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Doing it Japanese Style in Hakuba

Posted 6 Feb 2008 07:06AM by Clive Dickerson

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Doing it Japanese Style in Hakuba

Japan certainly lives up to it reputation of deep pow pow, and in addition, what a tripped out country!  The land of machines and lots of  weird ass raw fish. 
 
We travelled to HAKUBA and rode the local mountains in this area. The Japanese are the most friendly and polite people in the world, added to that they are also some of the coolest and chilled out people I've ever met. The Hakuba area is also where the 1998 Olympics were held.  The mountain is awesome and Happo, one of the local areas, is never packed except on weekends, but you will find this wherever you go.  Happo has sick powder lines you can ride all day long and get new tracks from start to finish.  Goryu is also fun although a bit flat and you can snowboard across from Hakuba 47.  47 is where you will find the park which has a sick pipe that is groomed every day and is only open for about three to four hours so it stays in perfect shape.  The rest of the park, then jumps and rails, are open all day.  When the pipe starts to get trashed they shut it down and groom it.  I mean, who are these people?  I've never seen such good park maintenance.  There are also two big kickers around 45 - 50 feet and a 30 footer as well as a bunch of smaller ones.  

The rails are basic boxes and there is one nice flat bar, but if you go to Japan to ride rails you are a "bleeping" idiot.  We rode powder for an entire morning on a blue bird day and then hit the park for a few hour from around 10.30am, which is when the pipe opens, and then rode fresh pow until the lifts shut.  Although a heads up, especially at 47, because they have cameras and the ski patrol are hardcore, they will take your pass if they see you going out of bounds.  The other mountains are not so bad and you only lose your pass for that day (the lift tickets are like a memory card and you get a new one every day paying a returnable AU$10 deposit).  So just keep an eye out for both cameras and ski patrol if you decide to ride off piste.
Eating & Drinking

Surprisingly it was very cheap to eat out and honestly we ate out all the time and drank more than our combined weight in beer. You're looking at roughly AU$15 - $25 per person for a meal plus drinks. You can buy your booze from the 7/11 for $1.20 a can and a Jim Bean 750ml will cost you about AU$13.  Going out you would pay around AU$5 a drink for beer or spirits so this is pretty good value. The service can be great but like anywhere can also be really bad.  Some of the food made me nearly throw up and I suggest that unless you are really brave don't try anything you don't understand or aren't familiar with.  Apart from this you can get some fantastic dishes and as far as we were concerned the bbq joints are the way to go.  I'd suggest ordering two serves of each dish as most of the food comes in quite small servings.  We also ordered what could easily equate to sh#tloads of beer and never paid more the AU$25 which as far as I'm concerned has got to be some of the best value around.  
 
902 Garage is the local snowboarding store and they have all the hardwear you need, but be warned, it's not cheap. So if you need to buy gear (snowboard gear) do it in Tokyo.
Tokyo is one of the most amazing cities I have ever encountered.  It is the land of machines and technology and is a must for places to shop for anything from Nike shoes to old school sh#t to ski and snowboard shops that have levels and levels ... and more levels, of the lastest snow gear. The Burton store alone has about 7 floors of all the lastest products (no wonder those Japanese riders are so well decked out!), and you can pick up cheap jackets if you take the time to hunt around.  The camera stores are also crazy level upon level full of electronics and the toys are so advanced you need a physics degree just to work out how to use them.
 
Naturally Karaoke bars are everywhere, and here's a tip for the fellas, in Tokyo those young ladies love us 'westerners', so to put it bluntly, if you are single you WILL get some action. 
 
I recommend doing a tour as it will be hard to find all the good spots in Tokyo because the public transport system can be very tricky.  A good website to find out about available tours is http://www.snowtour.com.au/ or google 'Liquid Tours' as these guys will take you everywhere without the stress of getting lost.  The tour guides also have a good knowledge of all the local mountains and best food spots at the resort.  You'll also meet heaps of crew and save money in the long run.  You can do a 10 day, a 16 day and up to 1 month tours (if you have the money and the time off!), plus room upgrades, etc, are available if required.  Personally there is only so much you can take of other dudes smelly feet and butts, so I booked a private room for this trip!
 
Overall, Japan if a fu*king cool place and you'll get heaps of powder while experincing some mind blowing culture.
 
Random Info
On the way to Hakuba from Tokyo we stopped at a food marketplace and we tried Octopus (with eye balls) that was extremely squishy and I can now tell you, sickening.  I'm not sure what this dish is exactly, but if you ever come across it my advice is - don't eat it - ever!  Even for a dare.
 
Here's an additional high-five to the Japanese.  When you need to do your 'business', the toilets have heated seats with temperature control so you never have to worry about your little fanny getting cold.  How's that?  You can also buy beer from vending machines in the streets and cigarettes and beer, very similar to some of the European counties I've venture to.  You have to love a country that is such an advocate of alcohol consumption!
Rider Clive Dickerson Pic by Matt Park

On the road in Europe

Posted 29 Jan 2008 03:55AM by Sean Radich

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Snowboarding is fun, FUN, FUN! But the travelling involved to get where you want to go rarely is.

I'm back in Austria now after a 2 week trip for Boardtheworld.com and Australian Snowboarder Magazine through Austria (St Anton -party and pow, and Innsbruck - city by the snow) and Greece...yes, Greece.

Internet and time to play on it has been very difficult, so i'll just put up this one shot of me getting out from behind the lens and having a rare moment of "free" riding without a camera back strapped on.

So look out on BTW in the future for all the trip reports and resort reviews...but with my trip only half done (tomorrow Mayrhofen, then via Rome i hit up Colorado before California) you might have to wait a while before i can compile some stories.

Ciao, Sean

Snowboard Company for sale on eBay

Posted 16 Jan 2008 02:40AM

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Want a chance to own your own snowboarding company? Check out this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170186041629

Falls Park still world class!!! Get up here for the last week...

Posted 21 Sep 2007 01:42PM by Sean Radich

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Yes, there may be quite a few patches of grass, dirt and bushes showing round the resort now, and even a few on the sides of Ruined Castle park, but if freestylin' is your thang, then you'd better head to Falls for the last week of the season!

The terrain park has remained as good as it has been all season, in fact, with a softening spring slushiness to absorb any crashes and an updated rail line, it is argably the best set up ever seen here.

Here's the run down: Pro triple jump line - 45-50 footer, followed by 50-55footer and 35-40 footer (sorry, i haven't actually measured with my boots yet) follwed by a flat-bar rail. Intermediate jump line of two jumps about 12-15 foot in size each. And the best rail set up we've ever seen: down-box (street style), down rail, two new C-boxes, a flat box, and then the choice of either a battleshipbox set up or a mellow battleship rail. That's 6 rail features in one line!!

So get up here while lift prices and accommodation are cheap(er!) and come to the resort that has shown a season-long committment to provide the best freestyle facilities (minus a pipe!) in Australia...

Mt.Buller Park

Posted 28 Aug 2007 11:54AM by Clive Dickerson

Updated on 19 Jan 2008 09:15AM by Luke Beuchat

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Despite the very warm Spring like conditions the park at Mt Buller is holding up well.  They have an ultra cross, which is like a boardercross, a half pipe and two parks - one with smaller jumps with advanced rails and then the big park at Summit .

The Summit park is sick.  There are 35-40 footers and some 70 foot tables.  The landings are so soft they’re almost TOO soft, but you get used to it really fast.  The pipe is fun but not that big and you can work out some nice lines if you use your imagination.  Currently it is the ONLY pipe in Vic, so full credit to the Buller crew in keeping the pipe alive. 

Mike D, who rides for Fyve Snowboards, Oakleigh and D.C. has never ridden Mt.   Buller before, being a core Hotham rider, but he was stoked with the variety of features and had great time. 

Thanks again to Adam Edward for hooking us up with tickets – we’ll be back!

Rider Clive - Mike D Pic

Park keeps getting better at Falls

Posted 17 Aug 2007 06:46PM by Sean Radich

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The guys have done a great job despite some tough wet snow and fog. The park is awesome - triple line followed by 45 foot rainbow, and a bunch more rail and box features too. Get up here - you'll love it!

 

World Class Terrain Park @ Falls

Posted 8 Aug 2007 05:22PM by Sean Radich

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The word is slowly leaking out that Falls Creek has a world-class terrain park set-up. How's this for a pro-line: 50 foot, followed by two 40 foot big, wide step-down jumps and then the monster 40 foot long rainbow rail. And Sam the master cat driver from Mammoth and understudy-local Reuben will put in a fourth 50 foot jump (at the top of the pro-line) and lengthen the 40 footers a bit. And the shapes are perfect, as you would come to expect from Falls Creek.

Then there is the intermediate line to the skiers' right of the park - a long down rail (street style) and 3 jumps of 25-30 foot and a couple of jib choices to finish. And now there is a new rail line in, with a monster down-flat-down box, some flat bars and boxes and soon some C-boxes. And of course Drovers Dream (renamed Easy Mac Terrain Park thanks to some sponsor money) with its triple line of small beginner jumps and variety of ride-on beginner boxes. It doesn't get much better than this...if only the weather would clear up a bit now so we could really enjoy it day after day....

Mount Buller Park

Posted 22 Jul 2007 05:43PM by Clive Dickerson

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Buller Park  
 
At Mount Buller, now they have snow they are getting their sh*t together in a big way.  They have a basic boardercross track and a beginner to intermediate line of tables next to the Skyline T bar as well as some street rail boxes and a beginner rail at the bottom of the expert section next to the tables.  There is also a huge C box, Mammoth Mountain style, but this is waiting to be put in so keep your eyes peeled for this one! 
 
The halfpipe is at the top of the Skyline Park and it's starting to look good.  Being a pipe lover, personally they need to do a bit of work where the tranny begins (and i'm not talking the cross dressing kind).  There is a little kink but this gets ridden in pretty fast as they churn the ski school kiddies in and out all day long.  Perhaps there is a use for them after all?  The main jumps are at the base of Summit and there are 4 big tables.  Not quite up to Falls Creek standard, but they are big and they are fun.  The only problem is that if you hit the whole park you are going to be spending the next 40 minutes trying to get back up to the top, so it's probably best to just hit the top two tables so you can jump on Summit chair and do it all over again.  You can also hit the pipe and cut arcross to the Skyline T bar or ride down Federation which is steep and full of moguls.  It burns your legs and it makes you feel every one of those beers you drank over summer, but maybe that's just me.  At the bottom of the Skyline Park (see the above picture) there are also a bunch of nice jib hits.  Its still early in the season and there is plenty of snow to go around, as well as plenty of beer, so what are you waiting for?

Vicco parks cranking!

Posted 18 Jul 2007 06:27PM by Sean Radich

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Australia is getting smashed by snow right now as icy air blasts up from Antarctica. I was fortunte enough to check out the terrain park offerings at both Falls Creek and Mount Buller before the storm set in, and what i saw a couple of days ago i was very impressed by.

Buller has a halpipe built and shaped, a small rail and jump park, a larger rail park and some decent 35 foot jumps on summit saddle. All the visiting pros on the weekend were most impressed. But Falls is the resort with the best setup in Vic right now: beginners' park with small jumps and boxes on Drovers Dream, intermediate triple jump (20-25 foot jumps) followed by the school bus or bonk-bin and intermediate 5 rail line, as well as advanced 35-45 foot double kicker line. Sick! And Sam the Falls cat driver has said that there is enough snow now to build whatever is wanted. Game on!!!!

THE SEASON WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR

Posted 9 Jul 2007 01:51PM by Clive Dickerson

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Resorts in Victoria are in tip top shape.  After every man and his dog (nice one Fido) predicted that this would be the year to make up for the past few crappy ones, here it is!  If you cast your mind back to this time last year, and admittedly I have voluntary amnesia on this one too, it looks like Phil the Groundhog pulled it off.  So buckle in, strap in, get out your toboggan or whatever your mode of transport downhill is and check out what‘s happening in the hills.

Mt Hotham has all lifts operating as of last weekend and I am telling you, it is the mountain to be on a season like this.  Even on windy, whiteout, snowy days Hotham has great valley runs and heaps of sick, tree line powder runs that you can ride hard even in the foggiest of days.  It has to be by far the best ski resort in Victoria and personally I reckon it’s the best resort in .   

Its sister mountain Falls Creek is also getting pounded with fresh snow, but it doesn't have the freeriding like Hotham.  However, when International opens it still offers some great steep riding.  As Falls are planning to have the biggest and best park in Australia, they are committed to bringing 2 park builders from Mammoth Mountain and this is why, since 2003, Falls have always had the edge on other resorts and parks.  Hotham is not the place to be for a good park, but they do get their sh*t together when events are on. 

Generally Mt Buller has the problem of not having enough snow to really pull off a sick park, but this year they have the snow and will be opening up a 70 foot table top on the next sunny day.  The Mt Buller park is looking good and all their steep runs are starting to open.  They are also are working around the clock to get the pipe open, and they have enough snow this year  to make a sick one.  With the walls being prepped over Summer they need only half the amount of snow that some of the other mountains need.

All the resorts are looking sick in and let’s hope this continues!

 

 

   
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