 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
What does an "Advanced" skier on a Whiteroom tour really look like....
Just wondering if any here has been on the Central Hokkaido trip with Whiteroom tours? - I'm booked in with them for early Feb . Can't wait. I have heard good things about Whiteroom and you guys have given me some ideas of what to pack and where to go after the tour - but I am wondering what level of skiing I can expect? Of course it depends who is booked up that week, but i was wondering if anyone had any experience with the type of skier that normally books? Age, fitness ability etc...
I happy that I'll be able to keep up fitness wise and ski level, I'm a long distance runner and been skiing for 37 of my 40 years of life, so unless they are pro park rats I think I'll be fine! The reason for question is I would like to Telemark for a few days on the tour - but if the group is full on with no stopping, lunch on the lifts and dropping big cliffs all day, I'll struggle to keep up as I'm just not that powder experienced on Telemarks.
Just wondering what people experience was with an Advance Whiteroom tour... is there a chance to swap gear during the days?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@BenAS, I was on the Whiteroom Hokkaido Explorer Tour the last couple of years.
The advanced requirement is to weed out those who have done a little slope side powder, and think they’re a powder skier. If you can ski a slope top to bottom without falling over, are self sufficient in terms of getting back on your feet (no always easy in deep powder), and have plenty of skiing experience you will be fine. Experience with transceiver, probe and shovel would be good to.
If your tour is full with 12 boarders/skiers, the first runs on day one are usually used to split the group into two, which maybe skiers/boarders, skiing/boarding level, or groups of friends.
In terms of age, on my first tour every skier was over 50, and the second one 30-50+. Most had heliskied, kite skied, etc so plenty of off piste experience. There are things to jump off if you want to, but nothing is mandatory.
In terms of swapping gear, there is always a lunch stop, but that would be the only real chance. There are often long narrow run out traverses, so providing you are happy doing that on telemark skis, you’ll be fine. Some resorts may well be better suited to telemark, just ask the guides the evening before. But can also throw both sets in the van and have the option every day.
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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?
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Amazing - thanks! Long traverses on telemarks surprisingly are easier than they are on Alpines - more options for skating. If I can throw both skis in the van that's perfect. I'll ski Alpine for the first day for sure - to see what the group is like, then change over if I think I won't slow them down!
The only time for me that telemarks become a real problem is super narrow and steep chutes as the split stance makes my 190cm skis about 2.5m when turning- which is never good! I've heard that day one is the test day  I'll see if I can pop out a backflip... death or glory right??
I thought the age would be 30-50, we're slap bang in the middle of that so should be good. My wife is a semi-pro ultra distance runner - so fitness for he should not be a problem. She has been known on more than one occasion to ditch queueing for a chair lift and skin up - she normally beats the lift... in her words I "only" run marathons..
Can't wait - just got get everything in the bag now!
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