 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All, heading to Japan in late Jan. Trying to finalize on the mountain destination and place to stay.
I am a bit out of shape, but used to do everything from tree skiing at Steamboat springs to dropping Corbet's at Jackson Hole. Both on 1 plank and 2 (but exclusively teles for 2). I've lived in a warm climate county for so long, I don't even know if telemarking is a thing anymore.
Looking for recommendations for the best mountains where I can relive my glory days (but probably only 4-5 hours a day). Priorities would be (in this order): steeps, trees, powder, with some fun blues when I need a breather or conk the noggin. Yes, I'll be getting a helmet.
I'll have my wife and 5 year old, so some constraints there. But they will just need some half day ski lessons, and access to stuff to do on the days when I pretend I don't have a family.
What mountains or areas would be best? Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to Snowheads 
One for @Mikepow
I loved the bullet train - tick off a load of resorts from Tokyo up to Morioka, then Aomori, then Hokkaido.
But with a five year old no chance...
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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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Japan is epic, but not really the place for steeps. Hakkuba or elsewhere on the main island probably has the steepest in Japan though. Hokkaido is generally pretty mellow, though you can find short steep pillow lines/‘mushroom’ stacks, and Sapporo Teine has a couple of short steeper lines at the top (<35? degrees maybe, but not for long).
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Hakuba Valley for all your family's needs
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Sxott, I would caution that you need to make sure that the resort that you pick has lift accessible steep terrain that isn't banned. In Myoko Kogen for example all of the terrain under the lifts and a lot of terrain to the sides of the pistes is banned with the threat of your lift pass being taken off you if you poach it and while there is some terrain that probably classes as steep (just) that you aren't banned from skiing this is outside of the resort boundaries so has safety problems to manage that are trickier in a resort that you don't know and when on your own. Happo One looks similarly restricted based on the piste map. Hakuba 47 has more inbounds terrain but with a strange registration system https://hakuba.com/experiences/snow-activities/hakuba-47-tree-riding-zone/ Going with a guide and possibly using touring gear gets around these issues but it doesn't sound like you were planning on either guides or touring gear. I don't think that everywhere has these issues but I am just warning you as I managed to squeeze 4 days of skiing in on a trip recently in Japan, 2 days guided and 2 on my own and despite there being plenty of fresh snow on all 4 days on the days that I was on my own I didn't feel that I could access any interesting terrain. I haven't heard of anyone complaining of similar issues in the Hokkaido resorts so the set up might be better there. Lotte Arai also looks cool if you want to stay on the main island
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Most people go to Japan for the snow quality (and quantity) rather than the (mainly mellow) terrain. Hokkaido for the best chance of dream powwow, Hakuba for better terrain but it doesn’t have the same snow record. There are tons of snowboarders in Japan but not sure I saw any tekemarkers?
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Japan is epic, but not really the place for steeps. Hakkuba or elsewhere on the main island probably has the steepest in Japan though. Hokkaido is generally pretty mellow, though you can find short steep pillow lines/‘mushroom’ stacks, and Sapporo Teine has a couple of short steeper lines at the top (<35? degrees maybe, but not for long). |
Spot on Clarky - Teine is one of my favourites. Not that long, but so right when conditions good! See:
https://www.fall-line.co.uk/sapporo-teine-japan-ski-resort/
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| rambotion wrote: |
| @Sxott, I would caution that you need to make sure that the resort that you pick has lift accessible steep terrain that isn't banned. In Myoko Kogen for example all of the terrain under the lifts and a lot of terrain to the sides of the pistes is banned with the threat of your lift pass being taken off you if you poach it and while there is some terrain that probably classes as steep (just) that you aren't banned from skiing this is outside of the resort boundaries so has safety problems to manage that are trickier in a resort that you don't know and when on your own. Happo One looks similarly restricted based on the piste map. Hakuba 47 has more inbounds terrain but with a strange registration system https://hakuba.com/experiences/snow-activities/hakuba-47-tree-riding-zone/ Going with a guide and possibly using touring gear gets around these issues but it doesn't sound like you were planning on either guides or touring gear. I don't think that everywhere has these issues but I am just warning you as I managed to squeeze 4 days of skiing in on a trip recently in Japan, 2 days guided and 2 on my own and despite there being plenty of fresh snow on all 4 days on the days that I was on my own I didn't feel that I could access any interesting terrain. I haven't heard of anyone complaining of similar issues in the Hokkaido resorts so the set up might be better there. Lotte Arai also looks cool if you want to stay on the main island |
IMHO/experience - Hokk ideal for solo exploring - esp Rus/Niseko. Honshu less so - hence I like Powder Recon tours (based out of Myoko). N Odyssey tour by them is really excellent (Hakkoda/Appi/Shiz/Amihari etc). This winter trying their home-turf guided tour/accomm - 10 resorts within one hour's drive of Akakura/Myoko.
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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.
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@wiigman @clarky999 @Mikepow - Thanks a million for these replies! This makes me a lot less confused. I have been reading, watching videos, looking at maps in Niseko and could not find anything that looked like my preferred pistes. I watched people riding deep powder in that dream-like-bash-and-float-rinse-and-repeat ... I mean, don't get me wrong, that is its own kind of fantastic. But no shivers of fear, just goosebumps of excitement.
Looks like my next set of research will be for Hakuba Valley.
@rambotion - again, thanks. I am too out of shape for touring - mainly hoping I can let gravity do all the work, and crash out on the lift ride up. I did watch a video where one guy had his pass clipped, that was a bit sobering. I'll need the money to pay for the bribes for my wife. I saw that Hakuba 47 red bib thing ... interesting way to manage things.
I might be back on this thread, but I will reset expectations and look forward to my first fresh tracks in a long, long time.
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Love it! What a very Japanese solution to overcoming the previous prohibition on skiing in the trees/offpiste.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Slightly off topic but still JPN related so hope not too much of a drift - have a 7day tour lined-up 14-21 Jan in/around Furano. What to do re hydration? I have a plastic pouch with a tube integrated in my big summer hike backpack. Wonder if it would work in Japan in my ski Daikine backpack? The pouch will be inside and guess should not freeze but the tube would partially be outside and is narrow so I guess it would be pointless taking it? Furano is where the cold is in January so pondering if it is worth taking the summer hydration system or just chuck a plastic bottle in the backpack? What do you guys do?
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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.
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That’s not specific to Japan.
What do you use when you were touring in the Alps?
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@abc, i only use skins for short approaches or close to civilisation with quick access to huts/caffees. Never thought of or needed a full day solution
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You know it makes sense.
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Myoko Kogen.
Steep, deep, long.
Two hours from Tokyo.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| mooney058 wrote: |
| @abc, i only use skins for short approaches or close to civilisation with quick access to huts/caffees. Never thought of or needed a full day solution |
The trick with using hydration packs when it’s freezing is to blow the water back out of the tube when you have finished drinking, then shake/squeeze the bite valve to remove the final drops of water. I find that the insulated tubes make little difference, and basically hide the fact the the water is freezing, only blowing the water back into the bladder works.
If it below -10C you might still face problems, but sticking the bite valve in your mouth usually unfreezes it quite quickly. Drinking frequently also mitigates the issue as there is less time for the water to really freeze solid. Also, always take a small backup water bottle in case it really freezes, so you can still hydrate until you can sort it out.
That being said, if the forecast is for -20C, all bets are off, and you should take plenty of bottled water.
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Poster: A snowHead
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fill it with vodka or anti-freeze 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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And remember to tank hot water into it.
Widely used in Scandinavian. (Not exactly that thermos though). 
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 22-11-23 14:31; edited 2 times in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Myoko Kogen.
Steep, deep, long.
Two hours from Tokyo. |
Will see! There next month and early Jan
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ha, the most obvious solution last on the list. Ordered the 750ml version.
Thanks a lot!
In the end decided not to take my summer backpack hydration system - it is very useful in summer so will not risk it in a small backpack wit a shovel, etc.
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