14 Feb - road trip
The seats have been removed from the back of my van and some camping gear loaded. The direction is north to Hakkoda to teach an AST avalanche course and for some touring. Then onto one, perhaps two, other locations in Akita and Niigata. I'll be back online by the 24th of February and will miss my local mountains in the meantime. The weather forecast looks good for Hakuba backcountry whilst I am away, however time spent doing something in different terrain is always time well spent.
>>Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
Latest Weather Data*
Winter data recording ended on April 7th. More next season starting in December.
| Sat 7th | Fri 6th | |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Cover | Overcast | Few |
| Precip type and rate | S < 1cm/hr | Nil |
| AM temp | -2C | -2C |
| Max temp | 1C | 2C |
| Min temp | -3C | -2C |
| 24hr New Snow | 11cm | 8cm |
| Storm New Snow | 11cm | 12cm |
| New water equiv | ~ | ~ |
| New Snow Density | ~ | ~ |
| Snow Depth | 181cm | 169cm |
| Baro Pressure | 915mbar | 909mbar |
Earlier diary entries...
After a few days of notably cold weather and winds from the north with rain squalls and woodfires... 
Back from a week up north and a week in Tateyama - a minor TR to follow. In the meantime on May... 
After the final round of April powder we spent the last week out at Renge Onsen, and also skiing... 
Another day of powder, snow and sun and then more heavy snow with cold air. Just like a mild... 
Just like winter. -9.5C at 2000m trees full of snow. Settled soft new snow from yesterday with... - 1 of 26
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Comments
Nice!! Im heading to Aomori
Nice!! Im heading to Aomori in April and will hopefully be calling Hakkoda my new local Mountain. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
btw How many places are left on your March avi course?
Ive done an avalanche awareness course in NZ and was looking into furthering this with another course....
Hakkoda!! Jealous! watch out
Hakkoda!! Jealous! watch out for those juhyo!
Thanks for the comments, guys
Thanks for the comments, guys.
I have not had much skiing in the two and half days since I've been here. Tram on wind hold, the AST classroom day followed by the field day with bad weather. One thing is obvious though - it snows often here. There is so much snow, vastly more than Hakuba based on the snow banks along the roads. Good weather here is, famously, "snowing lightly" All the other days it snows and blows hard. And the snow quality is good with consistent cold temperatures and proper classic powder. I came here 10 years ago and saw powder that I did not see again until coming back here this week (though mostly Niseko gets the dame snow quality).
I like Hakuba as a home, but it is good to get away and see the famous northern Japan powder for a change. A different league.
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