Deeper than i thought it was!

After watching this Storm for a week as it built up power and began to come in, you just new it was going to be big! The moisture in the air was unreal. On Friday morning after a day of rain, on came the snow. The first 30 to 40 cms down low had no chance to stick. The ground was wetter than the rainy season. On the snow fell though and into Saturday the snow was trying to stick but was still fighting a losing battle.

The mountain on the other hand was winning and the turns were knee deep everywhere. Called it quits early to get some work done and to watch it keep snowing. By 9pm on Saturday I could have used the snow blower to clear off the roof fallen snow, I should have done that! Off to bed at 12 pm and the snow was still bucketing down,by this time the snow had won the battle with the ground, about 10cms was sticking. Woke up at 6am and my parking area was a mess! no less than 40 cms, over my gum boot height! rushed to clear some snow to let the cars out but, with a full lot you cant really clear snow.

Into the car and off to the hill. With conditions this deep you have to make it to the gondie on time. Everyone was there diz, kuma, wiggles, rye dog, jer and J mates everywhere. A look around and people where thinking top to bottom! How many storms can open a whole ski resort in 12 hours! This one did! Up the lift and the snow was actually too deep to ski. The pitch had to be at least 35 degrees or you had to follow someones tracks to get a run of speed.

On my first run I planned on haul ass speed and fly into the powder tips up! all was going well until the cat track lips got me. I lawn darted into the snow and was stuck for about 5 seconds not being able to breathe. Got my self righted and tried to make some turns. With the speed all gone and 100 or more cms of fresh I was beaten. waist deep on pontoons! that is very very rare that those skis can get waist deep, standing still. I got about 10 turns in and then got back to the lift. My 2 mates Jer and rye dog ran into trouble too, so lucky for me they waited. Rye dog said and I quote,
"Its going to have to be 50 degrees to ski this properly".

Another lap down this time watching the cat tracks a bit better, I got about 20 turns that blinded me every other second. Then near the lift I had to push downhill just to get to the lift. 20 degrees and I'm stopped dead trying to push down the hill!

Choose a steeper area this next lap and things are working better. a few more tracks means, that you can use someones tracks to get speed. Unreal waist deep pontoon powder "PONTOONS"WTF"!

So that's it, I need something steeper cause I want to eat this siht! On to Kurobishi and oh what a choice! 40 plus degree drop in means speed. I forget to close my mouth and that's it I'm choking, (no joke) In the white room, I don't see a thing until the pitch rolls to 35 degrees. I cant scream cause if I do Im going to eat the farking snow and choke again. bounce off of a few pillows sor t of but heck, I wasn't getting even 10 cms of air in this much snow.

Onto the Skyline. It took us 15 minutes to push into a ski able section. Man though it was sick when we got there. Enough pitch, Just under the waist which made for better speed. The lower steep section had us fall in love. Every turn a face shot every turn sicker than the one before. did another lap before heading to the bottom.

I had skied to the bottom the day before, 5 cm base and utter crap. I had expected to damage the pontoons but I didn't touch bottom once. Unreal run cause you always knew that you had enough speed to ski.
That is now 4 decents top to bottom for the season nabbing first tracks the whole way!

Hannah says thanks to everyone and to Yanik!

So my little girl has been negected lately. With all the work that we are doing to the lodge we just dont have the time to play with our little Banana. I decided to get her outside with me while I raked the front and backyards. She really liked it and loved riding in the wheel barel.

Lucky enough we had a good-bye party for a good friend Yanik. That menat that 18 people would be around the house. Hannah loves people so it was perfect for her and she was able to get alot of stress and energy out of her system. A few falls and bumps but she needed the play time. Thanks to everyone and to Yaniks wonderful food.

I got first tracks on Happo!!!!!sorry.

Get up to the bottom of Happo and park the car. Dan gets out and stands in line at the gondola while FT and I bring all gear up. The powder hounds were out in force. The 2 of them wait in line for the gondola while I wait in line for tixs. While waiting peeps in line started talking about what the conditions were gonna be like and everybody was in high spirits anticipating the upcoming turns. Met up with a few peeps from Shizuoka who left at 2am and another group from Niigata who came down for the day as well.

The only thing wrong with Friday, apart from FT sleeping in and making us get 2nd gondola, was FT’s arse! It freaking honked. I swear to god I almost gagged once we got in and he ripped one. It was the most horrendous stench my nose has had to endure…and he did it 3 different times. I was scuba diving for air hunched over in the gondola with my nose and mouth at the top vent trying to breathe…I thought Dan was going to pass out his face was so white.

The ride up offered us some nice views of Happo, 47, Iwatake, Tsugaike, and the Northern Alps.

The snowboarders ahead of us didn’t have a chance to get first tracks since they had to strap in…FT blew by everybody like a cheetah on the hunt getting to the goods that Usagidaira delivered. I don’t even think he turned going down it while Dan, on the other hand, was like a kid enjoying turn after turn to the bottom. After his 200th turn he finally got to the bottom by at which time he found FT and I to already be heading back up to the top. We took another run at Usagi before jetting over to the other side for some more bottomless turns before the masses headed there. We had 1st tracks on every course we hit and had, on the top half of the mountain, fresh, bottomless tracks all day.

Next we headed off to the right of the Virgin Café under the lift. FT was intent on getting the perfect fall line and suggested hiking but all I could think of was “F-That!!” and traversed as far over as possible before ripping it under the lift. I had the first track down and couldn’t stop heading over to the skyline that I just kept going not knowing whether Dan and FT where with me or not.

The first part of the Skyline was a bit windblown but after the hump it opened up to more bottomless turns. There’s nothing sexier than looking back at your lines when nobody else has been there…especially with the conditions we had Friday it was magic.

Only bad thing about getting down to the Skyline was that no lifts were running meaning we had to ski it all the way down. Some places were fine, some were epic, but the closer we got to the parking lot the more sasa grass and rocks we were hitting. We were giggle ling like a bunch of girls hitting rocks and getting knocked about at the bottom of Saka. We skied until we hit cement at the parking lot officially de-virginating our rock skis. We then walked back to the gondola and headed back up for some more lines.

<> You know the worst smell you have ever smelt? Times that by about 10 and that’s how FT’s arse was that day in the gondola…That Japanese bloke is going to go back and tell his friends how much gaijin really do stink after that episode…

Back to the top of Usagi and we meet up with Oyuki Kigan and Kumapix plus some of their J-mates for a few runs down Usagi and Virgin. Virgin Café run under the lift again I just couldn’t wait. FT and Dan unclicked and were bootpacking it up to the top of the run “cuz they didn’t wanna traverse” so I just said screw it and traversed over. I guess they thought the same thing cuz they ended up clicking in and dropped in just after me. Once again, only a few tracks down the Virgin and from the top of the Virgin to the bottom of the Skyline, I just let it rip. Didn’t stop, didn’t look back, and ripped it as fast as I could. Got 2 nice airs of the cat tracks on the Skyline and the 2nd hit was big enough for a grab. FT saw me fly on a different part of the skyline bout 3 meters or so but this hit was the one that I remember…just one of those days where everything clicks. And for me, it wasn’t my deepest or steepest day ever, but my form was on and I, for once, know I ripped it up and there’s nothing more satisfying than that.

We traversed around for some more untracked goods and were never disappointed. Dan was in the mood to take as many turns as possible, FT went over the handle bars several times while hitting pillows, flying up banks, and getting some sick airs. He also opted to join the Canadian Airforce by hitting the pillow just towards the bottom of skyline and launched over 6-7 meters I’m guessing. All in all, it was one of the best “First Day’s” I have ever had. Light, dry snow, powder whores out in force, some of my best mates to share it with, and a 3 day weekend made it magical. Not only that but also onsens, beers, food, Yanik’s Sayonara Party, etc… We did take some pics but many didn’t come out that well. And, besides, some days you just cant be bothered with it anyways.

My pics are at home so I’ll post them tomorrow.

Day 1 – epic







For more pics check out this album on my facebook account
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1738974&id=890405050

Some snow and a big Thank you.

I had a good weekend thanks to friends helping us get some much needed work done in the lodge. Dan Risa and Laurence thanks heaps for everything. The up stairs bathroom is back together with a new paint job and a new floor. I really like it and it will be so easy to clean now. After this weekend I feel less tense cause I know we can get it all done.

The new lawnmower was a great investment! Picked up about 1 garbage bags full of leaves in less than an hour. I love easy clean ups I saved a day of raking I think. Still have to deep rake but it wont be nearly that hard now!

Also had some now take a look at this shot I took from my car this morning.

Always searching for new trails

Always hunting for new trails the crew headed out for a well known trail that I had only heard about. I can`t say that it is a secret trail cause the older riders have been riding it for years.

A great ride and one of the longest in the valley. Steep the whole way with even a set of stairs to run down. bottomed my forks for the first time ever on the trail too.

Now I have to find the next new trail!

A 7am start

Got up this morning to hit the Trail with Jason for the first time. the guy rides super fast and was blowing me away right off the bat. I basically just went at my pace not trying to kill myself.
Jay is a good rider and been around the Hakuba block.
A cell phone pic of Jay blasting down the trail!
Me eyeing the drop in, a little bay fat on those cheeks.
I made it but crap those guys climb better than me.
Great little view that I never get sick of.

Dropping in

Thanks Stevie for the pics.

Its good not to be sick!

After thinking I was going to die with a bad cold it was great to finally have some energy to get out there and do something. Saturday was a rain day so we just wrote that off and did painting.
Sunday was gorgeous! Sunny skies great temps and a Halloween party! Hannah got dressed up as a bunny and was cute as a button. Many photos and even 2 crazy rides down the Goryu ridge to scare me silly.
Hannah post party saying "I like this boot but I wont wear it today"!
Outside of the party, its a bad shot of my girls!
Stew flying down goryu!
Me with some halloween spirt and stew in the background.
Hannah just chilling
Hannah after loving some soup, Man does she like soup!
On the drive to work on Friday part of the Tateyama mountains.
The Hakuba Baby boom!

Babies in fully get-up!

Biking, Painting and a warm fireplace

Had some of my best mates up this past weekend to paint and do a little biking. I was feeling a bit under the weather so I skipped a Sunday ride. We had our first snowfall of the season up in the mountains too. Also had a some frost on Sunday morning as well

Got to re-painting the kitchen because the new flooring has arrived in Tokyo. Now we just have to get that flooring laid and the kitchen will be ready to go. I always find that at this time of the year it is really rush rush rush. Get all that you can get done within your budget and then let the guests take over your place. Man I love the winter here I was so stoked when I saw the snow. I called at least 5 mates! Anyways enjoy the pictures please.

Steve and I clibing at 6:40 in the morning.
A little view from Aoni with the snow
The view from our backyard
A little bit of downhill on an unused Olympic road. Great single track above this.
The first frost of the year!
Dan the man putting on the first coat.

Aoni the shizzle!

Aoni is one of the best rides in Hakuba. Wall rides, jump, tunnels you name it Aoni has it.... It also has the 30 minute hike but heck it is worth it!
Here is me riding a banking.
Steve just flying down through the endless banks.
The stinky tree tunnel man that tree smelled like cow poop!

Steve climbing about 10% of the way up and man what a view!

In Aoni Village a protected Village with old Thatched roof houses. The tin on the roofs is to protect the Thatch.
Steve pondering the next 5 minutes of the climb.
Another stellar View!
I dont know how old this is but it was a cool little picture. You can actually see the Japanese writing on it. The course passes on the riders right but I will always ride through this little Gate.
Great ride I cant wait to do it again only faster next time.