mattlucas 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 So as the typhoon is passing right over my town and school is cancelled I have an entire afteroon off. My first season in Japan. 2003/2004. Day 1 White Pia in Takasu. Late November. I was getting all ancy about the season so I dragged Matt B out for this. If you skiid past the guns you got a face full of snow and about 15 cm's of powder. Woowhooo Powderrrr On Dec 20th Central Japan was hit with a huge storm. I left central Japan and went to Hokkaido on this very day. Byt the end of the storm nearly 100 cm's had dropped. In Hokkaido there was just a dusting of snow. The picture was taken from my apartment in Takayama. The big shrine is a cult called the Mahikari. They think Takayama is the centre of the world. This was my home for 3 weeks. The NPC hostel. I was there with Erik(crazyski) and Matt B. Some of you might recognize the person in the picture as Dan Z who was so fortunate to share a room with us. Our rooms window was just above the vent for the toilet so we couldn't open the windows. My gloves were super stinky so every time I took them off in the gondola everybody would get all grossed out. Here is Matt B making a fuss about the retched smell. Once the skiing got good we would get up really early for first chair and then have a really long lunch. We all fell asleep for an hour or sometimes two in the cafeteria before going out and completing the day. Then as soon as we got back to the Hostel the beer cosumption would begin. I remeber taking a few into the shower once I started showering in the 2nd week. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 Saddly many of our days we were treated to this beautiful view. I say saddly because if you can see this mountain it's not snowing. This is Mount Yotei But the goods did come eventually. Here is Matt B getting his. This was the best run. The peak run. Near the end of the trip the peak opened after a few days of being battered by snow. We got first tracks down the nearly 1000 metres of vertical. Up top we were all laying out super huge Hero turns. Blue sky, dry powder and friends. Is there anything else. This is me after the peak run. Strawberries in Niseko. I thought this would be an easy straight line. But at the bottom This drop appeared. And I was in the backseat and bailed. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 So after 3 weeks in Niseko and over 20 days to my name in early January I was on my way south to epic conditions and nearly 30 more days of skiing The next 3 pictures are in a sequence taken in Northern Gifu. The volkl's belong to Erik. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Nice little review toqueThe peak run looks nice. Still doesnt make me want to go to niseko though. I like the clear pics though. I freaking bored here nothing to do period. Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Nice post. Only 5 months to go. " title="" src="graemlins/cry.gif" /> Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 This is the same day as the sequence above. Probably one of my best days of the season. Although the next day was truly epic as Matt B and I always tell Erik. But the next 3 shots are a sequence taken from a Digi cam. In late February I had a nasty fall from the same cornice in the first sequence shot. It was my first day on the 1080's since the beginning of the season and I wasn't quite used to the narrow landing platform. But I jumped off the cornice and tumbled right away. So I jackknifed my body the wrong way on a stump and let out a most horrific noise. That was almost 3 months ago. It still hurts. Not sure if I cracked some ribs or did some vertibrae damage. But the picture is from below and you can barely see me laying up above. This next picture is of me skiing very conservativly just below where I fell moments before. Skiid the rest of the day though. Ha. Take that. photo's deleted because they were deemed inapropriate for Japanese eyes Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Well since your doing it Ill come back and post some oldies. My season started slow compared to 2002/2003. That season Pow trees were had early dec. So as Toque was getting on the plane I was going to Tsugaike to eat up a 3 day 150 cm storm. Layed down some nice runs Ate up some good pow and great food returned home to work for 3 days then made a return trip to Hakuba. Again storm chasing this time getting a crazy unflimed day at Happone. By far Happo has the best in-bounds Powder in all of Japan. There is nothing to compare it too besides the Arai conditionals. Was smart picked up the 4th gondola that opens 30 minutes before everything else and lapped up the alpine goods. thigh deep an -10 just ripping 1000 to 2000 foot lines. the mini bowl was waist deep. When all that was done the lower trees just held so much. smiles all around that day. Next day headed Back with the wife and just ripped the crap out of the place. My wife showed her skills. The whole 8 day trip was tsugaike or happo pow just sic. Beers at tracks very nice. Again back home for a few days before my Avie course started. Got back up and chill with NoFakie who put up with my ass for the next 2 weeks, Big thanks again. In between the course days we riped tsugaike happo and nozawa hard. Some Nozzle NoFakie Nozzle Followed by his ripping other half Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 So then March rolled around and school was out. I was bored so hopped on a plane for home. Skiid Blackcomb and Kicking Horse. This is Ruby Bowl on Blackcomb. 1 of my favorite runs. So many possibilities. And then my other favorite area Chainsaw Ridge which is on Lookers Right of the Sudan Couloir Again deleted because people in this country shouldn't be able to see what they are missing So I didn't get any pictures of Kicking Horse but it ruled in so many ways. The steeps were steeper than anything I have ever seen and the town was so nice. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 And as the weekend went on more of the same sic lines as the snow only stayed away during the course. Some more NoFakie before the Fire Festival Got back to Hakuba and headed into and around happo hooked up with Nate during the week and again ripped big lines at Happo. Happo really surprised me this year so many spots. Open bowls, trees, gullies, cliffs, summer roads with rock jumps. Here is a bit of nate litle nozzle I should have thrown in before pluggin me The course ended and I hooked up with charlie to soak up the next storm and my last day before going home. dug a pit and ripped the tsugaike chutes,trees and cliffs here is a nice 15 footer at Tsugaike too bad Chuck landed in my hole Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Author Share Posted June 22, 2004 Excellent So as I am now bored with posting pics I will just the links up for the last few days I got which went into Mid May. Sadly the weather never cooperated past that point for skiing. I could have gone into early June but friends and or the weather were never able to line up. Yakedake Backcountry Skiing April 17 Norikura Backcountry Skiing May 15 So that was my season. And what a season it was. Skiid on 2 continents and got nearly 50 days in. My best year for sure. Can't wait for next year. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 The season went on more of the same. Ripping with danz Toque OU lots of others getting caught OB at Tsugaike was bad and good at the same time. Made me explore Happo, 47 and Nozawa more so many line everywhere its so hard to choose a home resort in the triangle of nagano. The low point of the season was 100% doing my ankle in at the start of the park and pipe season. I got my rails skills up and my pipe skills improved so as to be able to spin a FS 5 in the pipe but The big Air game took a huge hit. I was unable to do any spins just straight grabs. I could go on forever but the truth is Im sitting in the common room adn people are watching. Ill use the last pics to plug my wife who just killed it this year. Nozzle fun Happo the hidden forest Playing on the raods Last Fattwins plug dropping in the chute Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Jesus, you'd think this was some sort of winter sports forum... Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 22, 2004 Share Posted June 22, 2004 Thats what happens when you get the building your working in locked up by the local govt. I wasnt allowed to leave the building untill they gave the all clear sign. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 My school doors were still open but teachers wern't permitted to leave. The Typhoon wan't even that bad up here in the mountains. I think the principle is feeling silly for closing the school. But I got lots of work done as you can see above. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Yeah it wasnt that bad here but... All it takes is one kid walking the wrong way near a river or some flying garbage to hurt someone and everyone would say that they should have stayed home. I feel better them missing a day for nothing then something happening. But that said Im with you on why did we have to stay and do nothing? The teachers prepared everything the last week so we all did nothing. Link to post Share on other sites
Error404 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Nice pics dudes. Will be with you this coming season. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Author Share Posted June 26, 2004 With a location like Japan I guess you will be with us all. Welcome. Where do you live in this fine land Link to post Share on other sites
Error404 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Oops. Tokyo at the mo, but trying to get out into the hills in time for winter. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Toque I thought this page would take off but it sure didnt. Are you will to come to Nagano and ski some biglines next season? Ill head your way if you hit some serous lines with me. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Author Share Posted June 26, 2004 I thought it would as well. Guess not everybody had as much time as we did that day or any day for that matter. I am getting a car at the end of July so will be in Nagano for sure. I want to ski some steep and deep. Have all the gear now as well. Just need to use it. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Put these on your list for big and steep Happo mid Jan to March. 47 same time but the out is dangerous. Nozawa for pure possiblities that are in bounds, kind of. Yeah we go to shreed some biglines. I got a 1500 vertical foot natural half pipe all scooped out. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Author Share Posted June 26, 2004 And anybody is welcome to come up into North Gifu and ski my hills. I have some pretty entertaining areas. Terrain like those trees we skied at Tsugatake (Can't spell it) but without the huge ass cliffs. There are a few biggies though. Probably 20-30 feet that we found right at the end of the year. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Hey toque can you private me some trail map links of the place. I tried to find your places but they were either so small or had no info at all. Happo has more alpine stuff than Tsugaike as does 47. Nozawa has 5 times as 5 to 10 times the terrain as tsugaike. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 jareds turn Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Sweet pics there! Reminds me of when I was working in Niseko for the season 2 years ago. Just an epic season that was - by far the most powder Ive ever eaten in my life and just an amazing play ground day after day. Walkin to work or going to ski, seeing how much it snowed, never ceased to amaze me - from the dorm up to the top of the hill with snow gettin inside my nagakutsu gave me a grin from ear to ear Cant wait to tear it up this year - need to make up from hardly going last year. Gettin a trip in December from the 19th - 25 up to maybe Hakuba with my kids and will either stay there or head to Niseko for the New Years. Would like to try some place new but just cant help wantin to head to the North Island Link to post Share on other sites
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