Hokkaido, Japan (Jan 4-10, 2017)

[abc]

I came to Furano on the recommendation of another AZ'er from alpinezone.


Unlike Niseko, Furano is still a more Japanese resort. (Furano is also a summer destination for tourist visiting the national park nearby) On the plus side, it makes for a more interesting experience. On the minus side, not everybody speaks English. Some signs are in Japanese only.



So what would you like for lunch?

(For once, the pictures uploaded right side up!)

 

[abc]

The Backpacker Inn is really a hostel. The rooms are really tight if fill to capacity. Though in my case, I lucked out with a 2 bunk (4 bed) room all to myself for 2 out of my 3 night stay.

Breakfast: For less than $10, an all-you-can-eat buffet at the big hotel across the street. A mixed of Japanese and Western fair. A lot of choices. The coffee machine however, is one of those that makes coffee, cappuccino, espresso and everything else. Except all the labels are in Japanese only. I pushed the one button at the very top, waited a bit, and found myself with a cup of espresso! Not too shabby.

 

[jimk]

Now you got me confused. Nice pics anyway. Have fun. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jimk]

Sorry for screwing up your thread. Will leave fixing to others.

 

[abc]

Thanks for trying to help. But due to all the technical issues, I'm going to hold off till I'm back in the US before I resume with the trip report.

 

[abc]

Sorry folks. I'm back home and for the last hour, tried but failed to get my photo's right side up. I've never had this much problem before with the site. But whatever it is, I'm totally losing interest to fight it (and losing).

So, I'm just going to wrap up the trip report quick and dirty, not bothering with pictures.

 

[Edd]

When it comes to posting photos, I find the app more user friendly. That's provided the photos are on your smartphone or tablet.

 

[abc]

Not all the photos are on the phone. So I uploaded everything onto my laptop. Unfortunately, that still have the same problem. Even pictures uploaded from my laptop still end up in random orientation

 

[4aprice]

Not all the photos are on the phone. So I uploaded everything onto my laptop. Unfortunately, that still have the same problem. Even pictures uploaded from my laptop still end up in random orientation

Its a shame as you a good photographer. I too am having issues with photo's as the old method does not seem to work anymore, and refrained from writing a New Years report because of it. Maybe we all need a good lesson on how to do it because some others seem to be getting their's up.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Puck it]

Its a shame as you a good photographer. I too am having issues with photo's as the old method does not seem to work anymore, and refrained from writing a New Years report because of it. Maybe we all need a good lesson on how to do it because some others seem to be getting their's up.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

It is not us. There are strange happenings with the site. I think it is mostly the lack of attention to details with the site.

 

[abc]

Its a shame as you a good photographer. I too am having issues with photo's as the old method does not seem to work anymore, and refrained from writing a New Years report because of it. Maybe we all need a good lesson on how to do it because some others seem to be getting their's up.

Thanks for the compliment on my pictures.

It's delaying the rest of the TR significantly. Because I can't just "let the photos do the talking"! Have to fill them with boring WORDS!

While never the best nor the easiest to upload photo, I haven't encountered this "disorientation" issue in all the years past. So I don't think it's us. It's the site software. It's changed, and not for the better.

 

[JDMRoma]

I'd just post them ! We don't mind if there upside down or sideways.
Been enjoying the report, so let it fly !


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[abc]

OK, here we go again!

Day 4 (Jan 8 ) Furano:

The sun came out. Blue sky. A picture perfect day. Again, I'll let the picture do the talking: (also, note the "crowd" on the slope)





​

 

[abc]

Skiing with Mrs. AZ, we found plenty of powder on the edge of the groomer and on the ungroomed runs. Then we ventured into the trees where the powder was oh so sweet! ( sorry, to busy skiing, no pictures )

The trees of Furano actually reminds me of Bretton Woods, or a better example, Steamboat. Lots of low angle easy trees, relatively short vertical. But with only 1% of skier traffic! So there's fresh track to be had left and right, even many days after the last snowfall. There're also a lot of hike-to terrain. But with undisturbed powder on the edge of the run and in the trees, why waste time to hike?

Unfortunately, lunch, while delicious, took forever. So by the time we finished lunch, took the tram back up, the whole mountain were in the shadow. Not able to see too well, we decided it was time to make our way back to the side of the mountain where we started, and called it a day.


Sunset on the mountain range that dominate the region:



(Building in the foreground is the Prince hotel, price of which is a bit dear. The jumbo of houses are the village where the hostel is located. It's only a 3 minute walk in ski boots from the gondola. Can't be any more convenient than that!)

 

[abc]

Ooops, the TR for day 5 disappeared

Day 5 (Jan 9 ) Furano:

A front was coming in. Forecast was for 1-3" of snow but unfortunately starts after noon time. In the mean time, the wind kicked up in to start the morning off. The gondola was on wind hold. Have to brave the cold wind on two chair. The sky was gray and vis is low, no more nice views. At times, I had a hard time figuring out where the chair is even though I know it's just some distance down the hill.

More over, the wind was blowing the remaining snow (and the new snow that began to fall) off the groomers, making them a slick teflon-coated speedways. Fortunately, they don't groom all that much. And the snow that got blown off the groomer ended up in the trees next to the groomer.

A minor casualty of the day was due to some technical difficulty, I failed to meet up with my ski buddy in the morning. Since the best skiing was in the trees, doing it alone puts a bit of stress. Had to be extra cautious. We eventually met up again later though.

I wasn't dressed warm enough. So took one or two extra breaks in the lodge to warm up. Not that it matters since there's no lift line whatsoever. The crowd moved down mountain as the wind increases. Then the snow started flying. By 3, a nice fluffy coat of snow had made the sheltered part of the mountain quite pleasant to ski on. But then, the light started to fade (it gets totally dark around 4:30). And the temperature went down as the (unseen) sun. Though there's night skiing, and this being one such rare occasion to warrant the late finish because the snow kept on falling! But I was too lightly dressed to be able to stay out long to take advantage of it.

This, unfortunately was my last day. As I handed my rental skis back to the shop, they all looked at me with pity. For the forecast was calling for another 2-4" the next day, and the same the next day... for 3-4 more days! Given how well it skied even 3-4 days since the last time it snowed, I can only imagine the 3-4 days of new snow will make it truly epic!

I didn't have the heart to think about that for I was more worried about making my flight in that condition the next day. Though fortunately, the light snow didn't stop the bus running on time. Nor the airport. Sapporo is accustomed to a lot of snow. My flight went as clock work. Sadly, taking me away from all that snow...

All I can think about is when can I go back again!

 

[abc]

I don't know what the hell is happening. I typed a fairly lengthy one for my last night with some pictures. But got the error the "message was too short"!!!

I'm sorry, I'm NOT going to re-type that after having to re-type the previous day one already. This is

THE END.

 

[Edd]

Congrats on an awesome trip! That's a dream destination for me.

 

[abc]

It's only the flight that's expensive. Otherwise, everything else cost about the same as anything in the northeast. Maybe even a little less.

Lift tickets is typically around $30-40/day, give or take. If you don't bring your own skis, rental goes for about the same. Food is cheap, if you can deal with noodles (or cook your own). Lodging is about the same as in the northeast. The hostel I stayed in are quiet, clean, and a very short walk to the lift.

Resorts are small('ish) for the most part. But the trees make them ski big. And the snow doesn't hurt either. For me, I was amazed at the amount of snow even in what's considered a slow start season with relatively poor snow record. And the lack of crowd at inbound powder makes the biggest difference. If it skied like it did on a "bad start" and haven't snowed for several days, one can only imagine what it's like on a "normal" season when it's snowing frequently!

Japanese are often too shy to speak English. But I think they understand it well enough. I use my hands a lot, waving, making shapes, basically gesturing a lot. Between sign languages and English, I've gotten what I wanted most of the times. Other times, I just decide whatever I got is what I wanted and enjoy! I haven't been disappointed.

 

[Cornhead]

Thanks for trying to share with us, sounds like quite the adventure, where to next?

Sent from my R1 HD using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[abc]

"where to next?"

I'm still getting over jetlag. But next up is, Summit county Colorado.