From: Gala Yuzawa 2nd February

Today and yesterday I had rare week days off, so I decided to head back to Yuzawa and try and get some uncrowded turns in at GALA. So imagine my surprise when I get there and the place is heaving!!! Whatever, the snow was coming down a fair whack and the ride up in the gondola really got the juices flowing seeing all that snow. I didn't take my camera this time as the forecast was for snow, snow and more snow so I thought I'd just concentrate on the riding. I'd been to Gala before and wasn't so impressed.....it was fine, I had an awesome day, but I just felt the place was small. i didn't however get to ride the Southern area that last time, so I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer. First couple of warm up runs down the main Central area runs, nice snow on piste and beautiful stashes just to the side, in and out of the pow over and over....great. Now to find this Southern area....what a carry on!! Its easier to find the North western passage, Atlantis and Brigadoon!! The top connection was closed (again...boooooo Gala) but apparently the cat track from the Edelweiss run was open....could I find it?? bloody hell!! I stopped for an early lunch about 11am, then decided to give it one more try before going over to the Northern area. Top connection was still closed but finally the cat track was open...........wow!! No one was over here, the snow was untouched and the stashes at the side were soft and deep!! Unfortunately, for some reason they didn't open the top runs....which was a crying shame because those runs were immaculate powder with no trails down em and I was gagging to give em a go. I had to stick to the bottom half but actually it did me just fine. Like I said no one was there so I was able to do laps of the Bronco run......the first bend, veering skiers right and into a huge pow field with some trees dotted around, face shots aplenty, back onto the official run, then dart left down the cat track, stay high and take out the other pow field that isn't REALLY roped off (although Patrol did ask me to stop riding there). That area was the sweetest, when I first went in, there were only 2 tracks....I was the 3rd. After a few laps and being asked to stop, I headed back to the central area for a drink etc, when i got back there were loads of tracks and each getting further into the field....ok then, I was back in again. I spotted someone stuck there, so I headed over and made sure he was ok before ripping through again but when I got to the lift I clocked the liftie signalling to someone inside the hut about me and then pointing at the other guy digging his way out. I was suspicious but I just couldn't tear myself away from that snow. So I nipped over the brow of the slope and into the field when out of nowhere the patrol guy has cornered someone else and is giving him a talking to......he had his back to me so I was able to Ninja my way out before he saw he....phew!!

In the afternoon it cleared up and the sun came out and I wish I had my camera......what a view!! Some great looking terrain there as well, pity they can't expand the resort a bit. I did go across the Northern area to see whats what but across there the wind was howling, it was cloudy and snowing, so it was back to the sheltered pow faces of the Southern area.......I was like a pig in shit!!!

Yep i resumed my love affar with Pow after a rocky couple of days at Maiko and kagura.......the difference here (well in respect to Maiko) is that Gala has good gradient to get you through....Maiko is pretty tame. Kagura I'm blamig on my board set-up, I hadn't moved the bindings back etc and like I said in another post I tweaked the angle of my front foot and that gave me back the control I felt I was lacking. My new board really came through today as well and performed well in the powder, still squirrelly on flats but thats just soemthing I'm gonna have to live with.

Apologies again for lack of photos and cheese, but I was having too good a time


Source: Gala Yuzawa 2nd February