 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Excuse my ignorance Mike, but what/where is MQ exactly?
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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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Mike's Quarters  about a 1km out of Hirafu
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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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Nice. 
That's an even better indicator of conditions than I thought. I was expecting it to be one of the buildings at the base of Grand Hirafu.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sunday 18 January 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
9cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
Not as deep as in previous days, but very, very enjoyable powder both in and out of the resort.
Spent the first two hours teaching and skiing freshly fallen and blown in boot top powder around Ace #3 chair and in Rinkan with Tracy and Filip.
And then Emilia, Tracy, Filip, Mark and I did three laps through Gate 4 above Hanazono.
Glorious sunshine, fast traverse track to get to the goods, nobody in our sights, and fast, light boot to knee deep pow. Sure it was tracked but there were plenty of islands of fresh and the chopped felt like untouched.
Emilia
Tracy
And yes he did land it.
Filip
Mark
Started snowing lightly as we skied back over to Hirafu, and it was really coming down as I got home later that evening. I went to bed with thoughts of another powder day in the Niseko Resort Area 
Monday 19 January 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
7cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
I was woken at 4am with the sound of rain lashing against the roof and the glacial creak of the snow calving off the roof of the cabin.
With nowhere to go it filled half the path from yesterday's pic 
90 minutes later and the path restored to its full glory, the rain started again.
What driving rain does to snow
No turns for me today - discretion is the better part of valour - but Greg (he of 'Big Wednesday' fame) said the groomers were soft and in good shape but the off-groomed was sticky and heavy.
It will be interesting to see how this rain event affects the snowpack.
Wind has been gusting most of the day, and as I write it's become cooler with 'real' flakes falling gently from the sky.
Hopefully this will be a minor blip in the powder proceedings, as the other rain events have been.
For those looking to arrive in the next week things should be back to normal pretty quickly.
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MQ looks horrible. However do you deal with it?
I hope conditions have picked up since Monday. The snowcams still look great.
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The amount of snow in Japan is just phenomenal.
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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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Friday 23 January 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
0cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
But a whole load of rain
Rain started in around 1am and with minor breaks has pretty much continued. The snowpack around MQ has diminished rapidly with the rain and warmer temps. But I can actually see out of my windows now. Every cloud has a silver lining.
Roads are like a skating rink.
And presumably so too the lower mountain. No interest in venturing up there to find out for myself.
The rain has been accompanied by strong, gusting winds and at 10:50am only the lower lifts are open.
But the cavalry is on its way.
The rain is forecast to turn to snow this afternoon and continue through to Monday afternoon. Snowforecast is calling for 35cm of snow accompanied by cold temps. Down to -20 C in the village on Monday night.
Having endured too many rain events already this winter I'm confident that this one will be forgotten about by Monday.
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Saturday 24 January 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
11cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
The rain finally stopped and light snow started falling around 7pm last night in the village.
This morning brought superlight powder at MQ courtesy of the frigid overnight temps. But lurking below the fluff was the boilerplate layer of frozen rain and ice.
Compadres on the hill this morning report dust on crust, boilerplate, and dense drifts up to 50cm.
Snowing heavily as I write (10am) and it looks like the harder layer in-bounds will be covered up pretty quickly.
The Niseko Avalanche Information web site is reporting the avalanche risk as HIGH.
http://niseko.nadare.info/
I'm heading over to Rusutsu for the week and will send dispatches from there.
In the meantime check the Niseko Avalanche Information web site for daily conditions in the Niseko Resort Area.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Monday 26 January 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
5cm in the past 24 hrs reported by the Niseko Avalanche Information web site.
Mates said that there was plenty of boot top pow to be found at Chisenupurri.
Monday 26 January 2009
Rusutsu Resort
7cm in the past 24 hrs at Hotel Romulus.
Another sunny day in Rusutsu and not as cold as yesterday.
Slopes were deserted.
The extra 7cm made for even more enjoyable low angle tree runs.
Trying really hard to snow. Who knows?
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Poster: A snowHead
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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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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tuesday 03 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
11cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
Glorious morning skiing with Hornster's missus Claire.
Wednesday 04 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
17cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
Superb morning skiing with Hornster. Headed out through Gate 4 in sunshine and skied boot top pow down to Jackson's. Very big cracks skier's left in Jackson's. Took pics on Hornster' camera. He'll post on his return to the UK.
Thursday 05 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
2cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
Another great morning skiing with Claire. Warmed up dramatically and the pow got heavy.
Notched up my 50th day skiing Niseko United this season
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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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Mike
Looks sh!te can't imagine why you haven't packed your bags yet and come home. My sympathies.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sunday 08 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
23cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ
New snow finally but once again blowing a gale. Upper lifts shut all day. Time to recharge the batteries.
Glen said that the nighter was epic.
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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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Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
0cm in the past 48 hrs at MQ
Decent days, grey, waiting for the snow to return.
Skied The Cuts and went out to Last Cut for the first time. And it was the deepest
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Monday 16 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
25cm in the past 24 hrs reported by the Niseko Avalanche Information web site.
Winter has returned, just not at Tomamu. We came to ski pow and there was none, so time to move on.
With no bar, great buffets, the feeling that the resort is in its death throes, great terrain but lifts accessing it permanently shut, Tomamu was a mixed bag. I would return but only if I knew there was at least 30cm of fresh on a soft base. Pretty much in the "most of Europe" category then
Thanks to the wonder that is the internet, and 30 minutes trawling through the snow forecast site we made the decision to head back from whence we came instead of heading north to Asahidake.
First stop, Mt Racey in Yubari. It was in the centre of the doughnut too. So a quick coffee and back on the road.
we'd called back to base all morning, but with the majority of the lifts in Niseko on wind hold we had no desire to rush back.
The decision was made to head to Sapporo Kokusai on the way to suck it and see.
We saw it and it did not suck.
Ruskin McLennan
Andy Laidlaw
Yours truly
What a fantastic afternoon and what fantastic terrain accessed by just one gondola.
Drove around to Kiroro to check on the conditions there, and decided to stay the night
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Wow... 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Friday 20 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
8cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ.
Blowing a gale. Top lifts closed.
Time to give the face a rest.
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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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Sunday 22 February 2009
Grand Hirafu, Niseko Resort Area
24cm in the past 24 hrs at MQ.
Poor visibility and high winds up high kept the gates shut all day, but lower down it was deep.
Spent most of the day at a seminar in Hanazono discussing backcountry access from Niseko United, and how to improve avalanche awareness and education.
Very informative presentations from guests Tim Petrick of K2 and Seattle based Swiss Mountain Guide Martin Volken. And some lively discussions.
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FAQ
