Cool and sunny today but also very windy, with the upper lifts on wind hold all day.
After yesterday's exertions I took a day off to recover.
DAY 126 : WEDNESDAY 02 APRIL 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
The wind died down overnight and the morning broke clear, so it was back to Mt Eniwa-dake for another solo skin & ski.
After skiing the East Face on Monday, today I was looking to find the lost resort of Mt Eniwa, host to the Men's & Women's Downhill skiing events at the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics.
The drive around Lake Shikotsu was spectacular this morning with the waters calm and crystal clear
Mt Eniwa-dake
(the East Face Bowl and ascent ridge on the right hand side of the peak)
Mt Tarumae and Mt Fuppushi-dake
Mt Fuppushi-dake's 'E.T. Couloir'
Mt Eniwa-dake
The East Face bowl
Today's route - walk (green) and ski (red)
Rt 78, closed until 05 May 2014
Avalanche path off the summit
Rt 78 is closed to traffic but is plowed clean at least to the 6 km marker (of 9.1 km).
That's how far I walked down the road trying to get sight of the Olympic runs.
Nothing.
And with Mt Eniwa-dake being volcanic, the gullies separating the many faces of the mountain are deep and steep sided.
A no go to traversing around.
So I turned around and walked 3km back up the road until I got to a car parking area where I put on the skins and headed up the mountain to make some turns.
The snow was solid and the skin up quick and easy.
Went up to just below the summit ridge and then dropped in to the trees that took me back to the road.
Great pitch and nicely spaced trees, with some fun gullies and steeper shots.
Turns out the Olympic venue is at the end of the road, 9.1 km
There's a storm rolling through this weekend and the next clear day is early next week.
Looking to head back on Tuesday, this time with a bike to finally see what's left of the '72 Olympics venue.
The rain stopped around mid-afternoon yesterday and turned to very fine snow soon after.
But as has happened far too often this season it was accompanied by very high winds which blew what little snow had fallen all over the place.
I woke to winter views this morning and the heating went back on for the first time in a week.
The 30 cm that had been forecast hadn't materialised and with the high winds still raging in the Niseko Resort Area - which closed all the upper lifts all day - I headed to Kiroro Snow World on my own to see what was on offer.
The car park was white and quiet and the slopes were covered with a new layer of powder.
No spring crunch underfoot
Only the bottom three quads and the backside uncovered double were operating today, and after a couple of laps on the groomed runs and the fringes I headed into 'Walk in the Woods' to see what I could find.
12 days with no snow
Sunshine
Warm temperatures
Rain
and after 1 storm I got boot to boot top powder all day, with knee deep turns and face shots each run.
It was snowing as I left and I'll be heading back over tomorrow.
Hopefully the gondola will be running.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
DAY 130 : SUNDAY 06 APRIL 2014
5 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
The wind that almost cracked 'Eggshell' - the proper name for MQ in Higashiyama - Friday night into Saturday morning moved north overnight keeping the Kiroro Snow World upper lifts closed for the second consecutive day, but more importantly flattening all of yesterday's powder
It was boot deep at best today but on the plus side the groomed runs were in perfect mid-winter condition.
I came back to Higashiyama mid-afternoon and 5cm had already fallen.
And it's coming down hard and straight as I type.
The upper lifts in the Niseko United ski area have been closed for the past two days too, and with tomorrow forecast to be sunny it's going to be a tough call to decide where to ski.
Watch this space.
After all it is free
After all it is free
DAY 131 : MONDAY 07 APRIL 2014
6 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Spring returned to the Niseko Resort Area this morning with sunshine, blue skies and fresh powder.
It was the same at Kiroro Snow World for Ian and me, unfortunately we didn't get the memo that as from today the gondola will only open on weekends
We warmed up on the groomed runs which were excellent, but after only one run in the trees off the Nagamine chair ski patrol was on us like poo-poo on a stick.
Not surprising really as we were the only ones skiing off the groomed runs.
Glen Claydon reported fun turns off the peak at Hirafu this morning but with Hanazono closed for the season, it was cutback central to make the Hirafu lifts.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
DAY 132 : TUESDAY 08 APRIL 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
With clear skies and no wind overnight I set off before dawn for another day out on Mt Eniwa-dake on Lake Shikotsu.
For my third visit this winter I was trying to find the runs cut for the Men's & Women's Downhill skiing events at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics.
Mt Eniwa-dake across Lake Shikotsu
The plan today was to cycle the closed Rt 72 9.1 km down to the lake, hike up the mountain, ski down, and then cycle back out to the car.
The route by bike & hike (green) and ski (red)
On the way down to the lake I passed by what would have been the base area for the downhill events.
True to the organising committe's aim there was no trace that runs, lifts and buildings had once been there.
Quote:
The downhill venue, Mount Eniwa, was created expressly for the Olympic competition. However,
immediately after the Games, the mountain was returned to its pristine state in compliance with local
conservation laws. It cost $2 million to construct and dismantle the 2 downhill runs, 2 cable cars, and
chairlift.
Took the day off snow and went exploring the Lake Toya area and the peaks of the Kariba Mountainous District above the fishing village of Shimamaki on the SW coast.
Lake Toya
DAY 134 : THURSDAY 10 APRIL 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Heavy rain hammering against the roof woke me at 4am.
It stopped raining around 8am and it was blustery and sunny for the rest of the day with a ight dusting up snow up high.
DAY 135 : FRIDAY 11 APRIL 2014
1 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
The vilage was white again this morning but it didn't last long in the Spring sunshine.
I spent the morning skiing Niseko Hirafu with local photographer Glen Claydon.
The top up of new snow certainly improved conditions with great turns off the Ace # 3 double chair, but high winds kept the top lifts closed all day
Yours truly in a Glen Claydon pic
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Mt Eniwa-dake, looks very imposing from the road into the airport.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Yeah, certainly steeper and more rugged than most of the peaks in the area.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
DAY 136 : SATURDAY 12 APRIL 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
The upside of the Kiroro Snow World gondola being closed during the week is the snow that fell this week covered up and smoothed out the spring crunch.
Expecting a day on the groomed runs, Ian and I were pleasantly surprised with the 5-15 cm of untracked powder in 'Hangman'.
A great way to finish the season at Kiroro.
Ian
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Breathtaking photos, as ever Mike. Also nice to see you getting some final pow in!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thanks ChrisWo.
Surprise powder. We like surprises
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
DAY 137 : SUNDAY 13 APRIL 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
For my final day on snow this Hokkaido winter I drove 90 min south west to the coastal fishing village of Shimamaki, the gateway to the Kariba Mountainous District.
In the winter months the road beyond Chihasegawa Hot Spring onsen is closed, so it was a 9km (2hr) skin on a very gradual gradient to the car park area for the Garo-no-Taki waterfall and the base of Higashikaribayama (1319 m).
A further 2 hr skin took me to the summit of Higashikaribayama and fantastic views of Mt Kariba (1520 m), the Sea of Japan, and the Niseko Range from Iwanai to Mt Yotei.
Mt Kariba
The Sea of Japan and the Shakotan Peninsula
Mt Obira (I think)
There was a crew of snowmobilers out who rode to the top of Higashikaribayama and if you had access to a snowmobile the travel time from Chihasegawa Hot Spring onsen to the summit would be about 30 mins.
The skiing was great.
A light covering of dry powder up high and corn down low.
Higashikaribayama
Mt Fumonnai
The Kariba Mountainous District
The Hokkaido Backcountry Club are hoping to offer cat & heliskiing in this area in the future and it certainly has the above treeline terrain suitable for all ability levels.
Who knows, it could become the 'Haines of Hokkaido'
I took the day off snow cleaning MQ and sorting out what I'm taking back home to Wales.
DAY 139 : TUESDAY 15 APRIL 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Homeward bound after another fantastic winter in the Shiribeshi area of Hokkaido.
The total snowfall I recorded at MQ in Higashiyama, Niseko Resort Area (~ 300 m) this season was
13.58 m (535")
The mean for the 8 winters I've been measuring is 14.27 m (562").
So slightly below "average"
Late November into mid-December we had three rain events which wiped out the snowpack down low. Took a while for all the sasa (bamboo grass) to be covered up.
Biggest change this winter was the increase in wind events resulting in lift closures and sometimes whole resort closures.
Despite the above, the powder was excellent.
I skied 100 days, of which 63 were knee deep or deeper powder days.
Not many areas in the world have that consistency.
The 2013/14 List :
Ski Areas
Asarigawa Onsen (2), Kiroro Snow World (3, Niseko Moiwa (10), Niseko United (30), Rusutsu (9), Otaru Tenguyama (1), Sapporo Kokusai (3), Sapporo Teine (1)
Heliskiing
Shiribetsudake with the Hokkaido Backcountry Club (1)
Ski Touring
Kariba Mountainous District (1), Mt Eniwa (3), Tengudake (1)
Many thanks to all those I skied with for their patience when I was taking pics and video.
And it might not be over for this winter.
I'm hoping for a late season ski in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales.
The Lad had a great time in Niseko, and the credit for that winds its way back to Mike Pow, because without these annual threads we simply would not have really known about skiing in Japan.
Thanks Mike!
Here is a highlights package of his season, as videos go I rather like it (though natually biased) as I think it does manage to communicate how much fun was had.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
, Niseko Moiwa (10), Niseko United (30), Rusutsu (9), Otaru Tenguyama (1), Sapporo Kokusai (3), Sapporo Teine (1)
