50 replies to this topic

[Toque]

EskimoBaseCamp, Dizzy, Fattwins and Toque met up for some summer skiing in Hakuba this past weekend. June 17, 2006.

Due to unforeseen difficulties Dizzy and EBC dropped out about halfway up Norikura while FT and I went on and skied the line that we wanted.

We skied a line off 2769 meter Korenge skiing from about 2650 meters. We hiked from the top of Tsugaike Gondola for 4 hours even though an hour of that I was sunbathing shirtless while waiting. We hiked to the top of Norikura, around the lake and then up the scree trail to the top of our line.
We skied down to about 1500 meters. The ski was amazing. Kind of steep up top at about 40 degrees and then down to the gentler 30 degrees for quite a ways at the bottom. There was a fun little constriction at the top of the run. Great. A very fun run because of the sustained pitch. The snow was also pretty good as well with only a few rocks and ice bulges. Nothing to complain about with it being mid June and only a few days from summer.

At the bottom we had to negotiate a portion of steep open river. FT almost got taken out by a rock, we held onto vegetables and slimy rocks so as to not slide into the river below and bushwacked through thick bush.

Overall one of the best skis I've had in a while

Our line from town. It's southern facing. Little hazy as well.


Dizzy and FT at Tengupaira


FT hiking up Norikura in running shoes. Dizzy and EBC below on the flats


Boulder hopping around the lake. Fun for a few minutes but gets tedious after doing it for nearly an hour. Especially with stiff boots.



Yup
I was actually there

[Fattwins]

sorry that i didnt have my camera but the wife needs it these days. great ski better than expected. That said i didnt think that i hit that many rocks untill i looked at my skis after ouch.

That rock had me high steping and jumping. next time ill bring my rope for the exit.

[Toque]

Nice


FT at the top


FT getting throught the hourglass. Turned out to not be very skinny.


FT skiing through the mist


FT getting around the open setion of river. While FT was changing out of ski boots I saw a rock come down. At first it was just rolling so I only said rock but after a few seconds it was flying and I shouted rock rock rock. FT starting running however where he ran was where the rock was going. It just missed him by about a meter. I couldn't stop laughing at it. Real comical watching him run on the snow in running shoes. And as nobody got hurt it's ok to laugh


Getting around a waterfall we had to get into the bush. Not so difficult except for the vines that held us back


And as usual I'm always smiling having a great time in the mountains

[Toque]

Nature in Japan is so beautiful
Our line in the background. This would have been an amazing waterfall but...


And that's it
A great ski

[Fattwins]

that would have been one of the prettiest waterfalls in Japan about 50 years ago.

thanks for the pics ill try to get the phone ones up tomorrow.

[Toque]

And get my cd to me in the mail today please

[Bushpig]

nice

[janus77]

nice one boys

I'm skiing this weekend, snow forecast, can't wait.. stoke stoke stoked!

[Fattwins]

that cd will be the death of me

[Toque]

Or me

Hey FT look at that first picture. The line isn't at all skinny looking. There is a shadow that makes it look really skinny.
Just realized that.

[Fattwins]

yeah i saw that today from school. its the same line i wanted 2 weeks ago. so im very happy

[montoya]

nice trip, good to see you're still out there bagging some lines.

just wondering, what happened to EBC and dizzy on the way up?

[eskimobasecamp]

the same thing that happened to me last time i tried to get up norikura - i almost reached the top (actually got a lot further the first time around) and it's just steep and a little icy and every step is a bit of a mission at that pitch - i need touring boots and crampons. it's not really the slipping down and falling that bothers me (well it does a bit) - there are not real terrain traps or hazzards which would have killed me should that have been the case, but i looked up this time, with still a bit to go... the clouds started to come in... i couldn't see anyone and i just couldn't go on any further. i don't know what to say, except it's quite steep to climb without touring boots or crampons. i have no idea how FT did the whole thing in running shoes... those guys are amazing, toque made going up look like the easiest thing in the world. for me it's the hardest thing in the world - like i said to the boys, i can ski the terrain, i'm just having problems getting up mountains! apart from that my level of fitness for climbing in particular is not what it should be to do this, so i have a lot of work to do this summer and autumn. i never thought i wasn't going to make it and neither did the guys when we were at the bottom. i started up tengupara, like FT in running shoes, and that was a struggle on the extended steeper section - i was just slipping and carrying the skis with the boots clipped in the bindings on my back, was admmitedly quite heavy. i was more tired this time than i was a few weeks ago, probably because of that. as questions were raised half way up, i didn't know what my aim was anymore - before anyone hinted that i wouldn't make it, i was still up for trying... but the mountain won that day. additionally for my first year hiking up mountains, i'm always there with people way above and beyond my level - therefore they are so far ahead i'm alone on the mountain a lot, it's hard, but like FT said last night it's an individual sport and i have to deal with that. so i've got a lot of work to do from now... and i'm fully committed to the cause, it's all that matters and i'm going to do it... so for the time being i'll stop talking about skiing yari - cause it might take a long time to get there. i'd like to thank dizzy for this weekend - i took his line from him because he didn't want to leave me there alone. you are indeed a gentleman, thank you.

[Fattwins]

EBC it wasnt the first or the last time that people have had to turn around in the mountains. Ive talked to you enough about it etc etc.

You win some and you loose some. you have to set timelines in the mountains, you just have to. If you start to push your times then you are just taking on extra risks.

Keep trying and stop pushing to be the best so fast. relax step back chill. once you do that it will be much more fun and probably easier to achive your goals.

[eskimobasecamp]

thanks FT yeh we had a good talk yesterday

despite losing to the mountain on saturday, if it's any consilation, it was still cool to be out there - learn a little bit more and ski in mid june! the snow's alright eh!

[Fattwins]

the snow was great i had some nice spring turns and a good recon tour to boot.

[Toque]

I had a great time
Got some sun on my shoulders and some good exercise trying to make up lost time

[db le p]

Now I'm envious. Nice report. Lucky bastards hanging out and having fun. Cool.

 Quote:

Originally posted by eskimobasecamp:
it's hard, but like FT said last night it's an individual sport and i have to deal with that.

I need to take a lesson from FT in diplomacy. My equivalent line is : "if you slow me down any more you can stay here on your own and film. Now hurry up!"

Don't worry EBC, work on it over summer and early winter, get some AT boots. You will find that the climb is usually in fact quite easy and more than half the fun of the tour. Training will be easy as you live in the perfect spot to hike up and down a dry mountain with a pack once a week over the coming months. And you certainly have the spirit and the drive.... and Dizzy to mother you when you get all floppy and pathetic . Just teasing.

ps - toque, how did you get those cool top-to-bottom long vertcal pictures?

[IIIII]

Sweet pics and report again.

[Fattwins]

he took them from the back of my house looking out the window. you can see all happo to cortina from there.