OFFICIAL SNOWTHREAD

hey guys just got my gopro hero 2 just filmed afew little test clips hopefully ill get a chance this weekend or next to hit the snow and try to put a small clip together so i was just wondering what editing program you guys use i dont really need anything to pro i had a look into sony vegas but i was just wondering what you guys thinks

got my Gopro so i attempted to make a clip nothing special just a fun chilled day

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOOvGwaiSlQ&feature=plcp

Nate still selling boots? What size?

All good man, they'd be a size to big for me. Damn.

i know the seasons been over for a while but i only just remembered to put some stuff together, i know the editings subpar and so is the snowboarding but were shit but it was fun

alright kids going to Japan mid feb. Niseko to be exact.
Haven't boarded since I did a season in 09.

Whats the snow going to be like there and what is the resort like? Any nice things to see around Sapporo? Also what is the language barrier like?

My friend organised this with 16 others and i've jumped on it at the last minute. Got a real nice apartment and 7 days on the hill.

^^^ hellz yeah ketamine! been there 4 years running including a season; the place is DOPE

expect a lot of snow, and if you haven't boarded powder before, it's something you have to get used to... do yourself a flavour and do leg squats in prep, cause long powder runs burrrn like fuck

passes
half mountain pass is sweet, you get hirafu/hanazono which is PLENTY good
.. most times i've just got half mountain, and then done the other sections on points-passes to save some coin

shit to do in sapporo
"The 2013 Snow Festival will be held from February 5 through February 11."
it's pretty sick, and in my opinion worth checking out at least once in your life... sapporo about a 2.5hr bus ride away from niseko, so it's possible to make it a day trip


SUPER SICK THINGS TO DO: (that not many know about)
Skido skiing
this books out fast, and is pretty cheap for a large group.
Basically they take you out to a desserted area, and tow you up the mountain on skido's all day
I haven't been able to do it yet, cause it's always booked out / we forget

Cat skiing
take you out on cat things
slower than skido riding, but you get to rest your legs.

Bagus Cafe
The local town (Kutchan) has a bunch of awesome little food places, but of all the places i've tried, "Bagus Cafe" is easily the best. Heaps heaps chilled out place, really regge style, and AMAZING food!!


getting around
Getting to the local town (Kutchan) is easy. there are regular buses that run from outside of seiko-mart every hour or so through the day.
There is a "Kutchan Night-Go" bus service that is SICK! 500yen for unlimited rides all season. you just buy season passes when you get on.

there is a welcome center near the ski lifts and stuff (it's a big carpark with a house in the middle basically) and you can get buses to and from sapporo and other places from there. (buses to kutchan do not stop here)


night life
expect a lot of drunk aussie cunts. there are tonnes.
that said, there are some pretty chill bars and stuff. There are a lot of aussies everywhere, and there isn't a big local japanese scene here. Tamashi's is run by an awesome guy, and is one of the best all round places. Fridge bar is a sick sit-down kind of chill drink place. Best cocktails are found at Fridge Bar and Bar-rumba.
TO GET FUCKED UP GO TO:
wild bills
splash bar
bar-rumba

food
the local supermarket is just a bus ride away, so if you want to eat at home everynight, it's pretty easy (providing you have a kitchen). There are some awesome resteraunts around niseko, but the best ones ARE expensive.
The best food can be found at:

Dinner:
Jam Bar (BEST food in niseko, reasonable price, reservation is a MUST)
Bang Bang (1 & 2) - (great food, but is expensive)
Dragon - (good food, awesome setting)
PIZZA: don't bother with yummy's, go to niseko pizza instead. it's worth it.

Lunch:
There is an AMAZING buffet at Annupuri. It's so good! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
There is a good buffet at the Hilton also, and there's an onsen that you can sneak into on the bottom floor, but you can also pay 1,000 yen to get in.
THE BEST LUNCH in my opinion is called "kizenkan" or something (i can't remember) but it's on the main road up to the welcome centre. It has a gift shop on top of it. FUCKING AMAZING!! it's called ramen house or something.. i can't remember really


snow/runs
my favourite and in my opinion the best runs are from the peak down to hanozono, and miharashi trees... i could lap those all day, just so good..
everyone will rave about 'strawberry fields' in hanozono, and it is amazing, but only for the first few runs. It gets tracked SOO quickly

NIGHT SKI AS OFTEN AND AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!! so hard to get that same experience anywhere else


wow what an essay, sorry
hope that helps anyway! i'll be heading there again in jan/feb, so might see you there

alisterio - what a champ!

Alisterio fucking legend! That was awesome.
I'm so pumped... doing this, then an entire season in New Zealand next year too.

Didnt realise there would be that many aussies. I cant justify going to japan only for 8 days so im extending my trip to three weeks. Maybe try and fit Hakuba in too. Will be there early feb so i'll definitely get to the snow festival.

mate cheers for all that info much appreciated.

haha no probs lads! my pleasure

hakuba is sweet too, only been there once though... i would def's recommend it! It has less off-piste than niseko, but has so much space it doesn't matter so much

see you there!

ketamine ill be there from the 2nd feb so pumped.

planning a japan trip next year also. looking to go for around 2 weeks. niseko, hakuba or both? thoughts? cheers

you'll be fine with that setup ketamine

for those of you in whistler, there is a night club that has a skate comp every thursday. its called garfinkels or something, free entry if you enter the jam, cash and proddy prizes for games a skate, and last man standing on the mini.

hey guys heres my spring edit from aus. nothing to spectacular in there just a bit of fun.

http://vimeo.com/51333154

Enjoyed that clip

Alisterio missed a couple of things so I'll weigh in . . .

Peak gates 1 and 2 are definitely the way to go if you don't mind a little walk. It definitely helps if you have some side country/avi knowledge (and avi kit). Easiest way is from the Hilton gondola but your can traverse from the Hirafu gondy. You get to take the 'chair of solitude' which is an experience. It closes hella early if the wind picks up though.

If you don't have any avi knowledge experience there is a pretty cheap lecture/guided riding available. Link below. They'll take you into the mizuno no sawa avi area which is an off limits part of the mountain.

As for night life, the amount of drunken aussies is something you won't get anywhere else is Japan (although echoland in Hakuba is comuing close over the last couple of years). The Gyu Bar (Fridge door) is chill, as mentioned, and has an awesome rango of whiskies. The Yurt can be fun. There will be an ice bar or two. You can't really 'chill' (haw haw) in them but pretty rad fun anyway. The Half Note can get pretty busy but they have live music and the owners are awsome old Japanese jazz cats.

Expect massive lines at Seico mart for the hour after lifts close. The MaxValu in Kutchan is the best bet for stocking up on vittles and booze.

p.s. Don't expect the rest of Japan to be anything like niseko.

p.p.s If you go to Hakuba, don't bother with GoRyu of 47. They get really crowded and, as Alisterio said, not much off piste. Sapo is also a litle crowded on occasion. My tip is to go to Hakuba Cortina. The whole rideable area is basically off piste. Gets the most snow of all the areas in Hakuba valley and is never crowded. ONly has one hotel which is a little pricey if your on a tight budget but you can get there pretty easy from the village if you stay there.

Having said that, Hakuba 47 has a pretty good park and if you like riding pipe, that is the place to be.

http://www.niseko-village.com/en/winter/mizunonosawa.html

I PISSED IN SNOW AND ATE IT ONCE LOL

I'm gonna be in niseko from the 28th of jan to 13 feb!
hit us up if you want to go for a shred!

I'll be staying at "GrandPapa" lodge, (which is right next to my favourite restaurant "RIN" and the 'slimey onsen')

Braddox is on the money. If you're going peak, the only thing you really need to worry about is the huge cornice that almost always forms on the far left (coming down the hill). If you want to head far left, i would highly advise waiting till you're well clear of it, then go left.

I've heard mixed reviews about the off limits tours, and I haven't done it myself, so I can't comment. Has anyone on here done it? Have you done it braddox?


also a side note for those who want communication while you're there:
I've hired sim cards in the past from some desk at the airport in tokyo, and it worked out to be around $80 for the month. It's 100% worth it if you're going with your buddies. (they have to get one too, obviously) .
I can't remember the name of the company, and there is probably cheaper stuff available (braddox might know of something?)

anyway, thought it might help
SEE YOU THERE!

p.s. ketamine, add me on facebook, and we'll hang!
longer and wider is obviously better for pow-pow, but you'll probably be fine with either board. just set back the bindings a bit so you have more nose.

also softer boards are a bit easier on the legs to keep above the powder.

I'll be there 21 - 28 Feb. I've not yet hiked out much further than the ridge out of peak gate 1. I'm not fit enough in all honesty but I hear it is fun as. Maybe next year after my awesome fitness regime in 2013. That cornice is definitely worth keeping a eye on and if you don't have any real pow/avvy knowledge then do your homework or that course i linked up there.

As far as a 156 on a 6'4" guy you will probably find it difficult in the deep and not steep sections. I'd get that back binding as far back as possible and shorten your stance as much as comfortable to promote nose length. Then lean the fuck back at all times and straight line the flatter sections. Otherwise you'll be doing a lot of walking. I just got a 157 TRice and, dissapointingly, had a few dramas in not so soft but almost thigh deep tree runs in Fukushima on the weekend.

The airport SIM is definitely the best option. There is a company that delivers them to the Tokyo area, based in Akihabara but for the slightly cheaper fee it is probably not worth the hassle. Key point is not to think you can just buy a prepaid card at 7-11 because that's not how they do it here.

i rode a 150cm rome postermania in japan youl be fine with the capita. dont even bother taking the other board