroro webcam which is working shows the window fogged and iced up and looks like snowy outside but not sure how much. Niseko is getting a bit too but doesn't look like it's as much as Hakuba. In fact, based on the webcams, Hakuba is currently in the lead for most snow. The only other place that comes close is Hunter Mountain.

[Fattwins 0]

thats cause we always do and did get more snow here markie

[Markie 0]

I wouldn't say always. Remember the first time I went to Hakuba, the season started quite late but Kiroro was already getting a good supply of freshies then. But I think Kiroro is not as high are you so their snow melts much quicker than you in early and late season.

[Fattwins 0]

im talking volume though not when lol

[Markie 0]

It's good to have both when and volume this year. I'll keep my fingers cross.

BTW the webcams also had some really nice shots of Mt Fuji today.

[Markie 0]

Up north, the Kiroro base station webcam is still down, but the other Kiroro cam shows some good snow accumulation. The same is true for Rusutsu.

In Hakuba, it looks a really pretty sight with the sun shining down on those white covered slopes.

[thursday 1]

this morning gave me the best view of Niseko so far. 25cm and 10 days to go 'til opening.

[Markie 0]

Good to see the Kiroro base station webcam is back on line. Looks like the snow there is quite slushy and the pond hasn't filled up quite yet.

[Markie 0]

Rats, the base station webcam at Kiroro is out again but at least the other Kiroro webcam shows they still have a good white base there. At Hunter mountain, however, only traces of snow left from what was only a few days ago an all-white-sight. Hakuba seems to be holding up well though. It looks like another nice sunny day there and even though the snow levels are obviously down from the last couple of days and the tall bits of grass are starting to creep back into view, the slopes are still more than 90% white. I am patiently waiting for that base to build up. It's only 5 weeks more before I arrive there.

[eskimobasecamp 0]

It rained last night Markie, soggy soggy blaaah. But it's going to snow again - maybe a bit today, and then definitely tomorrow.

[Markie 0]

That's great news. Thanks, BCS.

[coldcat 0]

Mount Yotei webcam link in SnowJapan isnt working... anybody has an url?

[lin 0]

I can see it

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/webcam/hokkaido/yotei.html

[coldcat 0]

Thanks Lin, I don't know why but I can't see it. Anyway if somebody has the same problem here is another link that does work for me. http://www.niseko.org/live/

[Markie 0]

Now that's I nice link coldcat. I can't get the Snowjapan Mt Yotei link either. It seems to have the same problem as the Kiroro link.

[coldcat 0]

Markie, I can see the kiroro cams on SnowJapan, but if you can't try these:

cam 1

 

cam2

[Markie 0]

Yeap, I can get the Kiroro base station image again now but couldn't this morning. Nevertheless, thanks for the links. Looks like another nice sunny day there with blue skies. Blue skies are something I haven't seen here in HK for a long time. I can look out the window and even if it's a sunny day, when I look up, it's hazy. The pollution from our northern neighbour has made blue skies a rare sight here. Only when the winds are right and the weather is clear.

[thursday 1]

It's like flicking channels to see which program is worth watching.

 

In HK:

Markie, it was sunny on Sunday up on Lantau Peak. You could see quite far. Seems the smog only reches about 300 meters up. There was quite a breeze up top, so that might have helped.

[Markie 0]

Thursday, I do remember it was sunny on Sunday but couldn't see that blue sky. What were you doing on Lautau peak? Were you trying out the new gondola?

[thursday 1]

I did the gondola thing in October on a week day. Nice quiet journey and great walk back down. If you've not done it yet, get your tickets at the MTR stations before you arrive in Tung Chung. All tickets were sold out by 2pm and there were a lot of pissed off people who took the long MTR journey but couldn't get tickets.

 

I was hiking the peak on Sunday, as that's my day of leisure. Saturday is trawling malls.

[Markie 0]

Fattwins, BCS, no need to tell me, I know. A good dump in Hakuba last night. The webcams tell the story.

[eskimobasecamp 0]

hahaha was just about to tell you as well! yeh there's like 2cm of horrible wet snow on the ground

[Markie 0]

Just checked Kiroro and it's snowing there and the pond is beginning to fill up, but there is hardly any white at Rusutsu! Aren't they on the same island? Just 3 hours drive apart?

[Markie 0]

Kiroro is still getting some good freshies but Hakuba looks like it's getting its fair share too. Naeba is opening tomorrow and Karuizawa has already been up and running since Nov 1 ......they must spend a fortune on snow-making. If I were in Tokyo, I know where I would be headed this week-end.

[Markie 0]

OK, I have just checked out the latest Happo and Goryu webcam shots and there are definitely ski tracks on both. So who have been out there already? Come on, own up.