30 replies to this topic

[Fattwins]

Finally a few warm days brought a day of stability to Hakuba. We have been getting snow and super cold temps for about 3 weeks now. Avalanches all over the place with a few deaths had me running scared silly. Compound that with a faceting Ice layer and other faceting layers though-out the pack. It was high time to pray to the gods for some warmer weather so that we could run the bigger lines. Well after 2 days of warmish winds it was time to check the snow pack.

At the start of the day, the idea was to dig a pit and more than likely turn back and ski the ridge to the resort. I have turned away many times this season. To be honest I think it is best to have turning back in your mind this season. As we got into the alpine we could see about 20 tracks through some of the 35 degree terrain. Nothing was sliding so I started to think, that maybe we could actually get to ski.

Got to the top of Happo and quickly climbed to the top of the "Za Mix" area of Happo. Prefect sunny weather and about -2c in the high alpine. Dug a pit and found a bomber snowpack much to our surprise. Still layers about but the faceting had decomposed enough to be consistent. Right then I knew I was going to ski the line and I started to get flashbacks from last season....

The last time I was standing up on this line in such prefect weather was with Kina Picket and Billy Poole. They were running lines for Nomads with another crew made up of Bryce Philips and Will Burks. I remembered how stoked everyone was to run new lines in such prefect weather. I remembered Billy going balls to the walls with a huge grin, and then hucking a rodeo 7 off of a rock like it was a walk in the park.

As I got ready to ski the line I got fired up. I wanted to ski that line faster than I ever had before. In a way, I wanted to let out the stress of work, the snow pack from hell and the sadness I felt out on that line. I also wanted to show Billy, that by having to opportunity to host and ski with him for that week, made me a better skier.

As I committed myself to the line I found a focus that I had not felt in sometime. I dropped in and in less than a minute of focus and speed I was in my safe zone. Amped, amped is what I felt, amped like I never have been before. It was like 100 kilos flew off of my shoulders on that run. I felt the passion for why I ski again and why I love to push myself even as I get older. Thanks to the crew that came out on the day, Kev, Mark and Chuckles.



checking for layers

Cutting the mini cornice as a last check.

Commited

One minute of fun starting now!

Down the guts

Kev dropping in!

All smiles after a prefect run!

The always fun river crossing, and yes Kina those are your old boots, Wills poles and Bryces googles. Gotta love free gear.

The line to the left and the runout. the runout was so nice and light too.

[Samui Kitsune]

Do you have a picture of the inside of the snow pit?

[OkemoLoon]

Good, deal FT. Glad to see you got to put in some real work and relieve some stress. Nice work!

[NPM]

Cant see all the photos ... wonder why

[Creek Boy]

again? youve had that prob before havent you?

[OkemoLoon]

NPM its probably the network your on. Are you at home when trying to view or work?

[NPM]

work ... yeah, can probably check the pics at home. thanks guys

[Fattwins]

that pic doesnt show up

[muikabochi]

I can see 4 photos and 5 red boxes.

(Why don't you upload them to SJ and link them in from there?)

[NPM]

At home ... still cant see them

[Fattwins]

Why must I losd pictures that I want my parents to see to SJ, muikabochi? Why must you ask me this everytime? Can I expect another bunch of PMs crapping on me?

[muikabochi]

We-hey.... you calming down might do you some good you know! I was simply making a suggestion, as the photos are not loading on this page. I presume you wanted people on this page to see them (?). I wouldn't mind seeing them too. My comment above was hardly worthy of your response!

 Quote:

Why must you ask me this everytime?
Can I expect another bunch of PMs crapping on me?

I believe I sent a comment to you once - and did so politely. I also did it privately via PMs, not on the Forums. I certainly wasn't "crapping on you". And I certainly wasn't doing that where everyone else can read it, which you seem to be doing to me here.

[Fattwins]

No telling me what to do every 3 posts isnt cool mate and Im tired of it. I personally am getting tired of it!

[OkemoLoon]

I can see your pix FT, and they are sweet.

[muikabochi]

(Is this actually happening?)

Before I retire and for the record, I have not once 'told you what to do' and wouldn't think to do so. Like I said I recall sending you a Private Message, about photos. It was hardly offensive. I would say the same about the my post above which really is nothing more than a quick passing comment (in brackets even!) Your "every 3 posts" comment is simply ludicrous, I can only presume that you are totally drunk.

But I'm going to leave this here and now, it's really not my style. Don't worry, I'll make a note to never communicate with you again. Perhaps we should leave it at that rather than litter the Forums with this silliness. If you want to shout at me for some reason please do it via PM. Bye.

[2pints,mate]

I can't see any pics at all.

[ianbc]

nice write up buddy, but i cant see pics either... I guess the same as facebook ones?

[SJ-David]

I can't see the pictures either. I can't see any reason why they are not appearing, so can't really help there sorry.

Fattwins + muikabochi. I really don't know what you are both talking about above. I can only guess but it seems to be something about uploading photos to our site.

---

On the subject of photos, allow me to make one comment (directed at no-one in particular). Do we hope that people will upload their photos to snowjapan? Yes, of course we do. That's why the photos section is there. On the suggestion of a number of members last year we invested in redeveloping the photos section so that 5 photos can be uploaded at the same time as well as some other refinements. That work is done and we are now glad we did it. A quick look shows me that there are more photos for January 08 than the other two Januarys on record, so we are happy that people are using it. But more are always welcome and as well as increasing the number of photos that the entire audience of the site can view, uploading photos to SJ also in effect is one way that members can support us - thank you. (If people do upload photos elsewhere and have no basic problems with them being on SnowJapan as well, please do consider uploading them to add to the snowjapan collection as well - it's really quick & easy).

Are people in any way obliged to upload photos to our site? No, of course they're not - it's totally up to them.



Thank you.

[sock_monkey]

Very nice report, FT.

Based on the pics on facebook, looks like a great outing. I also like that you included pit digging photos.

I'm starting the 4 day CAA AST-2 course tomorrow with a few friends.

[sunrise]

I could see the pics yesterday but not today.