The big Myoko/Madarao/Arai thread - 2017/18

Wow, that's a lot of sheep.

 

niseko like

 

No problem, copyright belongs to my son and what he doesn't know wont bite you

Here is another one.....

Love your place by the way, great setup.

 

We are organising a ski.com.au catch up at Chalet Madarao when a few peeps are here. Current proposed date is the 6th of Feb. Will be dinner with a very limited menu so I can socialise rather than spend the night ion the kitchen. We have a few takers so far. Any one else around that wants to come let me know.

 

Sounds like a great idea, unfortunately we are out on 5th, otherwise would be there for sure!

 

Id come but i get in on the 12th

 

Another great day touring out back of Mt Myoko. Blue bird for a good majority of the day a steady solid 1800m vertical ascent and a very sweet long ski down.

 

This was after a bit of shearing when the flocked had thinned out lol.

 

I'm in!

 

We're arriving in Akakura Onsen on the 10th. Hoping the great conditions continue, but wondering what the options are for activities on a rest/bad weather day. Any recommendation for non-ski things to do? We'll have a 6 year old in tow.

 

Snow monkeys
Day trip to Nagano or one of the other nearby cities or even Kanazawa if prepared to Travel further.

 

Touché - I should have prefaced my post by saying I have asked Google!

 

Thanks - We gave the snow monkeys a miss on our last trip to Hakuba as I'd heard it was a bit underwhelming. I'll have another look at this.

Do you know if the monkeys are chilled out? We have had some aggro monkey experiences on our travels, which can freak the kid out a bit.

 

They are pretty chill. They won't try to grab your camera/hat etc and run off like monkeys in Thailand or Indonesia. They will walk past you or through your legs though, and don't have any food out.

 

We've been twice, really enjoyed it. The walk in is very nice and scenic. If the crowds have increased it could be a shit show nowadays

 

They are common Macaques after all

 

Re snowmonkeys.
if your'e travelling by Car. Set the Navi #phone number to
Enza Cafe.
269-38-1736
https://goo.gl/maps/AQLiXaWPAiH2

Thats the cafe near the entrance for winter access.

 

Is it mostly locals hitting up the hill or us foreigners already there in a swarm? Have you got any pics of the terrain up top?

 

We took our kids, then 2&6 in 2016. There was no snow on the ground in late march, so the path was very muddy. The kids liked them. Of you want to see them you can check out the webcam or my kids you tube channel "dale discovers" and see our monkey /shiga kogen video.

 

Went there today just to drop someone off at 9.30am. Was a bit shocked by the number of people around even that early in the day. Personally not my thing but some like it.

Se then drove back to Iiyama and watched theguys across th road from the shinkansen station building igloos. That was kool! Also picked up a couple of Iiyama brochures and I reckon that could be a good outing with a 6 year old. Will post a pic of the brochure later.

Then went to Lake Nojiri. Was surprised to see a bout chugging around. Could be another place worth a short visit but not sure how you would get there without a car.

Actually going to one of the shinkansen stations and hiring a car for a day to do a few things may also be worth doing.

 

Think it technically qualifies as Mad Sic .

 

I saw them doing that last year, was certainly interesting....

 

Thanks for all the tips. Not sure about the monkeys. The kid still talks about the thug macaques we saw stealing people's food in Borneo in August (admittedly, they were stupid people). Same day, my husband faced off against a one-eyed grizzled old monkey who wanted to steal our clothes after we got changed to swim at a beach. I really thought he was going to get bitten.

The igloo building sounds fun.

 

Was 4 years ago, maybe they are more aggressive now

 

We might have another one if there are a few peeps aroind. Or we may even be coming over to Chaledt Myoko for dinner one night. Just depends on what happens.

 

I went today, they seemed pretty chill to me.....they seem to largely ignore the masses wandering around them.....

Although there was one couple on the path that seemed to be on a timer to have intimate relations every 60secs.....for precisely 3 secs...was strangely bizarre...If there was a cup next to them they would have got money I reckon....

 

It seems Arai is making one of thier "strictly off limit" areas open. I mean, the red area.

 

Not sure if any of this would be of interest but never hurts to share this sort of info : English Speaking Guide

I have not met or used this person but she was incredibly patient and tolerant of a very rude guest who was making unreasonable demands.

 

We were there after a dump midweek and there would have been 100 people max on hill. There's a very expensive hotel at the bottom that caters to a specific market.
A) that market doesn't ski powder
B) hotel doesn't look like it has too many people in it, folks from our lodge in Myoko had dinner there the other night and said there were 6 people in the restaurant at dinner, and its far enough from anywhere that if staying there you would most likely eat there.

The riding is very non Japan like, nice wide open bowls above tree line. I cbf trying to link it, but if u check out my instagram @hoop_dogg I put up a video the other day from the top

 

Cheers, looks like a great place to ride but not stay. I'll check the insta

 

Looking out.my window at.akakura onsen. Sipping on a few chu hi slowly getting pissed..lifes good where i sit

 

Yep. Close to 50cm overnight, Seki today was all time, I'm calling my best ever day on snow, life is indeed good in these parts at the moment. Forecast has been upgraded for tonight too

 

I drove to Niigata city and back yesterday. OMG the blizzard both ways! Shame the snow did not penetrate inland!

 

Skied at Akakura Kanko today, 5cm over night, first lifts great but runs got chopped but quickly, looked.good at one stage for a top up but we got just the edge with a slight flurry. Madarao looked liked they copped a fair dump from our POV.

 

If your keen to work a bit for great skiing, have a look at some of the local guiding companies, even a few days after a good dump you will find hours of untracked deep powder skiing off the resorts, and when you consider you don’t pay for a lift ticket and lunch is supplied it might cost you $45 more for the day, but it will be well worth it! They can supply all the gear if you don’t have any and can cater for all skill levels. Some do pure backcountry and some do lift served sidecountry they are not hard to find so I won’t push any one particular agenda or business. I tend to use the sidecountry guides the day after a dump and backcountry a day or 2/3 after a good dump. It’s a safe, easy, efficient way of maximising the fun!

 

I was hoping to post some action cam footage but my.laptop shit its self after being on charge here. coincidence, or its time was up not sure..

 

Thanks for the heads up, my skill level isnt up for deep powder. Happy on the groomers and even better with a good fresh on top.. I appreciate the advice.

 

All good know that feeling well! Looks like another 15cm in next 24hrs so a nice manageable top up headed your way!

 

Looks like a nice reset going on at the moment!

 

Picked a wrong day to have a rest day..legs needed a break so as it was full blue skies did some sight seeing..oh well..chucked down around lunch time... any suggestions on a good rader site i can check out.

 

For Myoko I use:

http://www.chiiki.pref.niigata.jp/yuki/index-e.html

At least for 24hr snow fall predictions, usually reasonably accurate (as forecasting can ever be), you will see Myoko-Kogen down the bottom. I know it’s not radar but a handy snowfall predictor.

 

Cheers mate

 

Sorry about the double ups.. blame the chu hi.

 

Walking back to pension with guilty party..

 

Gold. Mine just expects this kind of behaviour and just goes home..... you’ll probably witness this sometime next week she’s a good girl really. I ski where I want and try and check on her every now and then.....