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Mid Glamorgan |
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 #1 SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 19/11/2012 @ 06:32 |
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For 6 of the past 7 years I've been very fortunate to winter in the Shiribeshi subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Shiribeshi has it all - a rugged coastline, mountains, volcanoes, geothermal onsens, rivers, lakes, and marshes, with four distinct seasons all at an agricultural pace of life.
A lift accessed winter season stretching from the end of November through to the first week in May, with an average annual snowfall of 12m. Far from average!
Spring skiing until the end of July most years, followed by cool, dry summers playing golf, walking in the mountains, and swimming in the sea.
And to cap off the year an Autumnal colour show to rival that of New England.
For ski afficiandos this is close to perfect.
Shiribeshi
http://www.shiribeshi.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/srk/en/index.htm
My previous season reports can be found here:
Hokkaido Snow 2008/09
http://www.goneboarding.co.uk/forum/hokkaido-snow-2008-09/threadid/26816/showthread.aspx
TR : Spring on Hokkaido 2011
http://www.goneboarding.co.uk/forum/tr-spring-on-hokkaido/threadid/36668/showthread.aspx
SR : Hokkaido, Japan 2011/12
http://www.goneboarding.co.uk/forum/sr-hokkaido-japan-2011-12/threadid/37958/showthread.aspx
My home from home this winter is Eggshell cabin in Higashiyama, with views of the Niseko Village area of the Niseko United.
The four connected ski areas of the Niseko United - Niseko Annupuri Kokusai, Niseko Village (formerly Higashiyama), Niseko Hirafu, and Niseko Hanazono - or Niseko as it's known to locals and visitors alike is the most popular area on Hokkaido.
NISEKO RESORT AREA
Niseko United
http://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/
Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
http://annupuri.info/winter/english/
Niseko Village
http://www.niseko-village.com/en/
Niseko Hirafu
http://www.grand-hirafu.jp/winter/en/
Niseko Hanazono
http://www.hanazononiseko.com/en/index.php
In addition there are the two operating but unconnected ski areas of Niseko Moiwa and Niseko Chisenupuri, the cat skiing operation on the former Niseko Weiss Ski Ground, and ski touring opportunities on the closed Niseko Iwanai Kokusai Ski Ground.
Niseko Moiwa
http://niseko-moiwa.jp/
Niseko Chisenupuri
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=219
NAC cat skiing operation at Niseko Weiss Ski Ground
http://www.nisekoskischool.net/activity_winter/private_cat_tour_nac_private_cat_resort.html
Niseko Iwanai Kokusai
But outside of the Niseko Resort Area there is a world of ski areas big and small to excite and beguile.
KUTCHAN
Asahigaoka
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=424
http://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/town/taiikukan/asahigaoka_ski.jsp
RUSUTSU VILLAGE
Rusutsu
http://en.rusutsu.co.jp/
KIMOBETSU
Nakayama Toge Ski Area
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=208
http://ageimo.com/
AKAIGAWA
Kiroro Snow world
http://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/
OTARU
Asarigawa Onsen Ski Area
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=127
http://www.otaru-asari.co.jp/facility/?c=1&s=4836
Otaru Tenguyama
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=125
http://www.cks.chuo-bus.co.jp/tenguyama/
Snow Cruise Onze
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=209
And just beyond Shiribeshi's border you find the Sapporo resorts of Sapporo Kokusai and Teine.
SAPPORO
Sapporo Kokusai
http://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/
Teine
http://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/
I hope to get to most of these areas this winter, and travel further afield to Central and Northern Hokkaido. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #2 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 19/11/2012 @ 07:45 |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #3 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 19/11/2012 @ 09:38 |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #4 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 19/11/2012 @ 13:24 |
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| #5 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 19/11/2012 @ 20:31 |
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Amazing thread Mike. I would love to make it out there in the next few years. Your reports are not helping my patience though! I look forward to the next update. |
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Never believe anything until it is officially denied |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #6 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 20/11/2012 @ 00:43 |
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Thanks Shinmen.
Everyone should try Hokkaido at least once in their snow riding life. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #7 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 20/11/2012 @ 03:31 |
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| In reply to post #6
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DAY 5 : UPDATE
Glen had his Ion camera with him yesterday and took this footage of our first Hirafu turns this season
http://vimeo.com/53907303
You can see more of Glen's words, photography and movies at 360niseko
http://360niseko.com/blog/
And if you're visiting Niseko this winter and want your memories captured forever, get in touch with Glen.
He's based in Rhythm Snowsports on Hirafu-zaka (the road heading up to the Alpen Base area) and offers professional images in digital and print formats and fully edited movies of your time in the Niseko Resort Area.
Last January Glen took the stills to accompany the Hokkaido segment in this season's Warren Miller movie 'Flow State'. So he has form.
Glen Claydon Photography
http://www.glenclaydon.com/ |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #8 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 20/11/2012 @ 05:46 |
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DAY 6 : TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2012
1 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
A light dusting overnight that melted off quite quickly in the early morning sun.
My next door neighbour's son Kye built this impressive snowman the first hour or so we had snow on Sunday. Now that's dedication.
Autumn is making it's last stand today, but every thirty minutes or so winter charges in.
The tap has been turned on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mQNTCinWts&feature=plcp
Opening day on Friday is looking better by the hour. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #9 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 21/11/2012 @ 06:35 |
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DAY 7 : WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2012
24 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Solo mission up Niseko Hirafu today.
Unfortunately I missed Glen and couldn't take the ION camera up with me.
The grooming crew had groomed a single track from the new Alpen Base Area building right up to Ace Hill. Made skinning up the mountain so much easier.
And more importantly the track was all compacted snow with no grass, sasa, or rocks poking through.
Just before I got to the King Bell restaurant plateau six workers on the Hirafu lift crew went skiing and boarding by.
They'd run the lifts so they could get a couple of 'product testing' laps. There was snow flying everywhere.
Then I passed the grooming crew heading up to flatten lower Rinkan and Jumbo.
Niseko Hirafu Grooming Crew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHd8Jb5v_js&feature=plcp
24 at the door, and up on Ace Hill? A little bit more!
84 cm base depth at Ace Hill. Not bad for 3 days.
I dropped in off Ace Hill and immediately sank to my waist without bottoming out to grass. And that's 104 cm for me.
Then it was turn after turn with the snow billowing all around me and cascading over my shoulders.
But as I hit the lower mountain the snow got too deep / the slope got too mellow (depends on your viewpoint) and it was straight running and poling to get to the groomed track.
The last pitch down to the Alpen base area was effortless and floaty, and I was up and down in 90 minutes.
With cold temps and a little more snow forecast, tomorrow will be great. And Opening Day on Frday even better.
But I'll be heading out of town tomorrow for Opening Day at Kiroro. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #10 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 22/11/2012 @ 10:32 |
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Revision #1 (Last edited: 22/11/2012 @ 10:39) |
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DAY 8 : THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2012
11 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Glorious drive over to Kiroro this morning.
Sunshine, blue skies, white clouds, but I pulled in to the car park to see no lifts turning.
I walked into the main area and it was a ghost town.
Opening Day is tomorrow. Doh!
Still better that than being 'a day late and a buck short' 
Snow coverage top to bottom with the groomers making the pistes perfect for tomorrow.
Rather than drive back home I went to the seaside instead.
Drove to Iwanai and then down the coast towards Suttsu before heading back inland on the Rankoshi road.
Snow has fallen at sea level this winter, but the warmer temperatures and sunshine of the past couple of days has melted it all away.
But there'll be plenty of opportunity to see snow on the beach in December and January.
On the way in to Iwanai town there's a beautiful temple set above the road with wonderful views of the ocean, the defunct Niseko Iwanai Kokusai Ski Area and its peak Iwanai-dake.
Kikoin Temple, Iwanai
Golden Statue at Kikoin Temple
A decorated statue with Niseko Iwanai Kokusai Ski Area in the background
The guardians of the Temple
The ski area looked good in the sunshine but it's going to take a few more storms before the cut runs fill in.
Iwanai port with the snowcapped mountains of the Shakotan Peninsula
Iwanai coastline with the snowcapped mountains of the Shakotan Peninsula
The black sands of Cape Raiden
Tomorrow is Opening Day at Niseko Hirafu.
Here's a little blast from the past, Opening Day for the 2008/09 winter. Groundhog Day?
Saturday 22 November 2008
Plans to get first chair went out of the window when I woke at 7:45 and I got to the bottom of the Ace Quad just as Glen was being whisked up the hill on first chair. Good effort son.
It was odd to ride the chair after hiking these past weeks and to see tracks plural as opposed to my solitary line on the mountain.
I honestly didn't think we'd have opening day earlier in the week, and I'm still amazed that 3 solid days of snowfall was all it took to get the lifts turning.
I picked up my season pass yesterday which was a big improvement on the debacle last season when the season pass office opened at 8:20 on opening day.
And when I got to the Ace Hill I was met with a very unexpected surprise. Patrol and the grooming crew had opened the hill back down to the base of the quad.
I've been very critical of the Grand Hirafu mountain ops but today they exceeded my expectations. Kudos.
And the conditions?
Best opening day I've had. The snow was deep, light, consistent and with very few people on the hill there was plenty of pow to go round.
Even the sun made an appearance for 15 mins or so.
Rode with Wild Bill's barman Ben Gillespie for the morning and had a blast. It was great to put the laps in.
Ben launching off the summer access road
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Here's hoping that tomorrow brings the same. Or better  |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| #11 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 22/11/2012 @ 12:24 |
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Loving the daily updates Mike! Great Reading and good pics. Can't wait to get back on the snow! |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #12 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 22/11/2012 @ 13:37 |
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| In reply to post #11
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Thanks xplayerx |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #13 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 23/11/2012 @ 11:08 |
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Revision #1 (Last edited: 24/11/2012 @ 08:30) |
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DAY 9 : FRIDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2012
1 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Well I got it right today!
OPENING DAY AT NISEKO HIRAFU
The morning started off sunny and clear with a decent crowd waiting patiently at the Ace Quad for the 8.30 am dash.
Young and old, seasonal workers and locals, British, Australians, French, Americans and Japanese
And they're off, with the veteran showing how it's done!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKWb2DqdG9s&feature=plcp
Lisa from Nisade all smiles
The Niseko Hirafu mascot was in attendance too
And within minutes of the first chair heading up the sun disappeared and the snow started coming down.
The runs available today were Center off the Ace Pair Lift #3, and Kokutai, Green & Alpen off the Ace Quad Lift #2 Center 4.
A decent amount of terrain considering the mountain was grass five days ago.
The groomed runs were soft and springy and the ungroomed snow was knee to waist deep powder with tracks filling in each run.
I met up with Nikki Langley who arrived in the village last night.
Nikki and I worked together at Camp Echo in NY state and it was he who convinced me to spend the 2005/06 winter at Keystone, Colorado where we shared an apartment.
He's in Hirafu for his first Hokkaido winter, working at the rental & servicing shop for NBS.
Nikki seeing what all the fuss is about and helping to cover the sasa
Great to see you Nikki and great timing.
The snow stopped around 1 and it's been cold and clear since.
Hopefully more terrain will become available tomorrow. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #14 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 24/11/2012 @ 11:05 |
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| Posts: 1318 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #15 Re: SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 Posted 25/11/2012 @ 12:12 |
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DAY 11 : SUNDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2012
7 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
After getting to sleep at 4am from watching Wales get thrashed by New Zealand in rugby and waking at 8.30 am, I missed the bluebird powder start to the day that hopefully some caught and captured for posterity.
Afer all, November bluebird powder mornings are as rare as unicorns in the Niseko Resort Area.
7cm of fresh, superlight powder around my house, between 15-20 cm up on the mountain.
Ready to go at 9.45 and I bumped into Nikki and two of his housemates, James from Wellington, New Zealand and Lee from Quebec, Canada.
The four of us rode together for a couple of hours, never really catching the sunshine at its brightest.
We found a little pow though.
Thanks for your patience guys & gal.
Nikki riding under the Ace Pair Lift #3 chair
James riding under the Ace Pair Lift #3 chair
Lee getting deep in Konayuki (Powder Snow)
And once we found the goods in Konayuki, we lapped it up.
Nikki flying in Konayuki
Lee flying in Konayuki
Nikki going deep in Konayuki
James going deep and spinning in Konayuki
James the Wraith
Lee getting down & up in Konayuki
Nikki breaking on through
And to top off an excellent day, the moon rising over Mt Yotei
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MIKE RICHARDS
From the plow to the pow for 10 years now
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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