the good, the bad, and the ugly - my first column.

[bcoasis 0]

I have just finished writing an article for a Japanese backcountry magazine so I thought I would post it here in English for your pleasure or displeasure whichever the case may be. The magazine issue in Japanese comes out next month I believe; with any luck it will provoke some thinking in a commonsense desert.

 

Welcome to this column and most importantly welcome to the start of what I hope will be another great backcountry season. What is this column and what is it about? A little bit about me but mostly ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ of the backcountry as I see it. Before I indulge myself it is important that it is clear that this column and the opinions I express within it are mine and not those of the publisher or editor; who by the way I think are pretty brave putting my thoughts to print in the first place.

A little about myself to help you get a picture of what I am about to begin with. I am from New Zealand; I first came to Japan more than 10 years ago and have basically been living here for eight years punctuated by 6 months in New Zealand to study avalanche safety and get my Stage One New Zealand Avalanche Safety Management Qualification. Tokyo was my home for the first five years in Japan where I had an export company before I totally succumbed to the Niigata winter wonderland and moved to Naeba where I now run a Jazz & Wine Café, guide in the backcountry and teach some backcountry safety. The sad irony of all this is when I lived in Tokyo I skied at least 4 days a week, every week all season; the marvelous invention of the mobile phone allowed my clients to contact me and I never disclosed I wasn’t actually at work. Now I actually live in Naeba I find I have less time to get backcountry with my friends and spend too much time maintaining a winter business and clearing snow from the parking.

You may very well be asking why stay in Japan for skiing when I come from a beautiful country like New Zealand with its own mountains. The answer is simple – an average of eleven meters of snowfall every season. It continues to amaze me how in awe a great many Japanese are about places like New Zealand and Canada without actually opening their eyes and minds long enough to understand and appreciate what they have at home. Admittedly, the ski areas themselves in my opinion are run by an army of blue suited salary men with less imagination or inspiration than a car tire and in general seem to think customer service and atmosphere are foreign ideas that should never be translated. There also seems to be a lack of any culture for après skiing or nightlife unfortunately. However the snow, both in quality and quantity is world class; furthermore if you can forgive dirty great big power pylons in the middle of National Park land (National Park means your land by the way – by definition and Democratic Law, as I understand it) it is a beautiful countryside.

Until the last couple of years, the backcountry was not a popular place to be and if you listened to the locals, it was dangerous and most people I met had no concept of what it was all about. Now that it has become the latest fashion sport in Japan and the locals and ski areas have figured out that they are making money from it they have suddenly shut up. Understanding, toleration and cooperation seem to come at a certain point of economies of scale – nothing to with education, experience or a factual explanation.

Last season I did a couple of guiding jobs for other magazines and as one of them was a Kagura backcountry introduction article I negotiated that part of the article be devoted to backcountry safety and manners in addition I tried to promote the Police and their route and contact declaration forms. These forms are available at the ski areas but because on more than one occasion, Kagura Ski Patrol has made it clear that they are nothing to do with them and it’s just something they are obliged by the Police to offer; I decided to have a meeting with one of the local Police Officers in order that I may be able to create more backcountry awareness from both sides. What transpired was a very open and honest conversation with an open-minded intelligent Police Officer who perhaps shared more of my views than I anticipated and was willing to listen and make his best efforts to understand what it is about the backcountry we all find so great. The point I am trying to make is that the ski areas should care about education, safety and fun even in the backcountry but they do not; the Police have many important responsibilities and unfortunately spend too much time cleaning up the results of misfortune. If we want our sport to survive and prosper then a big step in the right direction is to learn about own responsibility, take the time not just to complete the Police route and contact information but when you have the opportunity be respectful to them, show some appreciation and make a good impression so as to show a good quality level of participation in the backcountry. On the other hand, the ski areas whose ski patrollers do not all have avalanche and medical qualifications don’t deserve any respect and I am not aware of any other country in the world where a ski area could be operated without an appropriately qualified patrol.

I mentioned ‘own responsibility’ previously; well if you do not have a clear understanding about what that means and a serious commitment to faithfully practicing it then go and purchase a Sony PlayStation or Xbox with the winter ESPN software. That is your level, that is where you belong and best you stay there – it will be safer for everyone including yourself. Too often now when I go backcountry do I see almost a majority of people without even the basic level of safety equipment; that is snowshoes or seals, avalanche beacon, probe, shovel, basic first aid kit and a map. Then those complete idiots follow somebody else down a route because it looks ‘good’. It is amazing with this level of stupidity that these ‘people’ have managed to grow as old as they have. In a way, it is nature’s justice if these people were to die or be injured except somebody has to risk themselves to rescue them and that is not fair or reasonable. Unfortunately, accidents and tragedies do occur no matter how well educated, experienced and prepared the participants are and that is just Mother Nature and life. If you see people or a group this season without even the basic equipment don’t do what the Kagura Ski Patrol does and just turn a blind eye; tell them where the closest Pachinko Parlor or games centre is and direct them back to the main ski area in the meantime. They do not belong and it is my firm opinion they have no right to be in the backcountry.

The media also has a greater responsibility than just taking Manufacturers advertising money and writing articles about ‘cool’ backcountry areas. I have posed the question to a couple of magazine editors, asking what will be the next moneymaking trend in snow sports after the backcountry fashion is over. Racers in lycra are definitely not ‘cool’, all the groomed slope skiers worried about their latest carving turn technique are at the age of arthritis and snow blades are just gay. I have nothing against gays but I do have serious doubts about the mental health of snow bladders and those of them that venture into the backcountry just disgust me. Snow blades are not a safe platform for backcountry riding. Media and manufacturers have to stand up and take a solid part in promoting backcountry safety awareness and education if they want to benefit from backcountry’s current popularity in the long term. We all have to take part in raising the level of the quality of participation not just the quantity. If we do not, then I fear it will become just another Japanese sports fashion that is all a bit passé now.

Nike deserves big congratulations on this subject; they have already stepped forward and from last season started sponsoring a very professional, well-qualified and well run education program.

I am looking forward to getting backcountry again this season, I am not looking forward to clearing snow on my bulldozer that does not have a cover – but you take the good with the bad. Most of all I am hoping there will be some progress in the awareness of own responsibility, backcountry and avalanche safety and the people who do have beacons that consider possession of one is safety enough, realize that you actually have to practice to understand how they work in order to use one efficiently.

 

Safe Riding & Smiles

[snobee 0]

Interesting, timely and thoughtful article

 

BUT generalizing snowbladers as gay and having serious mental health problems surely weakens your stature as an open, innovator wanting to tackle serious issues.

 

BTW - Good Luck

[bcoasis 0]

I seem to have made an honest mistake - I thought they were all gay with mental health issues . Seriously, you are right but I feel there are times when you have to go for the 'throat' even if it means being unfair and general. The President of the Japanese 'gayblader' Association is a friend of a friend. Last year when I was down Tokyo for a Distributors next season product show I was having drinks afterwards and they were introduced to me because they knew what I do and believe it or not their current target is to promote the backcountry to their members. Let me be very clear about something - I don't care how good, cool, expert, unexpert or beginner anyone is; what I respect and like is people having fun and enjoying themselves. However, it is my very strong opinion that snowblades are not a safe backcountry platform by way of their design and the mechanics of movement in powder snow on that platform. This is what I told them and we had a very honest exchange of ideas and quite frankly judging by their considered reaction I don't think they had thought about it like that and this is the whole problem. Not enough thinking, not enough responsibility - just, that looks like fun let's do that or let's go there.

Appreciate your response, if anyone else wishes to comment please do so - I am not concerned whether the reaction is positive or negative. The success is if it gets people thinking.

[Ocean11 0]

Well, we've already had a lot of really quite turgid, preachy, supercilious, self-congratulatory, uninformative screeds from back-country people already, but a bit more of the same won't hurt much I suppose.

 

I'm hoping that one day one of them might get out of that old groove and maybe explain what's fun about BC, or what gear they recommend, or where's a good low-hazard place to get started, or how they personally goofed up once and nearly bought the farm, you know, something that one hasn't seen before. Hell, I might even get in on the act and write about one of those early Japanese mountain pioneers who went up into the mountains without beacons and with matchlocks for shooting the wildlife that they lived on. (Would I advise against going into the back country without a beacon, and point out that one must also know how to use it? Maybe not.)

 

That has to be one of the most boring opening paragraphs I've ever read by the way. I'm tickled that you think your opinions are somehow so controversial that any editor would pause before unleashing the storm that they're sure to provoke.

 

I look forward to something that I haven't heard before. I think most people here know that the back country can be hazardous. We're ready to go a bit beyond that in our content.

 

This was a negative reaction.

[bcoasis 0]

Well done!

[Ocean11 0]

Oh, and I forgot to mention it but I also find your misuse of 'gay' offensive. Perhaps you might like to take snobee's hint and edit that out if you want to be thought of as anyone worthy of any interest.

[Fattwins 0]

What I find even more dangerous is the number of japanese taht take their level 1 and then start to say that they are a guide. These people only have limited experience and are not guides.

 

I would edit out the snow bladers part. I aggree they have no place in the BC, but if you call them names it takes away from the meat of your article.

 

Ocean what do you want to hear.... Is the BC great? Hell yeah steep or melow lines untracked powder. The silence of nature and yourself, of course i rocks. I dont want to pump BC skiing cause quite frankly I dont want to ride in the BC with people with low skills or worse no equipment. No equipment is worse cause it says that you dont care about yourself or the other that might be using the same area. learning not to alll jump down the same slope at the same or stopping in the middle of a bowl to take a picture.

 

I know many Japanese hikers who dont wear beacons but should but heck they mostly stay on safe ridges go to the top of an easy peak take a pic and walk back down. I wont yell at them cause hell they should have one but they dont really need one.

[Ocean11 0]

Yeah well Fattwins and anybody else, if all you have to say about BC is how dangerous it is and how you hate and feel superior to those who haven't done the course, why don't you just keep it to yourself, because it makes boring and offensive reading.

 

I'm tired of pricks who have done the course saying things like "The success is if it gets people thinking". I can already think without your help.

 

> Ocean what do you want to hear

I already told you, why are you asking me again?

[Yuki's Passion 1]

bcoasis,

 

Is your article going to be in The Last Frontier or Bravoski?

[montoya 0]

bcoasis,

Good article. Having an opening paragraph laying out your key points might also help.

 

Would also be interested to hear more about what Nike is doing in the next article..

[miteyak 0]

Ocean, Mike and Allen's backcountry ski book is a great little companion to aspiring and old time bc types alike, covers all the basics, and if it doesn't cover something in depth enough at least it gives you an idea of what you're looking for for further research.

 

If you want an easy intro to BC stuff, i'd imagine some of Shikoku's higher peaks would be good. I seem to recall a 'moorish' high peak somewhere in the northwest? Something with a safe approach, less than 30 degrees (from any direction), and not too much snow. As long as you can navigate in a whiteout that is.

 

I'd lend you a tele-rig, but I think we've already acsertained that your feet may be a tad too big.

[Ocean11 0]

Thanks miteyak.

 

There's more new content and encouragement to participate in your short post than in all of matey's ill-tempered article.

 

I'm tempted to give some of Shikoku's mountains a go, although I don't think I'll be taking riding gear until I know the terrain.

[Fattwins 0]

I read my post and I gotta say it needs and edit huge.

 

Ocean, I have invited you many times to come back to Nozawa. This year I have kitted myself with 3 basic Avie kits. I lucked into a very cheap beacon for 15000 yen. This is so people I know can join me safely.

 

Point being, get some gear read a book at least. Ocean would you let you son cross the street by himself, before you taught him to look both ways?

thats all I ask of people to think that something might be there. I dont believe that it is preaching I believe it is common sense.

 

I was very lucky to get into BC riding with people who knew what they were doing, and the areas we were going to. One thing they always stressed is to get geared up. in the cost of things its not much. A metal shovel lasts forever almost, my first one is 7 years old now. that is better than most ski gear. My beacon is 5 years old still going strong. Probes are about 3 years I figure. I dont think it is much to ask of people to gear up.

 

All you have to do is open a mag and take a look.

How many place in those mags do you think are inbounds? Not much, not much at all. I think that speaks more about what is out there for you than what I can say in a post.

 

Ocean the invite to Nozawa is always there.

[Ocean11 0]

Fattwins, snowboarding is not a high priority for me at the moment, so I won't be going up to Nozzle, but thanks for the invite.

 

My point is really, read matey's article. See what he's actually saying. He's pouring scorn on people who aren't as clued in as he is; saying shit like 'they don't have the right to be there', even calling into question their humanity at one point; blathering on about fashion as if it wasn't what gets people interested in stuff in the first place; patronizing the police who might one day have to rescue his own heroic arse; being disgusted by snow bladers; and on and on.

 

I have to say, most of the back country people who post anything on here are either selling a course, or talking like Dick Cheney about the dangers involved. There have been a couple of good ones about actual adventures in the BC, but most of it is just scorn and warnings. Well bollocks to that. If I ever do get into the backcountry, I certainly won't bother with "making a good impression so as to show a good quality level of participation in the backcountry", whatever that might mean.

 

So I'm just saying that if anybody is interested in promoting the backcountry in articles and postings, this is NOT the way to do it. We've seen this shit 20 times already. And if you're NOT really interested in getting people involved, other than taking a course, why bother talking about it? Why not just smugly get out there with all your kit and let the untermenschen without it die on the hill? If you DO have some information to share, it might actually be interesting. But I daresay putting it together in an attractive package, (and turning on the spell checker*) would take more effort than most backcountry 'writers' are willing to devote to it.

 

(*a bladder is what holds your piss. Let's hope matey's editor spots that one after he gets over his shock at reading that controversial piece.)

 

montoya mate, if that's a good article, I'd hate to see a bad one.

[boardbaka 3]

For what its worth.....I think its a great article...All he is doing is trying to educate people......Lets face it there are a lot of wildcards out there.....

[yarukibanban 0]

he sounds like a bit of a dick to me.

[Fattwins 0]

I understand your point and yes the article was a bit of a rant. The snowbladers thing needs an edit as does my typing.

 

The Police freak I never even knew about that stuff. I sign up for my own mountain insurance 5000 yen a year if I need to be rescued Im covered.

 

As for his point about certain stupid people I understand it. two examples from last year. A group heading into the high alpine of tsugaike on a 80km wind day. resort is shutting down cause of wind and yet these idiots decide to head up to the peak 4hours climb away. In told them it might wind load and the viz would be shat. They said "eeheheheh... so desu ne mmmmm houma ni eheheheheh". and off they went.

 

number 2 blinding storm same place different crowd. I said it aint smart to head up there when you cant see and with so much snow. they looked at me with dumb faces and just went off.

 

Do these people belong in the Backcountry....

I will tell you this I would never ski with them and I would have and did stay in safer zones that day. which meant lower down on the mountain.

http://www.freezeonline.com/freeze/features/article/0,13122,664854,00.html

 

This is about Canadian BC but its good it shows you why you should get out there.

 

Im sure that one trip to nozzle can be done. 1 week outta 52.

[Ocean11 0]

"There you go again Mr. (Vice) President" to amend a quote from Ronald Reagan.

 

Yes, we know it's dangerous. In fact, you make it sound so dangerous, one wonders how anybody makes it back alive.

 

Again, my point is, can we go beyond that at some stage, and bring a little balance into all the educating that's going on? You say, "Read a book". Well I'd rather read an interesting article on here if anybody's capable of writing one. And I don't mean something that includes masturbatory descriptions of snow layers without further explanation (yes, I know some people really loved that, but I didn't. I thought it was just showing off).

 

If there are all these backcountry hotshots out there, why don't they do some real educating? For the last time, I think most readers of this site know it's dangerous. If, at the end of your interesting articles about where you go, what kit you take with you, which maps you use and how you use them, and all the other good stuff, you give a little reminder about the hazards, fair enough.

 

And Fattwins, if I do ever go to Nozawa again, it'll be on snow blades. They look like a great platform for the backcountry with their dynamics and mechanics and everything.

 

Finally a question of 'ethics'. If I can't find anybody to go into the backcountry with, and I go off on my own with what I hope will be adequate kit, do I have a right to be there?

[Fattwins 0]

The topic is so hard to explain Ocean in one small article. Thats why I gave you that fun read. do you have the right to be there. Sure why not. Do you have the right to endanger me on the same slope (if by yourself) in my mind no.

 

I know 2 guys who did it by themselves. 1 guy is a crazy ripper and you cant keep up with him hiking or sking. He knew the risks and took them but he never put anyone else in harms way. The other fool was me. fool why mate I did so many stupid things. splitting away from mates and getting lost. jumping 15 foot cliffs by myself. I could go on about my mistakes. I was lucky to get hooked up with a good crew and getting pointed into the right direction.

 

I dont think I was preaching about my examples just common sense stuff. Its like dont kayak in a typhoon. dont play golf in a lighting storm. My point is use your head. If you just do that hell most of the time you will be fine.

[miteyak 0]

Funnily enough Ocean, statistically one has a better chance of getting back alive if one goes out by oneself.

 

Of course, the fact is that most lone BC types are pretty damn experienced and/or take little to no risks, factoring their need for self-reliance into the equation, but I like the stats anyway.

[connackers 0]

That`s all a little over the top Ocean. Especially as most of us haven`t been on here as long as you and articles like this may be our first introduction to this subject.

 

Your points are fair enough, but you just seem plain nasty in the way you put them across - enough to put anyone off sharing their own articles or thoughts.

 

A lot of people have a lot of useful backcountry experience but maybe not that much writing experience. I`d rather hear a poorly expressed opinion than no opinion at all. At least then we can discuss or at the worst ignore it.

[Ocean11 0]

connackers, I appreciate your point about giving contributors a break, but if you read the article carefully, it's pretty mean-spirited. I was reacting to that (and getting a little hyperbolic, I admit).

 

But I'd still like to read about real people's experiences of backcountry in Japan, only without the superciliousness and patronizing that seems to go with it.

[bcoasis 0]

Nice points Fattwins; I couldn’t agree more with regards to “the number of Japanese taht take their level 1 and then start to say that they are a guide” but to be fair that applies not just to the Japanese. On the other hand one of the most respected guides and instructors in New Zealand has never acquired a Qualification above level one but has an awesome amount of experience. Two of my customers last year were Japanese level one holders but they hired me because of my knowledge of the area; I have done the same thing when I have gone elsewhere.

“I know many Japanese hikers who dont wear beacons but should but heck they mostly stay on safe ridges go to the top of an easy peak take a pic and walk back down. I wont yell at them cause hell they should have one but they dont really need one” I understand what you are saying but where is the starting point for practicing safety and carrying equipment and although you may be aware that it’s safe – are they? Or did they bother to ask anybody. Keep in mind this article is for a Japanese audience in a Japanese magazine and the only reason I posted it here is because there were a lot of posts and discussions last year about safety and information. The freedom that we have now to go backcountry without an earful from locals and Patrol is only recent and if it becomes a ‘wild west’ show like it is some days at Kagura then inevitably there will be accidents which will result in a restriction on backcountry riding. The National Parks office in Muikamachi doesn’t like it and the Ski Areas hate it so they don’t need to be given any excuses to restrict us and impose the same atmosphere that existed up until 3 or 4 years ago.

Yuki’s Passion; the magazine comes out on the 16th of November. It is no big secret which magazine it is but I do not want to say until it has gone out because I have named a Ski Areas Patrol which belongs to a company that manages to keep about a dozen deaths a year on their 4 fields in this area out of the media. A similar comment was made by someone in Hakkaido some years ago and according to the magazine editor it resulted in them basically being chased out of town.

Ocean11; indeed I may be a prick, and I can confirm that among the other character traits I arrogant – one thing I don’t feel nor does anyone I ride with feel is any degree of superiority over anyone else. One of the best days I had last year was when on one of the rare occasions I went riding with my oldest Japanese backcountry buddie and by the time we had met different groups on the way up and chatted there was probably about 10 of us all but 3 of the group were novices. It was a pleasure having these other people join us and they got a blast from the terrain we took them down that they would not have otherwise experienced. Backcountry enthusiasts enjoy meeting and if appropriate helping anybody at any level on the proviso that they are making the effort, and have the right equipment. Don’t look now but I think that chip on your shoulder is getting bigger; frankly Cornflake if you are not interested or don’t like the backcountry – then that’s fine just leave it alone. Patronizing about the police – I think the Officer concerned will be surprised by that comment. As far as promoting my courses or guiding or whatever I really don’t see where I have done that and if there are other contributors who have done so in the past, well so what. There are people like Dave over in Hakuba (who I have never met unfortunately but we have mutual friends) who have made a huge contribution to backcountry safety and awareness that deserve more mention. Members on this forum like Montoya have consistently posted requesting information and advice on the backcountry – isn’t that what a part of this forum is about?

Montoya, if you want the Nike info then send me a private mail and I will reply with their details. They operate out of Minikami but are not to be confused with the other guiding outfit there that take large groups of customers up Kagura even in white out conditions. This touches on something Fattwins mentioned. There seem to be an ever-increasing number of people starting guiding companies and jumping on the bandwagon largely motivated by the hope of making some quick money.

Miteyak, those Mike and Allen's backcountry ski books you mention are excellent and you’ve got to love their illustrations. Was it me you were offering a lend of tele gear to or Ocean11? If it was me, then it’s not the boot size that’s the problem it’s physical condition brought about by the temptation of bar ownership. I fear I will be ‘arse’ enough early season without a free heel.

As far as the article being mean-spirited and a rant – that was the intention. It has done the rounds with a few people within the Japanese snow sports industry now and the reaction there based on the intended audience is positive. One of the reasons I was requested to do this column in the first place is that all of what I have said is being thought but no one from within the ‘establishment’ is saying it. Some people will find the tone offensive but this was never intended to be a nice, nice, ganbatte column.

[Ocean11 0]

Well, I hope you manage to find a Japanese translator who can adequately capture the 'challenging' tone of your piece. Your gay-baiting slur may not translate very well.

 

As for this:

> There seem to be an ever-increasing number of people starting guiding companies and jumping on the bandwagon largely motivated by the hope of making some quick money.

Am I mistaken in seeing that as the teenage "I used to like Duran Duran before they became popular" elitism? Maybe they're motivated to earn a living doing something they like while introducing more people to a worthwile sport.

[montoya 0]

Well Ocean, if you just want photos and quick captions of stuff in Japan, a quick search of the web show lots of sites out there, like this:

http://www.saitamajetsfc.com/html/snow.html

 

If you want more in-depth stuff, I would think that entails at least picking up a book and doing some homework. The book Fattwins mentioned is good. Lots of stuff by Bruce Tremper is also good - I'm currently reading "Avalanche Terrain" which is very informative and geared to the BC novice.

 

I thought you had given up all snow-sports, though, from your other posts. Or, are you considering trekking in the mountains there in Shikoku this year?