japan experts terrain advice

[BFD]

If Terrace doesn't start getting hammered need a back up plan. From Asahidake looking south towards Tokachidake we spotted some good terrain. We thought the access was from Tenninkyo Onsen and Chubetsu-kawa. Seemed like the lines were around 2000' long. Having a hard time finding the zone on Google earth. Seems the area of Tomuraushi-kawa has the longer vert.
Anyway anyone been in this area? was thinking camping for a few days maybe 6 or so taking time to get in and out.
any other suggestions been to Tokachidake and would like similiar or better terrain. Sorry for any spelling butchering.
Thank's

[Leisg]

The area is full of great lines. The standard place to start from is fukigami onsen and there is a kind of lodge there. Then you can basically skin up Sandan-Yama which is only about two hours. From there you will have Tokachidake (plus Mae Tokachi, which has great lines) on one side and then mt. Kamihorokamettoku and kamifurano on the other.

This isn't my link but this trip report has some good photos of the surrounding area. It is all in Japanese but essentially this guy is following the route I have done up sandanyama and taking photos of the terrain around. Sorry all in Japanese but this guy had great weather and therefore pictures of the terrain. I have never seen it this bluebird....

http://yama-ski.info/ski/s_2009/s03_29.html

I am not sure about camping. Be really careful about where you pitch because there is so much sulphuric gas in the area from all the vents.

The terrain is rowdy and is well worth it

Hope that helps

[neck beard]

Can't offer much, not that I am a Japan expert anyway.

As far as I know the access to the range north from Tokachi to Asahi just gets harder, making Tokachi area the more popular launching point, as you probably noticed when you were there.

This is the zone you are talking about:



I had a spring trip semi-planned to get up Oputateshike-yama a few years ago but it didn't happen. That long name by the way is actually an original word from the Ainu People, not the Japanese language. Biei-dake is also a good tour based on talks I have had.

Some shots of the range taken in spring from near the town of Biei:





There was an avalanche fatality on a very small slope at Tokachi this week. Sad start for them.

[Leisg]

Yeah I saw that the guy was in his 70s in a group of seven. I was surprised because the slab area was so small and it still took 15 mins to find him. Really sad.

I also took a look at the Hakuba magazine you put out, it looks great and a good mix between terrain and safety. The photography is beautiful. I have never seen so many bluebird days here...

[Mike Pow]

Tokachi TR from February 2012

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...991331#1991331

[satori]

Just to add what Leisg and Hohes added:

The onsen Leisg mentioned is actually Fukiage Onsen, not Fukigami (pain in the ass reading this language eh), but the place to stay is Hakuginsou (which is actually a rehab center too) for dorm type accomodation. It costs like 3000 yen/night +/- 500 yen I think. It was really cheap from memory, and is a freaking awesome onsen, and you skin right out side the door. Sorry it's in Japanese:

http://onsen.nifty.com/cs/catalog/on...ref=01&sflg=01









Also props to Hohes for his first issue. Very nicely done!! I am sure it's a work in progress, but it's a breath of fresh air. Keep it up.

[BFD]

Thank's for the info. We spent a week in the Tokachi area last trip. Spent a few days on the TGR face now I know the name.
Thank's for the map Hohes. The area I am thinking about would probably be the next map north. Do you have a link to where you get the maps? That area around Oputateshikeyma that's a mouthfull looks pretty good.
also we stayed at Kamihoro-so onsen. I will give them a plug. The first day we were wondering around figuring out where to go and ended up at Fukiage Onsen. There were hot Japanese chicks with Dynafits. Anyway we chose Kamihoro because it was the highest altitude onsen open that year. They had some kind of special around $40 a night per person all meals. We had to ask a couple of times to make sure that was correct. They had some kind of special picking up senior citizens in Sapporo . Place was sort of like a nursing home but after a week we felt right at home. Of note if you stay there you actually have to descend to the trail head for the infamous TGR face zone

[neck beard]

Leisg, satori - thanks for the magazine feedback. It is off the printer and being distributed next week when I am back in Japan.

And yes, Hakuginsou Onsen is one of the best places I have been in Japan. for value, for onsen and for trailhead at the door. http://www.furanotourism.com/english2011/?p=1867

(Not to be confused with the New Hakuginsou Hotel in Furano)

BFD - there are a bunch of other accomm places in that zone and it sounds like you scored a good one as well. Japan is great like that.

Having never actually seen a TGR movie I have no idea what the 'TGR face' is, but I'm guessing it is not the type of place I'd find myself anyway. I've seen a big van in between Asahi and Tokachi at the end of an access road with a big TGR logo on it, and a sled trailer.

The map: I bought the data for Garmin Mapsource and GPS, from this guy in Japan http://uud.info/en/map/

Here is the next map north, I'd say it is not what you were expecting, funny country.



What you may like is this set of maps. In Japanese, but easy reading the terrain, way better than Google Maps.

http://net.jmc.or.jp/saishiki/MF_Sea.../mesh/6542.png

Because I'm a nice guy I drew a red shape around the Daisetsuzan mountain range. You want to expand those map cards. Each one will more than fill your screen. It is a shame they don't all link up as one big map (I'd be really stoked if someone could stitch a bunch of these map jpegs together for me though). Scale is 1:25,000.

[neck beard]

Also for your guide, Oputateshike-yama is written vertically as オプタケシケ山 and can be found on the left hand side of one of those maps cards. Unfortunately the peak is split between two adjacent maps.

Hint: look a bit to the NE of that vertical text, look for the 1668 spot height. I've heard things about that cliffy zone.

[neck beard]

And in a different part of Hokkaido, here's a peak worth yer'findin:



[spring shot, so looks dirty]

[BFD]

Thank's have something to work with. Not concerned about accommodations. Was thinking this might be a camping trip. Just trying to fit the area we saw from Asahidake to the lonely planet hiking guide maps. The TGR face came from the Mike Pow link.

[BFD]

hohes I think this is it. 600 meter lines probably all below tree line north east facing.
http://net.jmc.or.jp/saishiki/MF_Sea...ntLon=142.8087

[neck beard]

ok, noted: you are not concerned about accommodations. I wont mention that again. sorry. geez.

Perhaps you are talking about this zone, from the 1473.7 spot height on the map you linked.

Middle right.


[shitty cropped image]

I reckon that whole range is probably better BTL, so good move.

[Mike Pow]

The TGR face came from the Mike Pow link.

That's the name we were told that the locals use for that face.