Frosty the Snowman, The piste network is actually very nice from what I have seen of it, and the grooming seems to be very efficient (although the snowgods do keep dumping on the pisteurs good work).
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?
The Air Station is genius...why wouldn't you set up a load of compressed air hoses outside your restaurant so that people can blow all the snow off their boots before they come in?!
rob@rar, have you tried out the night skiing yet? Definitely worth a look at some point, if only for the weirdness of tree skiing at night
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
rob@rar, Thanks for the great photos which adequately reflect your very concise description of what Niseko skiing is.
Unfortunately over the last few years N has been hyped to the heavens.....a cyclical event in ski magazines as they search for the next target. I hope more people aspiring to ski here will read your words and pause. It is a great ski area......by Japanese standards. Today should be the last day of your jetlag......enjoy the rest of your stay
p.s. have uploaded a few pics of recent conditions in Zao on SMZ........don't know how to transfer them on to here in large size.....succeeded with one thumbnail at a time. One pic shows in the far distance (between the two guys) our spring/summer ski area, Gassan, which opens late April......with this year's snowfall we should be able to ski into late June.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Didn't ski yesterday during the day, but had a little play after dark. My first time night skiing. Was fun, in a cruisy, snoozy kind of chilled out way. So, A Little Night Skiing:
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
rob@rar, wow
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rob@rar, goes blank at 5:30 then recovers at 5:47 for me???
Looks fantastic though....
Starts to plan how to do this.....
Wonder if the family would like a half term trip there, is it any good for families?
Or how is the snow at Xmas, could 'stop off' en-route to the inlaws in Oz....
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
to be fair, pretty cool.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
kitenski, yeah, does that on the file I uploaded. Sorry, I should have checked it all the way through to the end before uploading to YouTue once I' compressed it with Quicktime. I'll fix it, and probably add some more footage from today as it's snowed a lot overnight I'll send you some thoughts once I get home (last day today) if you're thinking about visiting.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rob@rar, are you with Mr Smith ?
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?
david@mediacopy, no, I arranged a DIY trip. I did bump in to Warren on the hill earlier in the week, but they've now moved on to other resorts.
kitenski, Start of this season was late in Niseko.......late for the last two years in other Japanese resorts. I was there over Christmas and most of the off-piste was roped off.....no gates open. We got 30cm on Boxing Day which helped refresh the pistes.
Annupuri (featured on the night skiing video) is quite good for families pistewise......quieter than Hirafu/Hanazono. Don't know about creche/nursery facilities.........Japanese parents tend to stick with their kids, no baby-sitting culture. I have bumped into several people who break the journey to Oz here
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Wow, that was a great morning's skiing to finish with. Boot deep generally and knee deep in places. Snow was a bit heavy, but speed is your friend...
Amen to that. Almost edited my video from trip their with ChrisWo. Still can't believe how good it was.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Just wow. Best day of the winter so far.
We went to Asahidake, and totally lucked in with the snow. It had been snowing relatively consistently during the latter part of the week, and a load more came down last night. Result - deep, dry pow, and an incredible day.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Now that's what you call a face shot!
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, Christmas is possibly a little early for much of Japan. Snow often seems to hit just before New Year's. Though New Year's eve and day itself is probably worth missing out on as it gets very crowded. Christmas doesn't really exist in Japan (or rather it does as a commercial vehicle, but mainly as a date night, hotel bookings sore as, and this is strange, do bookings for KFC ...) so the main holiday in that period is New Year.
Maybe hit Japan on your way back from Australia?
(love that last shot MagSeven!)
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
MagSeven, awesome photo
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
MagSeven, nice, I had conditions a bit like that on my final day, and it was still snowing hard when I left so the following day must have been awesome.
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.
Kinda depressing at the moment in Hokkaido. Warm temperatures have really trashed the snow. And its just started to rain this evening. The forecast is for dropping temperatures, so hopefully the rain will turn to snow overnight, and contune through the weekend. Fingers crossed anyway.
I was up at Kamui this morning. Usually during the week its super quiet and you're very unlikely to see another westerner. But today I saw a large group of Brits following the blue jacket of a SCGB rep! Very random. I'm sure they will have been disappointed - conditions were very average, and certainly not the deep powder that their fat skis, helmets backpacks etc suggested they were looking for!! Hopefully their trip will take them up to one of the higher peaks in Taisetsuzan, which should be great this weekend.
Is anyone else from here going to be coming out to Hokkaido this year? At the moment, there is a definite late season feel, but hopefully March will be colder and snowier.
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
Thought you might enjoy these videos from my and ChrisWo's at the end of Jan / beginning of February - hard to believe actually did this as it already feels like a long, long time ago...
Last edited by 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 on Sun 27-02-11 10:32; edited 5 times in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'd commend thebongolian's other video of Niseko as well - even if I'm pretty sure our skiing doesn't really do the resort justice
MagSeven, Yup, out here now till then end of the season. Been snowing pretty much constantly all day so off on a little nightime stealth mission myself this evening.
Forecast is looking like staying cold for the next week or so and with plenty of snow...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
As of Sunday 27 February 2011
Niseko Hirafu village level measurements
February snowfall SO FAR - 2.0 m
Season snowfall SO FAR - 11.02 m
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?
Yeah, seems like things are looking a little better this weekend. We had about a foot of new snow Friday night, and then a dusting more on Saturday night. And most importantly, the temperatures have dipped again. Thank god!
We were at Kamui Saturday and Sunday, and it was far better than we had hoped for. Mostly boot deep, and deeper in places. I wasn't expecting decent pow, so brought the snowboard up. Had some fun though, despite falling on my @rse alot!
The trees at the top had been coated with a thin rime which made everywhere look really pretty in the sun.
Hitting Niseko next weekend, so hopefully oz5000's forecast will be accurate!
MagSeven, I'm merely passing on what I've seen/heard, so don't shoot the messenger if it goes tits up!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Seems like winter has returned to central Hokkaido with snow everyday this week. From all reports, Niseko seems to be getting a hell of a lot, and we're definitely doing ok up here north of Sapporo.
Hope you've been enjoying it oz5000! I'm gonna be in Niseko tomorrow and Sunday with friends. Although, you know what they say about friends on a powder day......
Sure am MagSeven! Super good this morning after 48 hours non-stop snow. Been pretty windy though so some aspects have been rudely scoured, but in the trees and on leeward slopes it's face shots every turn!
Away day tomorrow on the hunt for freshies, but have a great time in Niseko - I'd personally stay wide in Annupuri and Hanazono as Hirafu and the Village will have been beasted today...
Enjoy!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Mike Pow, great video, interesting mount for the camera!
And Mike, shhhhh! It is all about Niseko. I think people should know that there definitely are NOT other ski areas in Hokkaido with deep dry pow, liberal and sensible off piste policies, cheap lift tickets, no lift lines or crowds of Aussies, great food and actual real life Japanese culture! People shouldn't even bother looking, there's nothing to see here!
Having said that, I was at Niseko last weekend (and I do really like the place!) Saturday was good. The peak gates opened for the first time after a decent amount of snow late in the week. Hiked a couple of times and although visibility was very poor, the snow was knee deep. Sunday, after some snow mid morning, the sun came out and it got very warm. I stayed lapping the park which, for anyone into that kind of thing, was in good shape, with three large kickers and some decent rails, all shaped to perfection by the park crew who have OCD when it comes to shaping jumps! That'll probably be the last trip to Niseko now this winter. Next couple of weekends will be at Kamui, and then we'll be going to Asahidake and Kurodake alot more as spring starts to arrive.
This week though, it does seem like winter is going to be with us for at least a little longer. Maybe 10cm fell here overnight, and the forecast is for more through the week.
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.
Reported 10cm in Niseko last night too - pfffffttt, out of gate 4 was more like 60cm. Superb conditions and I think I might have got close to doubling my lifetime face-shot count today!
Peak gates should be open tomorrow morning, but will check the report at 8am and if not head over to Rusutsu I think.
And it's still snowing...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
oz5000, nice. I found that when I was there at the beginning of Feb - reported amounts were nice, albeit modest, but on the hill I found much deeper snow than I was expecting. I also doubled my lifetime faceshot count on my last day in Niseko
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
The piste network is actually very nice from what I have seen of it, and the grooming seems to be very efficient (although the snowgods do keep dumping on the pisteurs good work).
