14 Jan - powder

I climbed from 1650m to 2450m today approaching Funakoshi near Korengedake. The motivation was to collect snowpack and avalanche data in the Alpine without taking much risk. The area allows me to link together low angle safe terrain and still get reasonably high. Unfortunately the forecast clearing didn't eventuate and I had zero vis above 2200m, so no alpine avalanche observation were possible. Bit of a shame that. I found plenty of soft windslab, cornices that were easy to break, shooting cracks, settling snow under my weight. And I was able to trigger small size 1 soft slab avalanches on E and NE slopes. The Japan Avalanche Network avalanche bulletin this morning advised High avalanche danger in the alpine. Although my observations were limited by clouds, what I found in the snow supported this. Unfortunately pretty bad skiing for me as I was (as usual) alone on my ski tour and with a High danger rating, kept to 30 degree terrain and even flatter. With plenty of soft snow becoming stiff from the wind, I needed steeper to keep momentum. Oh well. The climb was a good lone experience into -15.5C air and 50kph winds, utterly removed from everyone else. That always feels good.

Visibility was so crappy I didn't bother with any pics until I returned back below treeline, where I entertained myself making vaguely insane looking characters with snow mushrooms.

Edit: Size 3 natural avalanche was seen in the steep terrain accessible via the Goryu ridge. Size 3 is big enough to bury a car.