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 29 : THURSDAY 13 DECEMBER 2012
2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
After two great days on the mountain and a lateish night at Black Diamond Lodge, a day off snow was the call for today.
Breakast done we went through The List:
Food shopping at Max Value in Kutchan
New thermals from Homac in Kutchan at a fraction of the ski shop prices
Nerys had custom molded orthotics/foot beds made by Ned Buckley
Ned's based in Rhythm Snowsports on Hirafu-zaka (the road heading up to the Alpen Base area)
We'll report back on how they feel after the next couple of days of skiing
http://www.skihirejapan.com/about/boot-fitting/
Swapped my Dynafit bindings from my 173 cm Movement Jams (136-85-117) to my new 173 cm Coreupt The Caspers (112-79-105) at Takiguchi Sports in Kutchan
I've really been wnjoying the narrower platform of my 170 cm Head Supershape i. Magnums (121-71-107) and this next change is taking the narrower platform to it's next stage
I'm either going to Dive & Thrive' or 'Drown & Frown' in the powder. Only time will tell!
http://www.spotaki.co.jp/topenglish.html
Lunch at Prativo in Niseko Higashiyama
They offer a lunch special for 1,500 yen which includes unlimited tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, salad bar, two desserts, and a choice of 1 main course - normally 1 meat, 2 fish, and 1 vegetarian
Excellent food, excellent value and excellent views of Mt Yotei. Well worth a visit
Apres drinks at Maki Lounge is quickly becoming part of our daily routine
Great welcome from Hamilton, warm atmosphere, and very interesting & delicious cocktails
Quiet night at home with dinner, a bottle of Malbec, and catching up on Homeland.
Great on the groomed, in the crud, and the lighter powder. A little trickier in the wind blown powder on the Nagamine #2-C Course with the 112 mm tips diving below the wind crust immediately.
I'm sure I'll get the hang of them over the next couple of days. Just in time for the next big storm system rolling through.
We stopped off at Maki Lounge on the way home for our daily constitutional.
For the lady, an El Presidente and a Hamilton Landing.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Mike Pow, Nerys' skiing reminds me of being taught the golden rules of swimming when I was a small child, one of which was 'be gentle with the water'. It obviously works in snow as well - she is so calm!
long way from your neck of the woods but good to see some coverage of out of the way spots...
Great read. Thanks.
Loads of smaller places up this way too.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
pam w wrote:
Stunning, wonderful, photos. Thanks.
Thanks pam w
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
DAY 31 : SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2012
2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A day off snow for Nerys & I and a drive to Chitose to pick up Nerys' best friend Claire from London.
It's Claire's first visit to Japan and she's on Hokkaido until the 28th when she, her boyfriend Craig (who's arriving from Australia on the 20th) and Nerys leave for two days in Tokyo before flying back to the UK.
For the first part of her trip she's staying at Sekka suites right in the heart of Hirafu.
So it was an easy choice to have cocktails at Maki Lounge and dinner at Niseko Pizza her first night in town.
Both were excellent.
DAY 32 : SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER 2012
11 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Claire's first day on snow in 5 years so it had to be Kiroro.
It snowed most of the day and with quiet runs even on a Sunday, Claire got right back into it.
Like many skiers who've been taught the braking plow in a group lesson environment there's a mechanical and psychological reluctance to accept the acceleration when both skis are pointing straight down the mountain (in the fall line) and to have the patience and confidence for the whole body to balance to the pitch of the slope.
Balancing into the hill, whilst feeling safe, results in a tense and tired skier with no fluidity.
Over the course of her first day on snow Claire became more and more comfortable with allowing the glide at the start of the turn, staying long in the leg with consistent separation between the feet and the knees, and using the curve of the turn to slow her down not the skidding and pressuring of the snow that is all too prevelant on the slopes.
A rest day for the ladies, so after an hour of shovelling I headed to Hirafu to meet up with long time ski partner Ian M for our first powder day of the season.
BIG WEDNESDAY
Today has to go down as one of the all-time Niseko Hirafu days.
Ian and I lapped the Hirafu gondola with a couple of rides on the Swinging Monkey chair skiing Konayuki, the old lift line, Tetsu's, and Miharashi.
It was untracked, over the head powder all morning.
Claire's boyfriend Craig arrived from Sydney this afternoon and the four of us had a fabulous dinner at A-bu-cha 2
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
DAY 37 : FRIDAY 21 DECEMBER 2012
18 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
For Craig's first day on snow we headed to Rusutsu.
As has been the case so far this winter it was deserted with plenty of powder to play in.
Craig tasting Hokkaido powder for the first time
Nerys in the Rusutsu powder
Fabulous introduction to Hokkaido snow for Craig.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DAY 38 : SATURDAY 22 DECEMBER 2012
9 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Craig spent the day in Niseko United with his mate Mike Butler - up from Tokyo for the weekend - whilst Nerys, Claire & I skied in Rusutsu.
There was still plenty of powder on the fringes of the groomed runs and in the trees, with a smooth covering of new snow on the groomed runs that skied like velvet.
Big changes for Claire in terms of embracing the fall line and then accelerating through the curve of the turn.
And big changes for Nerys with linked, shorter radius turns in knee deep powder.
The five of us had dinner at Niseko Pizza for the TGR Premiere Movie Night - The Dream Factory and Further - organised by Niseko Pizza, Explore Niseko & Niseko Photography.
A great evening, two excellent movies, and Nerys and I got very lucky in the raffle. She won The Dream Factory DVD and I won Further.
Afterwards we popped upstairs for a Corpse Reviver cocktail at the Maki Lounge After Party.
DAY 39 : SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2012
12 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
As of today 501 cm (197") has fallen at MQ
Although there was a great covering of dry powder and periods of brilliant sunshine, today was a rest day for Nerys, Claire & me.
Craig and Mike went out for the morning and reported great conditions in Annupuri.
After Mike took the bus back to Chitose, Claire, Craig, Nerys & I went to Yugorotei Onsen at the entrance to Niseko Moiwa.
Very relaxing, especially the massage chairs.
Snowing heavily as I type and much colder than of late.
Plenty of snow forecast for the coming week with the temperature plummetting to -20 C with the wind chill.
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?
Mike Pow, more than 5m of snow before the end of December - that's a "healthy start" to the season?
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 41 : TUESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2012
2 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
After opening up our stocking and presents, we headed to Annupuri for Nerys, Claire and Craig's first ever Christmas Day turns.
It was also the first Christmas away from Wales for Nerys.
No pressure then.
Thankfully it was another sunny morning with great visibility and spongy powder on the fringes.
We lapped the quad and gondola for a couple of hours and then headed in for the buffet lunch.
Craig, Claire and Nerys with the crackers Craig had brought over from Australia
Craig and Claire in the festive spirit
Nerys Claus
For Christmas dinner we skipped the turkey and went to Maccarina (also spelled Makkarina) in the village of Makkari half-way between Hirafu and Rusutsu.
It's one of two 1-star Michelin restaurants in the area - the other being Kamimura in Hirafu - and is a French influenced restaurant using the finest local ingredients.
We ordered the seven course degustation menu which included
a medley of lamb, foie gras, vegetables, salmon and mussel
braised leek
pumpkin soup
octopus and a beef & pork sausage
turbot for the ladies
and venison for the gentlemen
bitter chocolate tart with pumpkin ice cream
and to finish coffee and petits fours
A thoroughly wonderful experience which I can't recommend highly enough.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
DAY 42 : WEDNESDAY 26 DECEMBER 2012
37 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
It was snowing and blowing on the drive out and back from Maccarina last night and we woke to a foot or so of fresh and sunny skies again (which turned to snow around mid morning).
Boxing Day was spent at Niseko Hirafu.
For the non-Commonwealth amongst you, Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Hong Kong the day following Christmas Day, when traditionally servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their superiors or employers known as a "Christmas box".
Our "Christmas box" was powder and sunshine.
We skied the green courses Green, Sennoki and Kogen and the red course Alpen for most of the morning.
I managed one lap of mid-thigh deep and face shots in the old lift line and Craig made a couple of laps in the old lift line and Miharashi with Ben Thorpe from Japan Ski Experience. Ben made the arrangements for Claire & Craig's accommodation in Kizuna.
We had lunch at Boyoso again, but instead of taking the Holiday Pair Lift and walking up to the restaurant as we did on Christmas Eve this time we skied Ni-Kabe down to the front door.
This was Claire's first black run of her Hokkaido holiday and she nailed it. Especially the knee deep crud and bumps at the bottom of the run.
Today was the last day I skied with Claire this holiday and she's made big changes in the time we spent together.
First and foremost she had a great time and wants to ski next winter. She last skied five winters ago in Tignes, France and didn't really want to try it again.
And over the course of skiing five different areas - Kiroro, Rusutsu, Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Hirafu, Niseko Hanazono - she's come to embrace the fall line and balancing with the mountain not against it.
She also got to see 250 cm (98") of snow fall during her visit.
Here's Claire skiing Kiroro on her first day and then Niseko Hirafu today
Before lunch Nerys ran in to a shoddy piece of Hirafu grooming avoiding a snowboarder and got a stinger to her hamstring as she ejected from her bindings.
So after lunch she and Claire pulled up a chair at the Tanta An bar in the Grand Hirafu Mountain Center and watched skiers and snowboarders flying down to the Hirafu gondola. Sometimes literally.
Craig and I stayed out and did laps in the old lift line
Cocktails at Maki were followed by dinner at Niseko Pizza with Ian M.
The new menu has been unveiled and the smoked salmon with asparagus sauce pizza and wholemeal crusts are excellent additions to Cezar's extensive repertoire.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
DAY 43 : THURSDAY 27 DECEMBER 2012
28 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Nerys' last day of skiing on Fantasy Island
For this trip
And with her leg all good it was back to where we started, Kiroro.
They've had a bit of snow at Kiroro
It was cold, windy at times, and snowing heavily off and on.
Nerys happy to be indoors for a bit
Nerys kicked it up several notches today with effortless groomed skiing, ripping powder skiing on the fringes of the red runs, and her first ungroomed black run with knee deep powder and crud.
A great way to finish and already looking forward to her return in March.
DAY 44 : FRIDAY 28 DECEMBER 2012
29 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
As of today 602 cm (237") has fallen at MQ
Today's new snow was of the highest order but it was a day off the slopes for me as I drove Nerys, Claire and Craig to Chitose for their flight to Tokyo.
They're spending a couple of days in the city before flying back to the UK.
Great to see them all and to spend Christmas with them.
And great to see Nerys on the island and on skis again.
She got to ski five different areas - Kiroro, Rusutsu, Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Hirafu, Niseko Hanazono - and see 344 cm (135") of snow fall during her visit.
December delivered.
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 45 : SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 2012
14 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Day 1 with the Wikmans from Brisbane, Australia
Liz and Graeme, their children Jack, Tim & Annie and patriarch of the family John Pidgeon.
Fantastic first day on snow in Niseko Hirafu with perfect grooming, blue skies, sunshine, and light powder in the trees.
Tim, Annie, Jack, Liz and John on Sennoki
Graeme and Liz at the top of the King Hooded Triple chair
DAY 46 : SUNDAY 30 DECEMBER 2012
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
R-A-I-N
A miserable day in the Niseko Resort Area.
Rain to approx 700 m for most of the day, at times torrential, meant a day off snow and a shopping excursion to M Pocket, Co-op and Takiguchi for Graeme, Liz, John and I with lunch at Yotei Maru.
Found out this morning that an image I took of Greg Heptonstall off the Peak at Niseko Hirafu was chosen as the cover for SnowAction magazine's Ski Japan 2013 Mega Guide
December brought 473 cm (186") of snowfall with snow falling on 29 of the 31 days.
The biggest 24 hr snowfall was 46 cm (18") on 10 December, and this was the second snowiest December in the seven winters I've been keeping records.
December 2011 was the snowiest with 514 cm (202") of snowfall.
Yesterday's rain and below freezing temperatures overnight had set up an icy rain crust on and off the groomed runs that was only marginally covered by the new snow at first lifts this morning.
The upper mountain was on windhold, which meant queues of up to 10 minutes at Center 4 and 20 minutes at the Hirafu gondola.
The pistes were rock hard with dust on crust and chicken heads everywhere until lunchtime.
Less than ideal.
Then the snow started to fall in earnest and each run got progressively better, with the crunch being replaced by the velvet swoosh.
Big improvements for John and Liz today.
I joined John and the Wikmans for dinner at Ezo Seafoods in Hirafu.
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 48 : TUESDAY 01 JANUARY 2013
25 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM HOKKAIDO
2013 broke calmer and warmer than the last day of 2012, with Hokkaido feathers covering my deck.
I met Ian M at a deserted Hirafu gondola at 9 am and we skied Konayuki and Miharashi until 10.45
We were joined for two laps by Daniel Barker, formerly of the parish of East Grinstead and now of Tokyo, holidaying here with his family.
Ian had skied with Daniel last week and said he liked to ski the same lines we did. That was good enough for me.
48 hrs ago Miharashi got rained on. Today it offered up knee to waist deep powder.
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly this mountain changes.
Ian in Miharashi
Daniel in Miharashi
Met up with Graeme, Liz and Annie at 11 am and we did laps on the Center 4 quad until 1.30 pm
All enjoying the new snow and letting the skis go.
Tim joined us for lunch at King Bell and then after lunch Tim and I made laps on the King Hooded Triple Lift skiing knee to waist deep powder (for me) and at times chest deep powder for Tim in Rinkan.
Mike Pow, Happy New Year to you, and thanks for your marvellous reports.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
How are you finding the thinner ski's Mike??
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hey Mike.. was just curious how you convert pounds to yen? Last time I went to Tokyo finding an ATM was a nightmare.. so was wondering how the situation in Hokkaido is with exchange rates etc.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thanks Pedantica, Happy New Year to you.
Been skiing my 170 cm Head Supershape i. Magnums (121-71-107) mostly so far Kitenski. They've been perfect for all the snow conditions we've had this winter.
The base has set up now after the rain and freeze cycle so going to try my 173 cm Coreupt The Caspers (112-79-105) in the deeper stuff today.
They've been great on the groomed and in boot top powder let's see if I can cope in waist deep powder.
Mike Pow, I'm hoping rob@rar and skimottaret take their Titans to Niseko this season...............
I found in Val D'Isere I just sunk too much in waist deep powder on my Titans, unless the slope was very steep I tended to just stop!! When it firmed up and got less deep the Titans were great!
regards,
Greg
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
kitenski wrote:
Mike Pow, I'm hoping rob@rar and skimottaret take their Titans to Niseko this season...............
I won't be. Either Rev90s or the Jimis (plus all screws ).
but I do reckon sub 100mm under foot may result in a vastly increased faceshot count......
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
AndAnotherThing.. wrote:
Mike Pow wrote:
They've been great on the groomed and in boot top powder let's see if I can cope in waist deep powder.
I suspect you'll be fine
Out of interest, what's situation for eating out if you are a vegetarian ? I'm working on convincing Mrs AAT that a trip to Japan is a must do...
No problem.
Plenty of vegetarian options. Plenty of variety.
All delicious.
And powder is meat free
After all it is free
After all it is free
kitenski wrote:
Mike Pow, I'm hoping rob@rar and skimottaret take their Titans to Niseko this season...............
I found in Val D'Isere I just sunk too much in waist deep powder on my Titans, unless the slope was very steep I tended to just stop!! When it firmed up and got less deep the Titans were great!
regards,
Greg
That's the great thing about Hokkaido powder.
Most of the time you can ski knee deep powder on green run pitches. Often on the green runs themselves.
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.
kitenski wrote:
rob@rar, MTFU
but I do reckon sub 100mm under foot may result in a vastly increased faceshot count......
Without a doubt.
Worked out the narrower platform today.
The center mounting on the twin tips has given me considerably less ski forward of my toes.
All clicked today and spent most of the day knee to mid-thigh deep whilst most were surfing on the surface.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Wed 2-01-13 15:43; edited 1 time in total
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
DAY 49 : WEDNESDAY 02 JANUARY 2013
20 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Most of the new snow fell before nightfall yesterday evening but there was still plenty of powder to enjoy throughout the day.
I spent the first part of the morning with John Pidgeon and Louise Siganto skiing the wonderfully groomed pistes of Family and Sennoki in Niseko Hirafu.
The deserted Sennoki green course from the Ace Pair Lift #1
After Monday's dust on crust John let his skis run on the soft groomers today.
John skiing Sennoki in the sunshine
Hope I'm making shapes like that at 86!
Louise hadn't been skiing for quite a few years but after a couple of laps on the Family run she found her feet and more importantly the confidence to embrace the acceleration at the start of the turn.
This gave her the time to stand tall and relaxed, to balance with the mountain, and transition from a gliding wedge to parallel skiing.
Louise warming up on the Family run
"Are you sure I should be accelerating?"
Almost there
Happy Days
John and Louise on the Family run
After the mid-morning ultimate chocolate and coffee break at The Vale I made laps of the King Hooded Triple lift skiing Center and Rinkan with Graeme, Jack, Tim and Annie.
Jack skiing Rinkan
Tim skiing Rinkan
Annie skiing Rinkan
Post a very late lunch Graeme skied home and Liz joined us for more laps off the King Hooded Triple lift.
We called it a day as the light got flat and the storm clouds rolled in.
Snowing and blowing as I type, tomorrow should bring more powder.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Thanks.
