Another great powder day in the Hakuba trees
I live in Hakuba for the powder snow – simple as that. Today Hakuba turned it on and I was able to get some great tree runs in. My days can get pretty busy and I mostly prefer to get out for first tracks however when I see the conditions just keep getting better as the day goes on I get a bit toey and need to hit the slopes for a bit of free time.
Take a break at the base area of Hakuba 47. There are plenty of food options for the family
It is such a great time to come to Hakuba. Christmas holidays are finished, most kids are back at school, the snow base is thick and there are plenty of powder days. I was up on Hakuba47 this morning and I would have passed less than 10 people in the hour I was on the hill. The lack of crowds mean that I can get fresh tracks most days with a little bit of exploring. Today it was too easy as there was 15 -20 cms of good dry snow on top of the soft edges of the runs. Visability was perfect except during the faceshots.
One or ten tracks doesn't mean the slope is safe
Happo One is the most famous ski resort in Japan. It was where they held the downhill events for the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998. With 1072 verticle meters of Mountain and trails that run 8 km, Happo has something for everyone. It should be noted that there is a magnificent area right in the middle of the resort that is in fact Out Of Bounds. The picture above shows the area with tracks on it. The ski patrol wait at the bottom of the run and confiscate your pass if you go into the area which is a high level avalanche risk and I have seen it slide before. Most of the rest of Happo One is open so please respect the rules and do not drop into this area. trust me there is plenty of other stuff available with easy access. Stay with us at the White Horse Hotel in Hakuba and let me pass on my secrets. The condition is you don’t go and tell any others.
Fully at the front enjoying dinner at the White Horse Restaurant in Echoland
My mate Fully is back in town and I have been waiting on his professional advice for my current foot injury. Ligament damage only so I’m happy with that diagnosis. A lesson in taping it up means that I am back on the mountain tomorrow. The White Horse Surgery (bar) always offers the best medical advice ( and cocktails) in Hakuba. Thanks again Fully – the best podiatrist in Hakuba and Perth.
Livinia enjoying one of the White Horse's famous coctails with Alistair
A big congratulations to our friends for the birth of their big baby boy. Alistair Jack and Livinia Nixon stayed with us for a week last season and enjoyed one of our crazy party nights where we were all dressed up in some left over tracksuits from the winter olympics. One size fits all. Livinia is a famous Australian TV personality and was happy to be away here and blend in with all the other skiers on the mountain.
Glen has worked at some top restaurants and we were lucky to get him here for the season.
Glen Farmer is the Head Chef at the White Horse Restaurant in Echoland. Along with our classic chicken parmagiana and perfectly cooked thick sirloins, he has put together a rissoto with a green tea smoked chicken and locally produced goats cheese. I am not a big wrap for risotto usually but this one I can guarantee will please. Of coarse for those that have eaten here before we still have the massive Hakuburger.
Where are all the people? Not in Hakuba thats for sure.
Weekends can get a little crowded here but we are not talking big lift lines that some of the well known resorts around the world experience. In fact you will find it unusual even on a weekend to end up in a lift line at the bottom of many of the runs here. It is one thing that hasn’t really changed in Hakuba over the years that I have been coming. If you are planning your trip and you really want the best conditions along with the least amount of people then this time of the season is perfect. You should keep an eye on when Chinese New Year is on however as this period changes each year and can get busy along with long weekends and the Christmas / New Year period.
Preparation as these guys know what is on the way next week.
I woke up to about 20cm of powder outside our Hakuba hotel today (= 30-40 up top). I am nursing an injured foot so I was unable to get out on the mountain however the next big storm is brewing in the north which will see us get snow everyday next week. I should be right by then to get out into it. Our guests and staff let me know how good it was on the mountain today and I was very jealous. Oh well, I’m grateful that I live in this snow paradise and I can get many great days on the mountain each season.
When the weather is not great it is time to retreat inside for a long lunch, a bottle of wine and some good laughs
Although the dreaded “R” word was predicted for early this morning, everyone was pleasantly surprised to wake up to about 10cm of snow on the ground. It was quite heavy snow but the crew that got out there early were rewarded with fresh tracks. The rain did eventually come and the calls started coming in for resort pick ups. Back to the hotel for a nice warming onsen and to relax in the lounge and take in a movie. We have a good selection of DVDs for our guests to watch on the big screen TV. We also have Wii available for the more energetic. Alternatively a long lunch with a bottle of wine could be a good option.
Australia Day at the White Horse Hakuba
We had our annual Australia Day party last night with a few people coming in for the traditional Aussie BBQ and a few Aussie beers. Everyone was in good spirits and the INXS concert on the big screen topped it off. It’s always a good fun night.
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