Mike Pow! Frank and Melanie here, and we are still re-living our great time in late January with you, and your wonderful pow in Niseko, and Rusutsu! We returned to Whistler and magically, the drought ended and we have had almost non-stop pow for the last three weeks! It almost felt like Niseko!
We can't thank you enough for the great tours, tips and meals that we were able to share with you. We can only hope that work takes me to Japan next Japanuary, again. We would like to extend the offer to visit Whistler, if you can ever tear yourself away from the slopes of Niseko, and join us on our home mtn. I will try and post a pic or two of our family on the slopes here, and I hope to see more of your videos of Nerys, the pow, and general Hakaido life.
All the best,
Frank
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Cheers Frank. Great to hear that Whistler is back on track.
Nerys & I warmed up on the low angle boot top powder under and around the East Quad and East Tignes run before lapping the knee deep powder under the Isola Gondola and the trees off the Isola Grand run.
The temperature rose sharply after lunch thickening the powder but the turns underneath the Isola No. 2 Quad were smooth and consistent.
We finished the day back on the East Quad and the East No. 2 Gondola.
For dinner we went to Restaurant La villa Lupicia in the St. Moritz area of Hirafu and chose the degustation menu at JPY 6,500 a head.
Amuse-bouche
Pate, brandade
First Appetizer
Assorted appetizers of seafood and vegetables
Second Appetizer
For Nerys
Oysters
For me
Spicy grilled Hokkaido venison fillet
Main Dish
For Nerys
Steamed menme rockfish and glutinous rice wrapped with shaved kelp - dressed with clear lily bulb "dashi" soup
For me
Roasted breaded lamb with Apple & Ginger sauce
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
OMG!!
Kiroro today was epic on an EPIC scale.
We arrived by bus from Niseko to find mid thigh deep blower powder....and it kept on coming all day.
By the time we left it was full 125cm ski pole deep.
I am glad to report that the grooming was a poor effort....several runs left unbashed, and those that were bashed did not stay bashed for long with all the snow falling
Face shots galore...so, so good.
Only the bottom lifts were open, too windy above, but we just lapped, and lapped, the same lift, ducking into the trees and gulleys.
Loads of Chinese in the mega base hotel, not one of them skiing or boarding...odd!
Rusutsu tomorrow...and the snow is hammering down as I write.
A BIG "Thank you" to Mike Pow for opening our eyes to this place!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Excellent.
My pleasure. Great to read you had a ball.
We were there today too.
Vids to follow. It was DEEP
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
DAY 99 : THURSDAY 06 MARCH 2014
4 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 17 of the Royal Visit
Kiroro Snow World was the place to be today.
Despite the gondola being offline all day due to high winds, there was plenty of powder on and off the groomed runs and very few people sharing it.
Nerys really got a handle on skiing waist deep powder on steeper pitches today, letting the skis run and the platform develop under her skis.
I got in on the act too and Jarch is shaping up very nicely with 74 cm (29") at MQ in the first 6 days of the month and 26 cm (10") waiting for us when we got back around 7pm yesterday evening.
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
Looks awful out there Mike.. Glad you're having another wave of winter, I just hope the wind dies down for you soon!
On a slightly different note, I came back from the cat skiing trip to BC I was talking about roughly a month ago. Had a fantastic time - we were fortunate that we turned up in a 10 day window when a new weather system was around and had an excellent top up of snow over the first few days, followed by light showers to refresh the snow overnight. Spent the time skiing knee to thigh deep for all 6 days we were cat skiing without having to fight for fresh tracks at all. Snow was oddly a little lighter than I experienced in Hokkaido last year, but definitely not as deep. However, one thing that BC can really offer through the cat skiing is that sense of remoteness when you're in the mountains. Nonetheless, unless I head off to Alaska next year, a trip to Hokkaido is very much on the cards - I haven't managed to shake the Japan bug and how epic the days were that I spent in Rusutsu mainly, but also Kiroro and Asahidake!
Hope the snow keeps coming for you and you have an excellent end to your season, from what I can see it looks like you will.
Chris
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Great to hear that BC delivered.
March has started off superbly - powder and sunshine.
Deep pics and vids to follow
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DAY 102 : SUNDAY 09 MARCH 2014
12 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
As of today 13.06 m (514") has fallen at MQ in Higashiyama
Day 20 of the Royal Visit
Today was Nerys' final day on snow for this Hokkaido visit and for her last supper she feasted on Kiroro Snow World powder.
Ian joined us for the morning session and it was great to see him back on skis and deep in the snow.
New snow overnight, no wind, the sun shining, blue skies, and an untracked 'Walk in the Woods'.
Ian and Nerys on the track out of 'Walk in the Woods'
They've had quite a bit of snow at Kiroro.
Here's a shot of Ian standing below the bell 'tower' on 09 December 2013
and today
Yours truly and Nerys
And back to 'Walk in the Woods' for more powder
Ian
Nerys has been putting in the hard yards on and off the groomed runs throughout this visit in all snow conditions and all terrain
and here's the payoff for all her efforts - and yes she's smiling under that facemask
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
DAY 103 : MONDAY 10 MARCH 2014
4 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
An early start from MQ taking Nerys to Chitose for her 7.55 am flight back home to Wales.
In the three weeks she was on Fantasy Island we received 227 cm (89") of new snow, and she skied 16 days at six resorts, three of which were new to her - Otaru Tenguyama, Sapporo Kokusai, and Sapporo Teine.
The drive from Chitose to Kiroro Snow World to meet up with Ian was snail like with 30 cm of heavy snow closing the expressway and diverting rush hour traffic on to Rt.5
Ian had 3 runs on the lower mountain before I arrived at 10.30, and then we spent the day lapping the gondola and skiing 'Hangman'.
The snow was a little heavier than yesterday but still excellent.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 12-03-14 22:58; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
....and THAT is why I am already plotting The Return Trip!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
rungsp, i was out there last year (Feb 22 for 10 days) and am also plannning a return next year but am interested in your experience in terms of snow etc. did you publish a report yet? think you mentioned in a post that you woudl when you had a mo
A beautiful morning with clear blue skies and no wind as Ian and I drove past the Kiroro Snow World turn off (always a hard thing to do), and continued on Rt 393 down to the town of Asarigawa Onsen and Asari Snow Resort.
This was the first visit for both of us and we couldn't have picked a better day for a reconnaisance.
The cons
A long walk from the car park up a flight of stairs to the lifts
No covered lifts or foot rests. No big deal on a sunny March day. Might be different on a stormy January day
Confusingly the runs are distinguished by the colour of the lift not the difficulty level
The pros
Great small resort that skis very big
Deserted
Unbelievable views of Otaru and the ocean
Snow
Wide variety of pitch and terrain
The south facing slopes had a sun crust but the north facing slopes had 10 cm of new snow on top of a dry light base.
Blue Course - set up for race training
Red courses and terrain park
Ian at the base area with Asari dam in the background
The mirrored ski center
Ian at the top of the Purple course looking down to Otaru city and Otaru bay
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
DAY 106 : THURSDAY 13 MARCH 2014
1 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Another sunny start to the day at Kiroro Snow World, and after a lap in 'Walk in the Woods' to check snow conditions on the NW facing aspect I took the gondola to the top of the mountain, put on my skins, and started the easy tour to the summit of Yoichi-dake (1,488 m).
75 mins later and I was ready to drop into the large bowl directly below the summit.
Unfortunately Mother Nature had other ideas.
The clouds rolled in, it started snowing, and it was like skiing inside a golf ball.
I skied the hard packed ridge line down to a different gully and skied mid-thigh powder back to the Asari No. 2 Express chair.
Great tour and great skiing.
One of these days I'll manage to ski it under blue skies.
The Giro team have been in town. This is how they roll.
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.
UPDATE : SATURDAY 15 MARCH 2014
At the suggestion of gaijin from the Teton Gravity Research (TGR) forum who feels that :
1. my students and I are missing out on a whole load of fun because we're skiing the Hokkaido powder on mid-fat shaped all mountain skis, and
2. I'm doing my students a diservice by recommending they ski on an all-mountain ski not a powder ski even though I've never skied on one,
I spent Saturday skiing Kiroro Snow World alternating between the 185 cm Line Mr. Pollard's Opus powder skis (144-118-141; r 17m) and my own Coreupt The Caspers Justin Dorey twin-tip skis (112-79-105; r 20m).
We'd had around 20-30 cm of new snow overnight on top of a thin sun crust, with various densities of powder from the week's storms beneath the crust.
The Line skis were heavier than mine (a combination of more ski and a heavier binding) and I was pleasantly surprised how capable they were pivotting, edging and carving on the groomed runs.
After a couple of laps warming up on the groomed runs and the powder on the fringes, Ian & I headed into 'Walk in the Woods' and 'Hangman' to ski the powder.
Adopting a pole planting style of skiing the Lines were very lively and responsive, popping in and out of the powder.
The platform developed quickly under the skis and they were easy to turn, both pivotting and edging.
With more ski on the snow than in the snow at the start of the turn, the acceleration in the fall line for the Line skis was markedly faster than the Coreupts, and it gave me a greater appreciation of what my students feel when I ask them to let both skis run in the fall line on and off the piste.
The Line skis were good fun, but the fun I'm looking for is from a more immersive powder experience and for me the narrower platform of the Coreupt skis allowed me to get deeper into the powder.
In addition, my students and I spend a significant amount of the day on groomed terrain so an all-mountain profile is more appropriate for our needs.
A very worthwhile exercise, and I'm glad gaijin suggested it. Thanks.
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.
DAY 111 : TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A thoroughly miserable day in the Niseko Resort Area.
Grey skies and RAIN in the day and howling wind and fine, bitty snow in the evening and through the night.
An indoor day, with a brief trip to Prativo in Higashiyama for the wonderful buffet lunch.
DAY 112 : WEDNESDAY 19 MARCH 2014
3 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Back to Kiroro Snow World with Damien for a wonderful Spring skiing day on the groomers.
There was about 5-10 cm of new snow on the ground but not enough to cover up the windblown rain and sun crusted off piste.
The view of Yoichi-dake from the top of Kiroro Snow World
Damien is really getting a handle on standing tall at the start of the turn, letting the skis run in the fall line, and accelerating through the first part of the turn.
The legacy of the snowplow stem and skidding the skis to kill the acceleration at the start of the turn rear their ugly head on the steeper pitches, but they're disappearing day by day as he becomes more confident and trusts his ability to balance with the mountain.
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
Very interesting review of the ski styles there Mike. I ended up somewhere in the middle with some Blizzard Cochise - about 107mm I think - they are great on and off piste. Personally I think it depends a great deal on personal preference, typical snow conditions skied and skill level. I suspect most people would struggle with your skis in all but the lightest powder. I have a Norwegian friend I ski with every year and he skis anything (looking good!) on his 5 year old skinny race prepped GS skis.....but then he's a bit better than me
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
nemesys wrote:
Very interesting review of the ski styles there Mike. I ended up somewhere in the middle with some Blizzard Cochise - about 107mm I think - they are great on and off piste. Personally I think it depends a great deal on personal preference, typical snow conditions skied and skill level. I suspect most people would struggle with your skis in all but the lightest powder. I have a Norwegian friend I ski with every year and he skis anything (looking good!) on his 5 year old skinny race prepped GS skis.....but then he's a bit better than me
Thanks nemesys.
Agree 100%.
The 2 seasons I spent back home in Wales skiing the Brecon Beacons, Switzerland, Italy, Norway and the Balkans I had the 173 cm Movement Jams (136-85-117) as my quiver of one.
They were great in all but the mankiest powder but when I got back to Hokkaido I felt they kept me too close to the surface.
Hence my move to the Coreupts.
I'm very lucky to ski some of the lightest and deepest powder on the planet on a consistent basis and the narrower platform meets my needs.
If I were to ski in other parts of the world a more appropriate platform could well be the go.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DAY 113 : THURSDAY 20 MARCH 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A sunny day across the region with great groomed skiing on offer.
The skies turned grey just before sundown, and the light snow was accompanied by high winds through the night.
DAY 114 : FRIDAY 21 MARCH 2014
2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
With little new snow in the Niseko Resort Area in the past 4 days and snow forecast for the Otaru area resorts, Damien and I headed to Asari Snow Resort to find some fresh turns.
There was about 5-10 cm on the groomed runs at the start of the day and another 10 cm or so fell when we were there.
Not enough to cover up the crunch off-piste, but smooth crusing on piste.
Even got to see the ocean and Otaru Bay at day's end.
Damien
Damien has been battling the feeling of the skis running away from him at the start of the turn in steeper terrain and the fear that the acceleration brings.
Today we worked on increasing the tempo of balancing to the outside of the turn and foot speed when pivotting the skis across the fall line to overcome the pull of gravity down the mountain.
Once he was comfortable with managing the acceleration, he used it to his advantage accelerating through to the belly of the turn.
With sunshine and high winds since my last visit to Kiroro Snow World on Wednesday, Ian and I weren't expecting much from today.
Thankfully Kiroro continues to surprise and delight us.
10 cm of new snow on a light sun crust with 20 cm below that. And 10-15 cm fell during the time we were there.
Managed to get one series of pics before the blizzard started.
Ian in 'Hangman'
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DAY 116 : SUNDAY 23 MARCH 2014
1 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
The morning started off windy and grey with light flurries so I took the day off snow.
Around 11am the sun came out and great Spring powder turns were reported all across the region.
DAY 117 : MONDAY 24 MARCH 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Ian and I enjoyed a beautiful Spring day at Sapporo Kokusai today.
Fantastic groomed runs early on and then we took a walk above the gondola to the slackcountry skier's right of the gondola.
The south facing slopes were sun baked with heavy spring powder but there were some great turns amongst the trees on the shaded north facing slopes.
Ian
Inbounds the shaded slopes skier's left of the 'Downhill Trail' offered up untracked knee deep powder all morning.
It got up to 8 deg C at the base of the resort by lunchtime and the freezing level is set to rise through the week (1800 m on Saturday), with heavy rain forecast for Friday and Saturday.
Might be time to take a trip up north to Asahidake and Kurodake where the freezing level is set to top out at 1350 m and snow is forecast Saturday and Sunday.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
DAY 118 : TUESDAY 25 MARCH 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A grey day in the Niseko Resort Area with drizzle at village level for most of the afternoon.
Today was definitely the right day to rest up.
With the downtime I got the chance to edit the video I took back in mid-February on my day with the Hokkaido Backcountry Club heli-skiing Shiribetsu-dake.
The Hokkaido Backcountry Club heli operation has finished for this season, but the chopper has been in the air the past couple of days exploring the Shiribeshi area scoping out new terrain for 2015.
Each time I've driven the road that runs alongside Jyozankei Dam on the way to Sapporo Kokusai ski area I've looked up at the jagged summits of Tengudake and Tenguyama admiring the very different look from most of the peaks found in this part of Hokkaido.
Picture taken on 24 February 2014
Tenguyama on the left, Tengudake on the right
With the spring freeze thaw cycle underway I took a solo exploratory trip from the Jyozankei Lakeline road across Sapporo lake and up to Tengudake today.
4 hrs of skinning the long way round taking in all the sub valleys and lines running down from the summit at 1114 m
Tenguyama
Tengudake
The summit marker on Tengudake
After a quick bite I headed down and around to the main gully below Tenguyama
The sun and warm air had really got at the snowpack, with most of the slopes covered in pinwheels from snow falling from the rock faces and trees.
The shaded sides of the gullies were hardpacked & consistent, the sides in the sun offered up knee deep slurpie snow.
The run out in the main gully and river course was smooth and easy with steep tree skiing either side of me.
In mid-winter conditions the area has it all - rock lined chutes, big cliff drops, natural halfpipes, and steep trees.
Looking back across Sapporo lake to my route of descent
Great day at Kiroro Snow World with Ian skiing fast groomers and spring corn snow in Hangman under blue skies.
Temperatures rising by the day with a peak of 12 deg C at village level this afternoon.
DAY 121 : FRIDAY 28 MARCH 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A foggy day in the Niseko Resort Area so I took the day off snow.
Had a fabulous lunch at Chez DouDou on the road to Chisenupuri.
The wind picked up in the afternoon and it started to rain around 11pm.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DAY 122 : SATURDAY 29 MARCH 2014
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Once the early morning valley mist had burned off leaving blue skies and sunshine I started my day at Niseko Village taking the gondola and single chair to the top of the ski area and then traversing over to the King Lift #4 (pIzza box) at Grand Hirafu.
At the top of the single chair it was skis off for the hike to 'The Peak' for the first time this winter.
A short walk later I was atop Mt Niseko An'nupuri ('The Peak') at 1308 m, enjoying a 360 degree view of all this area has to offer.
The summit marker and Mt Youtei
The Niseko Range stretching out to the sea
Ready to drop in
Grand Hirafu, Hirafu village and Mt Youtei from 'The Peak' of Mt Niseko An'nupuri
I dropped in to the north face hoping for smooth corn snow and for the first half of the run was met with rutted, re-frozen hardpack which hadn't softened in the sunshine.
My fillings got a good work out.
As I traversed skier's right back around to the front face the snow softened and I could let the skis go.
The run out through Jacksons was smooth, and I haven't seen so little snow depth on the road out from the golf course in all the times I've skied it.
As I was taking the Hanazono lifts back up to do another lap I bumped into Greg Heptonstall and instead of hiking again we did laps through Gate 4 dropping back to the Hanazono 3 chair lift.
Great skiing with plenty of unskied spring snow to enjoy.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks Ordinary Skiier.
Rain this morning , but it's turning to snow as I type
After all it is free
After all it is free
Mike Pow wrote:
Thanks Ordinary Skiier.
Rain this morning , but it's turning to snow as I type
Mike, when does the season finish ? Is the snow holding up ? Looks good to me
I may finally be able to get a bit of time off later this week so thinking about trying to squeeze in a Thursday (3 April) to Monday trip if conditions are likely to be ok for a bit of sliding
Ray
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.
I was enthusing about Japan to a ski instructor in Verbier today
"I don't fancy it myself, I've heard it snows a lot and you don't get much sunshine"
Hmmm.....well yes, I guess that is true, in fact that is the flippin point!.....Still, it takes all sorts!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
rayscoops wrote:
Mike Pow wrote:
Thanks Ordinary Skiier.
Rain this morning , but it's turning to snow as I type
Mike, when does the season finish ? Is the snow holding up ? Looks good to me
I may finally be able to get a bit of time off later this week so thinking about trying to squeeze in a Thursday (3 April) to Monday trip if conditions are likely to be ok for a bit of sliding
Ray
First week in May for Grand Hirafu and Kiroro.
Plenty of snow, albeit spring corn.
Storm rolling though Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Could time it perfectly
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Glad you're having another wave of winter, I just hope the wind dies down for you soon!
, but it's turning to snow as I type 
