Everyone keeps talking about Niseko, but is the snow really that great? I thought a lot of snow in japan was wet because of the humidity? Is this wrong?

snow here sucks badly, especially niskeo

I'm not sure that there's a need for comparisons. I mean, really, are you going to change anyone's mind? Are you going to have any empirical data t prove one way or the other?

IMHO it would be better to just discuss the quality/quantity of snow at a particular resort rather than start a "mine's better than yours" type war.

So are you getting sorted out, Justin?
I heard that Colorado gets a lot of snow at night when the temperature cools so you can ski lots of light ankle - knee deep in bluebird skis. Niseko's not really like that.

In my experience, the best days I had in Vail and other Colorado resorts when I spent the 2005/06 winter instructing at Keystone is comparable to the snow I've experienced in the Niseko area over the past two winters.

The biggest differences:

Not as many bluebird powder days in the Niseko Area (as has been mentioned)

Deeper days and more of them. MANY MORE.

EDIT
Just saw your other post.

Taking Steamboat's moniker of 'champagne snow' as a reference point for comparison, in my experience Steamboat is
a Salmanazar and the Niseko area is a Nebuchadnezzar

http://www.champagnemagic.com/sizes.htm

I reckon Niseko could do with more snow

Can we order it up front for this winter?

Done. I've put in an extra order for Feb.

Yeah, yeah, You're in the onsen by the time it really starts to dump, Thursday.
Give me my mask and snorkle. Ankle deep bluebird days are for wimps.

Mask and Snorkle is right on some days ger!!

You know I would settle for a thin layer of sheet ice over here in Aus at the moment. 4 weeks into ski season and it has only just started with the flurries! Arrgghhh!! I am packing my board in two weeks so it better dump soon!

As for who is better...where is better...you know the snow comes when it comes, and it is wet or dry, deep or not dependent on things no-one can control and not many of us can predict accurately - although GG does fancy himself as a bit of a seismic prediction god! In our experience the last 2 Janaury's there has been lots of lovely dry powder. Snow every night - knee deep plus turns almost every morning. In April 07 there was plenty of ridable cover, and the odd bit of fresh stuff. I love Niseko. But that does not guarentee that if you go you will have the same kind of conditions. It is likely - but if you are from Colorado - then hang at Vail unless you are keen to try somewhere different.

For me...no snow where I am - I HAVE to travel to find some. And while I am going to Zermatt this Janaury, Japan is the place I would go if I wanted the best chance of fantastic snow.

> Is Niseko snow better than Vail?<

I've been to both

YES

That's finally a clear answer

I have been to both too and Niseko had he better snow when I was there, though Vail's terrain is way out of Niseko's league.
I had one moderately decent powder day in vail (from memory) but it got tracked awfully quick! though that was before the expansion.

humidity? maybe in summer but winter it's pretty darn dry -not colorado dry but dry enough.

Yeah, the piste is lame here. Vail wouldn't be that high on my list for terrain either though.

errm, I think we're really forgetting one thing. The Japanese resorts are a niche in the big scheme of things. And the Tahoes, Vails, Aspens, Whistlers are the ones setting the standards, snow wise or otherwise.

Agreed. Beaver Creek has far better and far easier accessibility to good terrain than Vail IMHO.

Beaver Creek? I've never been to Colorado but hoping to head over next March. Was looking at Aspen/Snowmass and Telluride...

I got good feedback about Beaver Creek too.

A friend spent a year at Uni in the USA - and spent a good percentage of that winter at Beaver Creek...we were picking her brain when deciding where to go for this Janaury for something different. Not going to Colorado, but sure hope to soon.

I preferred Beaver Creek to Snowmass.

Telluride is better than both of the above IMHO.

A great trip would be Telluride, Crested Butte, Monarch & Silverton.

Well it sounds to me like Beaver Creek would be right up my alley!!