 Poster: A snowHead
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Have retired and spent 33 days on slopes this year but this is plainly not enough! I've skiied all over Europe and U.S and am advanced level. Would like to spend several months next year in a resort for powder and don't mind where. Has anyone (who is not on a gap year) done the same? If so I'd like to know details. I just want to ski the dream before everything gives out!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skivor, I was getting ready to respond, had numerous thoughts running through my mind. Was on a gap year.
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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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skivor, Might be worth you contacting BernardC.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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skivor, Japan or Utah. Only done the latter quite a few times so far... it does snow like hell there and the quality of the powder is tops but i'm told certain areas in Japan beat it.
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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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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| skivor, Japan or Utah. Only done the latter quite a few times so far... it does snow like hell there and the quality of the powder is tops but i'm told certain areas in Japan beat it. |
Done both.
Spent the winter of 2003/04 living in Park City, Utah.
Town is great, not too expensive, plenty to do. Sundance Film Festival. Great bars and restaurants. Free bus between Deer Valley, Park City and The Canyons. Shuttles available to get to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude.
I would get a car. Then you can hit Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, Sundance and Beaver.
Powder was/is excellent. Plenty of variety.
Spent the past two winters in the Niseko area of Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Posted plenty of info about my experiences on here. Do a search.
In summary,
Most, most consistent, deepest & lightest powder I've ever skied. At least 50 boot top or deeper powder days this season. Same last season.
Great people, great food, cheap if you bring UK pounds with you. accommodation is getting harder to find in Hirafu (the village at the base of the resort) but I would recommend getting a car and then renting a place a little out of town isn't an issue. Cheaper too.
Plus there are some excellent resorts nearby:
Less than 1 hour
Moiwa, Chisenupuri, Rusutsu
1-2hr
Kiroro, Sapporo Kokusai, Sapporo Teine Highlands
2-3hr
Kamui, Mt Racey, Alpha Resort Tomamu
3-4 hr
Asahidake, Kurodake
Now live here year round and will be spending my 3rd winter here. Enough said. PM if you want more.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We just spent 6 weeks in Breckenridge. Season lift pass covers A Basin and Keystone and you are not far from Vail and Beaver Creek. Very cheap at the moment, especially as we found an outlet village and took advantage of all the end of season sales. The town is a reasonable size so plenty variety of shops and restaurants, and although we didn't do it, you are only a couple of hours from Denver if you fancy a city break at any time. Snow conditions were excellent and varied from bright blue sunshine to huge powder dumps.
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I thought that in general Japanese resorts did not allow off piste skiing. If skivor skis off piste or wishes to develope in that direction, Japan might be a bad place to go. What is your experience in the resorts you mention? If I wanted to routinely ski the steep and deep there as I do elsewhere - could I?
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Interior BC into the mix. (just take your ipod so you can drown out the Aussies  )
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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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I'd go on a tour of interior BC too if I had several months to spare. You could start off in Whistler and work your way right across over to Alberta i.e. Banff etc. There are loads of great resorts along the way and you should encounter lots of powder.
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| snowball wrote: |
| I thought that in general Japanese resorts did not allow off piste skiing. If skivor skis off piste or wishes to develope in that direction, Japan might be a bad place to go. What is your experience in the resorts you mention? If I wanted to routinely ski the steep and deep there as I do elsewhere - could I? |
From what I understand (and Mike Pow is obviously Mr on the spot) the issue is not the deep but the steep and the offpiste "ban" is either a mainly cultural thing or a fallacy. The tree photos look great though.
I'd seriously consider Golden or Revy if I was looking at a season again (plus a touring rig for Roger's Pass ..oh and basic fitness)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Arno, that might be how I got my "fallacy" understanding I withdraw my previous comment.
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skivor, Hi come live the dream. I have now been doing this for the past five seasons, love it! Hope I can keep going a while longer. PM me if you want to get in contact. I ski all over the tarentaise french alps, there are some of the biggest ski areas in europe and are all reachable within max 40 min and some only 10 min away. A great place to be based and this season we had amazing powder every month.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yeah Snowcrazy has it right ! - Tarentaise is a great place for season after season, so much to ski you'd never ever get bored, even after 10 seasons out here. This my third here & the powder's still not over - well fingers crossed anyway
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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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snowcrazy, snowcrazy,
Hi,
Thanks for your reply. I know the area well and have spent a lot of holidays in Val. Have you got a place or do you rent? Where would be a good place to look for accommodation (don't imagine resorts themselves are in budget!). Have a moniteur friend in Bourg who has been looking for somewhere as I had said I might be interested in buying but he tells me prices are crazy. I had thought to let my house for a few months and thus shouldn't cost too much for the stay. My wife will retire in Nov. and is also keen but I know she's not pro-active enough to organise a long stay. Be interested to know where you are based and how easy it is to get a place? Must admit snow this year has been epic!
regards,
Ivor.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I only managed 75 days this season in Europe & US which is way down on normal.
I have skied all the world but have allways wanted to go with this outfit http://www.himachal.com/content/start.html
As gas prices rise I can only see this getting more expensive 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stanton, my heart bleeds for you. 
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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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| snowball wrote: |
| I thought that in general Japanese resorts did not allow off piste skiing. If skivor skis off piste or wishes to develope in that direction, Japan might be a bad place to go. What is your experience in the resorts you mention? If I wanted to routinely ski the steep and deep there as I do elsewhere - could I? |
Niseko United (Annupuri, Higashiyama, Hirafu, Hanazono)
Moiwa
Chisenupuri
Rusutsu
Kiroro
Sapporo Kokusai
Kamui
Asahidake
Kurodake
Within the resort boundary off-piste skiing is allowed. However there are some permanently closed areas within the resort boundary, most notably at Niseko United.
Open-boundary policy. If the gate is open then you can exit from the resort and return back to the resort. If the gate is closed then you can't.
Ducking ropes is not on.
Sapporo Teine Highlands
Mt Racey
Alpha Resort Tomamu
Haven't skied at these resorts (yet) but my understanding is that they have the same rules as above.
Off-piste skiing in the resorts on Hokkaido which I've highlighted is a similar experience to skiing off-piste in the US and Canada.
The terrain in Hokkaido for the most part is not as steep as that on the main island of Honshu, but it's steep enough
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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FAQ
')Thanks to all the snowheads for their info. I have PM'd or will do so everyone whose given me advice. several choices I'd not even considered! You can alwys rely on Snowheads!! 