Results 476 to 500 of 601
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01-29-2020, 09:31 AM #476Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Posts
- 111
I am heading out to Japan tomorrow for my honeymoon.
Skiing in Hirafu from Sunday for a week before sight seeing time.
Praying for 7 POW days but I am not greedy, 6 would do.
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01-29-2020, 10:15 AM #477Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Posts
- 1,203
Looks good Superior. Way to make the most of it
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01-31-2020, 11:12 AM #478
Avalanche caught a group of 8 with 1 who didn't make it: https://japantoday.com/category/nati...alanche-1-dead
Super sad to see this happen, and worrisome since I plan on being there in a week.
Something I've noticed while watching videos of the "sidecountry" which you enter through gates at the resorts is that a lot of people hike up and ski that terrain, which could easily be and probably is avy terrain, without any avy safety gear.
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01-31-2020, 12:13 PM #479
I just got back from Niseko and found the gates to be an absolute gong show—like nothing I have ever seen. Hundreds of people with no gear and no clue skiing on top of each other on steep slopes. Also, last week some of the creeks still had holes and some folks fell in. One more reason to avoid the obvious terrain traps.
Despite the grievances and the much lower than normal snowpack, I had a great time and skied great snow. Often in plain sight.
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01-31-2020, 12:14 PM #480Registered User
- Join Date
- Jun 2019
- Location
- Lakeside, PowTown
- Posts
- 26
There is a pretty 'lax attitude to the often benign terrain on Hokkaido, I can see how some guys used to the French Alps could let their guard down.
I would be interested to know if there was some trauma involved, seemed like a pretty small slide from the report.
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01-31-2020, 01:08 PM #481Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2004
- Posts
- 95
No good. We also set off a small slide in Tomamu last year. Puking all day and you could see things starting to get a bit slabby and then one broke on us on relatively mellow terrain so it didn't go to far. We all had full avy gear but still should have ready the signs better (it was dam good snow). Stayed in bounds after that. Everyone things Japan is flat but it does have its areas of caution.
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01-31-2020, 02:27 PM #482Registered User
- Join Date
- Nov 2008
- Posts
- 1,435
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01-31-2020, 02:43 PM #483Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Posts
- 865
Looks like it’s dumping next week...
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01-31-2020, 10:29 PM #484
The muppet show going out the gates has been quite a topic here recently.
Next season Niseko Avalanche Prevention Committee have announced that they're going to require an avalanche beacon and helmet to be permitted out the gates.
This has been quite contentious, lots o bitching on facebook/etc. The Japanese are especially not fans of wearing helmets, presumably because it messes with their ski fashion?
Obviously this rule isn't going to effect advanced and experienced riders out there that have the training and deserve to be there.
I don't particular care about the mediocre riders going out the gates here either. They might not get home until nightfall, but at least they probably will. It would be better if they had at least some clue, a plan, and basic sense of direction, and maybe the new rule will prompt them to consider that, but they represent the smallest of these 3 categories I mentioned here.
The critical part is that we've got hoards of literally first day/first week beginner skiers & boarders walking past all the signage, heading out there for a selfie because everyone else is doing it, then asking strangers "where is the green run home". These are the people who are most dangerous to themselves and others.
I hope they stand their ground and introduce the rule. selfishly I just want less people going out the gates and more snow for me ;p
We've finally got enough base that most of the tree areas and slack/backcountry are skiable if you don't mind tight trees and a few surprises.
But snow is coming .... I hope! I've been fooled by forecasts before.
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02-01-2020, 10:49 AM #485Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Posts
- 1,203
Tonnes of Aussies in the backcountry there who can barely ride the resort heading to places they shouldn't. Same thing here in Whistler. Helmet rule is interesting. If there was anywhere in the world i could convince my girlfriend to let me not wear a helmet it would be the Hokkaido backcountry.
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02-01-2020, 05:35 PM #486
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02-02-2020, 07:58 AM #487
I was kind of blown away by the gates at Niseko and the people just filing through them, clearly unaware. It didn't feel like backcountry at all and that's a problem.
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02-02-2020, 08:28 AM #488
At least in kiroro, you had to file a plan in the morning, marked on a map entry and exit gates you planed to use, what kind of backcountry gear you carried (not that they required it). You then got a ticket you had to show patrol before going though the gates which you had to return at the end of the day.
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02-02-2020, 11:25 AM #489Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
- Posts
- 51
Have the conditions got better with the most recent snowfall? Is it still early season conditions?
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02-02-2020, 02:10 PM #490Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2008
- Posts
- 821
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02-02-2020, 02:28 PM #491
Two years ago they did, maybe they stopped. There was one unmanned gate from what I remember, felt kind sorry for the patrol that sat in these little tiny tents in the freaking cold snowy weather that never let up.
Looks like they still have the mountain club that lets you register at 8:00am instead of 9, also includes links to the registration forms for the different zones
https://www.kiroro.co.jp/mountain_club/
Easy & Speedy Mountain Climbing Plan Registration
KIRORO MOUNTAIN CLUB MEMBER can submit their Mountain Climbing Plan from 8:00 AM
Mountain Climbing Plan submission is required to use KIRORO EXIT&RE-ENTRY.
Submission starts at 9:00 AM for non-KIRORO MOUNTAIN CLUB MEMBER.
Please check-in at Kiroro Mountain Club after finishing skiing/snowboarding.
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02-02-2020, 03:03 PM #492
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02-02-2020, 06:06 PM #493
Hokkaido Japan; Central Hokkaido or Niseko
Yup, still mangly trees, and icy conditions everywhere, with the possible exception of the north-facing backside of Niseko ski resort, which has been getting more consistent snowfall.
I also have been told that Furano is skiing moderately well, and there’s quite a bit of snow on Asahidake. Best bet if you’re coming over is to have wheels and chase the snow.
I skied mount Yotei three days ago, and it was completely bulletproof and wind scoured with rain crusts down low.
However, I also skied yesterday and found about 4 to 6 inches of dust on crust in the zone behind the resort.
We have 4-5 days of precip forecasted this week, and very low temps. Hopefully, this is the reset and winter pattern finally arriving.
Yesterday behind the resort
Wind affected slopes everywhere
And finally, gapers skinning the middle of a bowl, putting a skin track exactly where you’d want to ski ... lemmings
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02-02-2020, 11:23 PM #494
Hokkaido Japan; Central Hokkaido or Niseko
Tohoku is absolutely firing despite low tide! Today was day 6 today of skiing and we have not been disappointed or had a bad day!
Place 1
Place 2
Place 3
Place 4
Edited to remove details
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsLast edited by SkiLyft; 02-03-2020 at 06:00 AM.
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02-03-2020, 01:33 AM #495Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Posts
- 865
Nice pics @Skilyft! I am in Tokyo next weekend and brought my (touring) gear with me just in case. Where would you go? I checked Snow-Forecast and seems to be cold and puking all week everywhere. Been to Hokkaido a few years ago but never skied in Honshu. Thanks in advance
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02-03-2020, 02:04 AM #496
Hokkaido Japan; Central Hokkaido or Niseko
pm’d
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsLast edited by SkiLyft; 02-03-2020 at 05:58 AM.
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02-03-2020, 04:27 AM #497
SkiLyft, tone it down a bit there.
You guys have about one year until all your secrets are gone and Tohoku is just as crowded as Niseko.
Save it for your bros. No need to make it headline news.
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02-03-2020, 05:34 AM #498
Yeah, let the aussies get there first...
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02-03-2020, 05:59 AM #499
Ha - roger that. Sent beta via PM.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
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02-03-2020, 06:07 AM #500
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