gamera 0 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Went to Sun-Alpine today with my guests. It was a nice day and made it good. Lake Aokiko view from Kashimayari Detour course from the top of Kashimayari, it's like a tour inbetween trees. Ice? snow? at some tiny branches, looks pretty wonderful. Don't know the name of this mountain though. Totally I made it good, and as I have mentioned Sun-Alpine is what you should try when you visit Hakuba while you have enough time. Not so many people know this ski slopes but highly recommended. Only some points I can advice are: #1 Prepare enough case in advance - No credit card accepted at and around Sanosaka Castle plaza, no ATM. #2 Please do purchase a "Sun-Alpine Kyotsu rifuto ken" which works for entire area (Sanosaka, Aokiko , Kashimayari ) even when the ticket window staff recommend some local ski pass because it's cheaper. Some tiny 100 yen coins difference in price per one and when you get in other area with that local ski pass, you can not go through the lift gate there. We had this problem today. I should have checked what my guests purchased. One of them had a Sanosaka local ski pass and when we got in Aokiko area, it didn't let the guest go through the gate and we needed to go back where the person purchased the ski pass to claim some. Maybe I guess the ticket window staff thought it's better to recommend people cheaper ones so that people are happy but if the people are from somewhere else ( not from local area ), usually they don't know the area enough good. They don't know where is Sanosaka, where is Sun-Alpine etc stuff. So this is probably my fault, I didn't check it. I thought I should not interrupt them too much while my guests try to figure something not in their mother tongue not in their own country. It's kinda adventure for them which may be fun. But I should have done it in this case. I have learned something today. Link to post Share on other sites
fukdane 2 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Love that last pic. I just really like seeing photos of snow and mountains. Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I've always wanted to ski in the Sun-Alpina trio but every time I go to Hakuba, the snow conditions are not good enough so it is always closed! Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 Errrr Markie, maybe you always visit here in mid April or latter or first half of Dec? Sun-Alpine closes at the first half of April. Fukdane, I think you can see some at Ura-bandai? That mountain is also nice. I like Goshikinuma in summer as well though. Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 i had 2 days of skiing there last week with my students and had a great time, it's a beautiful resort - i highly reccommend it if you are a beginner who will be visiting during the week, it's so quiet, a great place to learn! whilst up there, i saw the entries/exits to some great tree/under the lift lines --- if we had more snow this year, i know where i would be heading. unfortunately not enough snow for that - but the courses are in great condition. (also ridiculous terrain and chutes going off kashimayari peaks that look incredible if you can get up there) the 3 resorts definitely have different atmosphere from other ski areas around hakuba - different peaks in the background (kashima twin peaks) and the view of the lake and valley is stunning. there are some great runs where you are enclosed in the trees and it's really beautiful. i like these smaller resorts a lot! nice shots gamera Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Yes, gamera, it's my fault for coming late in Easter. But I also came twice during Christmas and both times it was still not open. It will try to come in Jan or Feb in the future. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I think I'd like to visit Sun Alpine when there is plenty of snow. When Markie doesn't jinx it. Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 You can go to Sun Alpine anytime you want, wherever that is? I'm still setting my sights on Sun Alpina! I hope I don't jinx Couchevel as well, I'm going next week. Maybe my jinx only works in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 from what i understand markie, europe is a big field of grass this season...... you might want to re-think and hit whistler or go heli-skiing in alaska? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 so how many you taking to Couchevel to watch the grass grow? Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I'm just going with my wife and two sons. Maybe I'll bring a can of white spray-paint for the grass. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Looks very pretty Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 wife and two sons? Is that the woman you met there last year? Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 No sunrise it is the same woman and two kids with whom I went to France last year. Her real husband, who is a Kiwi cop in Hong Kong, did not go last year either so during the trip I played the role of husband and father for everything except the "best bit". Actually, she only has one son and the other young man is his classmate whose parents also could not come and wanted us to take care of him. His father is Thai and his mother is Japanese and really really gorgeous. Too bad she never comes with us. Anyway, we are playing family again and the funny thing is that all four of us have different surnames. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Modern families eh! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I wasn't going to say anything. Sunrise... And I think it's too fabulous to believe. Link to post Share on other sites
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