International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) Japan 2020 Nagano

[Eleeski]

Off to Japan to visit my son there and get some skiing. San Diego to Nartia direct is a long flight! We arrived in the afternoon with easy customs and baggage. Quick walk to the train. Long ticket line to the Skyliner to Ueno station. We went to the wrong platform - it was hard dragging the ski bags back up the stairs! The Skyliner was prompt and easy with reserved seats and only one stop to Ueno. Not too pricey but I don't think it's on the railpass.

Ueno was a bit confusing. You had to go all the way to the street, cross the street and walk a long walk through the JR east station. Long line to buy tickets for the Shinkansen bullet train to Navajo. We waited an extra train for a reserved seat (not sure it was extra price). This train was a bit more expensive and stopped several times but still quite easy. Met everyone there. Staying at the Metropolitan hotel in the station - so easy and we were exhausted. Jetlagged so I'm typing in the morning darkness.

Bummer that there is zero snow in Nagano. My other son is over as well and met us after catching a couple days in Niseko. Not much there either. Hopefully the unusual dry weather will break and score us some Japow. Not sure if we will ski today or visit snow monkeys...

Eric

 

[Eleeski]

Our plan had been to get up and rent a car to get a half day in at one of the local Nagano little resorts. Herding cats, I mean family, takes up a lot of time. By the time we had breakfast, rented the locomotive sized van and loaded the skis in, it was lunchtime. Noodle feast and some more time passed. We headed toward a little resort near the snow monkeys. As we got closer, we noted how dry the tall poles for the snowplow looked. The white ribbon of death of one resort we could see from the car started showing brown patches. The internet searches changed from deciding on the best skiing to details on the monkey park.

The monkey park was a pretty walk through a beautiful forest park. At the top was a steam geyser and a tourist trap. A few yen later, we were surrounded by primates. Actually, despite the crowds, the monkeys were pretty cool. Lots of relatively tame monkeys posed for the classic pictures. The monkey onsen was just like the pictures - except no snow. OK, it was a fun tourist event. We saw a wild (sort of) boar on the walk down too.

Hopefully we'll get to ski soon.

Eric

 

[Eleeski]

 

[Eleeski]

Nozawa Onsen rocks! No new snow but what was there was fun. The bottom was one run and very sketchy. But after a gondola ride to the top, all was good. Nice packed powder everywhere. Some fun bumps. We found some nice steep pitches with soft snow. We ventured into the trees and got a couple powder turns. It's a big enough resort that we burned the day just exploring. Fun Day!

The potential of the mountain was amazing. With more (normal) snow, the possibilities looked fantastic. Steep inbounds tree glades were all over. Definitely worth going back - especially in a storm.

I grabbed the wrong skis for the trip. I wondered why the travel was so easy - I'd packed my wife's Praxis Backcountrys 160 instead of my 170s. Oops. Some parking lot binding fiddling on the Schizio bindings and I was off. Not quite snollerblades but they were short! On the icy parts, I overloaded the edges and they didn't feel comfortable on fast runouts but they were nice in the bumps and really nice in the tight trees. I don't think I'll have to rent for the rest of the trip at least.

The town was very cool. A narrow road with lots of shops and restaurants made up the main drag. Quite touristy in a quaint funky way. Certainly not the polished created villages of the new engineered villages (like Squaw's) but a comfortable old organic feel. Nice dinner at a hole in the wall burger joint.

Fun day.

Eric

 

[karlo]

Been wanting to check Nozawa Onsen out.

I'd packed my wife's Praxis Backcountrys 160 instead of my 170s

The good news is, if you hit any rocks, they’re not your skis
Uhh..., or would that be bad news?

 

[Eleeski]

Finally a snow day! Staying at Hakuba Cortina on the slopes (more about the hotel later). So we were in line for opening bell. There were a few others with us but it wasn't crowded. Up the first chair (#2) to another line for a chair (#4) going to the top. Wait, nobody is coming up and there's 20 minutes till that chair opens. Let's lap this chair! Fun lap with 6 inches of untracked by the side of the groomer. Back up and we were 5 places behind where we left - good call.

Up #4 to a nice steep untracked bowl. 6inches was not quite enough over the icy rutted base but it was powder. Lapped that (#10) a couple times and ended up in Hakuba Norikura Onsen. We were a bit lost but still found some lower angle powder while heading skier's right to the edge of the resort. Started working our way back to Cortina with some fun but too easy trails. Ended up on #10 again but went down the other side back into Cortina. Oops, that was a great pitch that we should have lapped earlier while the snow was less tracked. By then, all the powder was gone and the obstacles were sticking up through the ice. Time for the onsen.

We are staying at the Hakuba Green Plaza. It is a weird old hotel. We figured some rich builder visited the Alps in Europe during the 50s or 60s and copied the style in a grand inn. It's got a ton of character and funkiness. The kids keep talking about some movie called the Shining and are sure that the picture keeps moving perspective. No ghosts yet.

Cortina is a decent resort. It's runs and lifts don't flow that well. The lifts are somewhat dated. There are some nice vertical runs but they're hard to get to. The off piste is nice and steep but too many trees makes it hard to access - especially with the low snow cover. The powder lasted better than Squaw but was gone pretty quickly. I liked Rusustu, Nozawa Onsen and Niseko better but it was still a fun day.

Eric

 

[markojp]

Shame on you if you didn't take a few baths in Nozawa. They're awesome! 13 and hopefully all still free. Always thought cortina was a funky odd place. Trees are east coast tight, but it isn't the essence of Japanese tree skiing by any means. I've had fun there with friends doing telemark events, but it's never a place that I think , "wow, I can't wait to ski there again!" Now the large, long out of bounds valley to skiers left of Nozawa? Wonderful. Back in the day, it was a big poach. Don't know if it still is, or if there's gated access.

 

[karlo]

Trees are east coast tight, but it isn't the essence of Japanese tree skiing by any means

I think you are referring to the trees in resort, between the pistes, not those up over the top, on the other side?

 

[Eleeski]

@markojp My son's "home" mountain was Nozawa Onsen. All the fun tree spots he enjoyed last year were too poorly covered. Our one foray into the trees was a challenge. I definitely saw lots of potential there. We enjoyed Genki Burger and shopping in Nozawa but couldn't onsen there - I barely stayed awake for the long drive to Cortina. Nozawa is certainly a "wow, I can't wait to go back (when the snow is good) place".

The Hakuba portion of the trip is still in play. The vibe here is pretty down with so little snow. Dinner at Hakuba Brewing was too quiet (but very good and the beer selection was awesome - although I had near beer as DD). It snowed again last night. So we have hope!

Eric

 

[karlo]

The Hakuba portion of the trip is still in play. The vibe here is pretty down

Go up higher. There’s a Tsugaike webcam, but that’s of the bottom and it’s got patches of grass. The top is higher and should have more base. Then, there’s Happo-one. That’s the highest. I PM’d you on that. What’s reported above the resort is an indication of how conditions are at the top of the resort. Hakuba 47 and Goryu are also relatively higher. There are shuttle buses right at your hotel parking lot.

Yesterday, a guy I’m with in Tokyo told me that folks who normally go to other areas (I assume in Nagano,Niigata, Guma) are gravitating to Hakuba. Even competition events are seeking to move there. I’m glad I canceled the Myoko portion of my trip and extended in Hakuba. I also learned that I need to cut short my time in the mountains by a day on account of a meeting in Yokohama. I’m not regretful.

Maybe I should re-route my trip home to NJ, to pass through Vancouver. I guy I know there says they’re getting “puked on”. I love getting puked on

 

[Eleeski]

30 cm reported! That translates to face shots and bottomless powder in the right places on the mountain. Hakuba Cortina lives up to expectations today.

Woke up to heavy snow and a good accumulation. We had to check out of the "creepy" hotel so loading the car was an adventure in trudging through snow drifts. Smiling in anticipation. Yesterday's powder day (just OK) had a handful of people competing for the untracked. So we weren't too concerned about getting opening bell - wrong! The line waiting for the opening stretched across the entire base. Big line for tickets too. Missed opening bell but not the line. Cortina sucks because the way up to the top takes two lifts. And the second lift has a delayed opening. Huge line there. I was getting a bit bummed that we might not get any of the good stuff.

Japan skiers are insane. The Japanese stick to the groomers, the Europeans all head straight out of bounds and the Aussies sit at the top playing with their snowboard bindings. Despite being near the end of the line, we scored lots of steep untracked. Fantastic!

The laps are horribly inefficient so we tried a different chair. Good stuff on the sides. Kirk ventured into the trees and got stuck. They still need more snow. It took him a while to escape so we figured everything was gone but we headed back up top anyway. Still lots of good stuff left. Tried a different lift for the disjointed lap. Fun leftovers there. Back to the top for another go. So good, must have been the refills.

There is still hardly any snow on the ground in Hakuba town where we are now staying. Anything low elevation still sucks. And the forecast isn't looking good. I hope my time with @karlo in a couple days isn't too wet with rain.

Still, in the worst years for Japanese snow we still scored a fantastic powder day. Maybe there is something to this Japow!

Eric

 

[karlo]

Kirk ventured into the trees and got stuck

Need photos of that!

it’ll be great higher up

 

[James]

See these guys in Nagano?

 

[Eleeski]

See these guys in Nagano?
View attachment 90861

Not yet, but I called out the Unofficial crew at Cortina for GNAR points.

Eric

 

[Eleeski]

Today we went to Hakuba 47. Surprisingly big resort. Not super steep but some nice pitches. Actually we got lost and ended up at Hakuba Goryu. Fortunately our tickets still worked there to get us home. Some nice bumps on a couple pitches to keep me happy. Easy sunny cruising day.

I didn't stay out long as the jetlag, loss of sleep, worries about the creepy hotel, insecurity from the perverted toilets and general travel difficulty gave me a cold. Hopefully not wu-han. If I quit posting, I died from it.

Japow gets Japacked pretty quickly. Not icy but very firm. The short powder skis suffer a bit where it's firm. Yesterday was magic powder, today was scratchy. Interesting...

Rain forecast tomorrow. We are trying to hook up with @karlo . Hopefully things will work out - at least for a dinner.

Eric

 

[karlo]

sunny

Nice!

perverted toilets

Know what you mean. Upon entering my hotel room upon arrival on Sunday, I went to use the toilet. When I raised the seat, some tube retracted and disappeared. Scary. Glad I didn’t have to sit.

 

[Eleeski]

Nice!

Know what you mean. Upon entering my hotel room upon arrival on Sunday, I went to use the toilet. When I raised the seat, some tube retracted and disappeared. Scary. Glad I didn’t have to sit.

Everyone seems to love Japanese toilets. I understand the utility. They seem a little too friendly to me. And you can't smoke a cigarette afterwards.

Eric

 

[karlo]

And you can't smoke

It ain’t Colorado for sure.

 

[Eleeski]

Met up with @karlo today at the top of Happo-one. It was pouring rain at the base and very difficult to convince the family to ski. I promised just one run if it was raining. We stayed dry in the gondola. Hey, the rain turned to snow halfway up!

The snow falling was wet at best. The snow on the ground was mashed potatoes. The visibility was between marginal and zero. It was cold and wet but super sweaty when skiing hard. Fun times!

We stayed up top seeking some fun paths down. A little patch of trees solved the visibility problem so I zoomed through them onto the groomer to the chair. Wham, double eject when I was blindsided by the side of a deep mogul! Faceplant with snow packed goggles. The visibility issue went from horrible to serious snow blindness. Just to rub it in, some kid rocked that zipper line as I tried to get my bearings. Sigh.

A couple laps more and I gave up on the goggles. A short break in the clouds let me see a sweet bump line and enjoy it. The snow was quite challenging but I tried - and smiled.

Lunch at the top of the gondola was OK but we didn't dry out or warm up enough so we decided it was onsen time (proper Japres).

Eric

 

[Eleeski]

Made it home! Gave up on skiing so did an extra day of tourist stuff in Tokyo. The last couple writeups got lost in the internet and the funky tablet and I'm too lazy to recreate them. Suffice it to say, Tokyo was fun!

It was a good ski trip. One awesome day! Some mediocre days. Not the same magic as last year's trip to Japow. I'm not ready to give up Squaw to move to Japan. I'll go back to Japan but I might have to try Revelstoke first.

Eric