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Anyone do much BC around Yamagata (or the Miyagi side of the Zao/Omoshiroyama range)? I'm in Sendai for the year, itching to get away from lift-served areas, and searching for like-minded folk.

 

On the other hand, with the weird-ass snow in Tohoku this year, I'm wondering if anyone's going BC much. (Just got back from a Sendai-Tsuruoka road trip over the weekend; snowed hard the whole time until we got back well into Miyagi, and all the animated road signs were giving avy warnings for all Yamagata.)

 

I've done some basic avy training -- know how to use the gear, but still a lot to learn about actually reading the snow conditions. I'm not about to go BC here without someone who knows the area and has more avy skill. So if anyone's into letting a still-learning tele-head (recovering snowboarder) tag along in the area, I'd love to meet up.

 

(I'm eventually hoping to try Gas-san... before the lift opens.)

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not much for a community up here man. there are some older japanese people into touring from what i have observed, but kinda difficult to tag a long. ummm, been at zao for this season and as far as i can tell the area around the summit and nakamura peak, (yamagata side) look possible. there also seems like some possible lines below tree line but most of the area is really thick.

the biggest issue so far has been weather. there has not really been much chance to put skins on and explore the area to investigate possible skiable terrian and asses avi conditions. although with the current situation i am just going on the presumption that it will slide, not it could slide.

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Hey, thanks for the replies.

 

soubriquet: Nice pic! The manager of the Tsuruoka YH is a telemarker and amateur photographer, and gave me a postcard he made with a shot of the Gassan summit cone. These are just making me want to figure out a way to go there, if/when conditions permit.

 

Presumption of sliding: Yeah, I'm not surprised. I've not been doing thorough assessments (and I'm not really qualified either), but every time I've casually dug a little bit around resorts and roads, I've found at least one really clear granular layer, which looks very slideable if loaded. I don't plan to taunt the conditions, not after what I saw when driving through the Dewa Sanzan. I can be well entertained by lower-angle tree runs, especially if the snow is fun.

 

Though right now, it must be 5-7 degrees in Sendai... hard to believe there won't be a nice crust when it cools off again. Joy.

 

On the other hand, when I stopped to scope out the Gassan road, I did run into a couple Japanese guys coming off the mountain on rando gear. Didn't have much of a chance to chat before they ducked into their warm SUVs and drove off, though.

 

I've been working on hooking up with some of the locals, but it's been tough. There are a couple BC/tele outfitters in Sendai, and at least one more out of Yamagata. I may just suck up the costs and get in a guided trip.

 

(I'm still kicking myself for missing the tele-fest at Yudono-san; I was even in the area but didn't know it was happening until too late.)

 

Anyway, thanks for the info... if there's interest, I'll pass on whatever I do find out.

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i've talked to a few of the guys in sendai as well and they seem much more enthusiaztic about the iwate area then in yamagata or miyagi. too far for me though. but always interested if given enough notice.

there are some steller looking lines in the tazawa ko region of akita. i was hiking there last fall and became very interested. hut access, a bit of a trek up through the alpine to get to it though.

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Yeah, Akita's a bit far. I haven't had a good look at Iwate yet -- I was at Appi Kougen for three days in December, but it was snowing so hard I couldn't see any of the terrain.

 

Since I've got a pretty brutal lab schedule and no car, I'm trying to keep an eye out for stuff I can reach fairly easily. I'm keeping an eye on the weather right now; we're getting mixed drizzle and sleet here in Sendai right now, and I'm hoping it might be nicer at elevation. Pondering taking the train up to the Omoshiroyama/Sakunami region this weekend to do some lift-served and see what conditions are like. That's definitely the most convenient for me, since I live right near the Senzan line.

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