In here Happo Happo Tsugaike 47 Kurobishi Snow navi site. This site has the vouchers, blogs, informal reports and lots of cool pics eg 47 Meetings? If anyone wants to catch up i'll post it on here first page. Alas I won't be there...this is my contribution.
Looking good up there Snow Navi has some English sites now. Meant to be fully up and running on Dec 1. Although when they link over for the coupons they still come up in Japanese.
I'll post the translated coupons a bit later. Generally, not all of them are posted in SnowNavi until about the 3rd week in December.
I love the pics on snow navi Best site for snow porn IMO If you hover your cursor over the line of japanese symbols, english translation will appear.
No, Iwatake is one resort. There's some steep stuff both sides of a narrow ridge, so the only way down from the top area is along the narrow ridge. It's only maybe 8-10m wide at that point.
Aokiko will not be opening again this coming season. Actually it is or was for sale on yahoo auctions!
I thought the same...though stemik probably has more up to date info. I drove past the base area in Sept and it looked like a fair bit of activity there, so assumed it was preparing for winter. Would be a shame, as the three areas linked together was a good day out.
It was sold about 2 years ago, but it seems the land was taken off the company. Now it is for sale though the lifts will still belong to the previous company who have intention on running them at this stage.
You wanna chup bro? The mire of land deals and broke resorts in Japan boggles my mind sometimes. I was musing over a ski in, ski out place in Suginohara recently. Good price but what happens if one day Prince decides to pull the plug? Sorry - hijack post. Back to talking Hakuba.
Hope they do run the lifts again this season. Without Aokiko the whole Sunalpina ski area loses its shine a bit. With Aokiko, Sunalpina is another good day to slot in during a weeks holiday in Hakuba.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8uI2SkxAsc Where abouts and what is this wall in hakuba? I've seen it in a few films before.
Posted the same thing in the Japan travel thread but.. Hakuba 47 line E and Goryu Alps daira runs opening tomorrow (26th) from 8:30am !!! Will get some pics and post em tomorrow!
Hakuba opened for the 2012 season albeit only a couple of runs. Alps-daira 1 and Line E at Hakuba 47 were open and I went up for a fine morning of snowboarding. All the locals were up there and the weather was stunning. Maybe 50cm of base and about 20cm of fresh laying on the sides of the run. After that was the Liberty ski opening party down in the valley. Free BBQ, beers and a prize draw. Good opening day - here's to a great season!
Looks good! Should this thread include also " meetings " of people who want to meet and have a slide / drink in Hakuba or do you guys suggest separate thread?
The #1 and I had 2 weeks in Hakuba last Feb and had a fabulous time except for her breaking her leg in the powder at Cortina on the second last day. I would recommend this ski area to anyone for great skiing, choice of accommodation, nightlife and ease of travel to and from. Yes we have skiied elsewhere, Italy, Hokkaido, NZ and of course Oz. I can also recommend anyone wanting to ski Japan to contact Tony (TJ) at Whitehorse hotels to assist with your travel and accommodation bookings in Hakuba, he did a fantastic job assisting me with our arrangements and more importantly, (without asking and without any obligation on his behalf) he went out of his way to assist us during the difficult period getting from Hakuba to Tokyo with a broken leg. Thanks Tony, we won't forget your kindness, and yes we will be back for another visit soon. Our kind regards to you and your wife and your beautifull daughter. Cheers Geoff and Karen
hehe Karen - any details on the leg-break? (and recovery?) Nikki broke her ankle at Thredbo in August and is still recovering
There were alot of parties this past Saturday. I was busy fixing our staff room to give them some more space and a very well insluated room.
She broke her fibular, I think it's called, down low near the ankle. A bit unlucky in that it was a slow speed roll in thigh deep powder, legs went up, came down, the back end of the right ski dug in and stopped, her body rolled some more and the boot released just as the bone cracked. At first we thought she had just sprained her ankle. She had her leg in a half cast (back-slab) for 6 weeks but was walking on it for the last 2 weeks. Got the cast off and went riding 2 days later on her 120hp motorbike and hasn't mentioned anything about her leg since. I'm guessing that's a full recovery.
lucky! Nik fractured her ankle at the beginning of august and was in a cast for 6 weeks. Its now 14 weeks since the accident, and still not healed properly, has limited movement and is swollen. Had a cortisone jab last week and Doc is threatening her with surgery unless she pulls her finger out and gets better!
Drove up the cat tracks on Happo today to the snowline (1200m) then hiked another 1100m up to 2300m. Really warm day in the valley at +16C, so the sunny aspects were manky. But the northern shaded slopes were drier and soft: Got some ok skiing in lower Mume after linking up the open bowls with short traverses and scrub bashes.
Great shots Damian! Ok, I took the liberty and cut & pasted Hakuba crew from Japan thread ( hope Donza can forgive me as he started this thread, feel free to delete & update ) . Might be good beginning for meeting & drinks or whereabouts ideas: Hakuba crew fattwins: Hakuba resident damian: Hakuba resident timmyhugecans: Hakuba resident HakubaBCbum: Hakuba resident TJ: Hakuba resident itchy_knee: Hakuba resident Wizard: Hakuba for the season Mark102: January 10 - March 15 rugbyskier: January 9 - January 13 stovemiester: January 20 - February 10 ponyrider: February 13 - February 17 TACKIE #1: Christmas - early February TACKIE: Late January - Mid March TropicalPow: January 26 - February 03 Smitty484: 28 January - 24 February sara777: 09 January - 16 January Pelm1: 03 February - 17 February Sandy: 26th December - 2nd January Budgiesmuggler: 2 January - 7 January Sandy: 10 February - 13 February Annago +1: January 13 - January 29 Smackies: Jan 24 - Feb 5
I think so, although I missed it. So it would be a good start? Maybe some sidecountry sliding days too if we can get a group of few people? Just ideas
might be better at HPL this year with all the peeps staying there.. there was a meet up when I was there last year..i wussed it ..and to be honest I was rooted... though i heard it was very quiet needed name badges
Can't believe you wussed I didn't make it to Japan last year at all due to family emergency, had to cancel flights and all Can't wait for January now...
I gotta say, that middle-of-the-room 360 degree open fireplace at HPL makes for some very nice atmosphere for having a drink.
this is very true... Combined with the big bay Windows and deck its killer...strange I made that a common spot. Best view was after a southerly storm rolled through and a epic peak down past otari poked through the clouds. Will post the pic soon
