Tenki Diary 30 Jan 08

860m asl weather data for the 24 hours to 7am: mild temperatures, high +3, low -3. overcast and snowing 1cm per hour.  20cm new snow since 7am yesterday with a density of 45kg/m3 (4.9% water).

Field observations in the last 24 hours: my JAN report can be found here.  I encourage people to use the valuable resource provided by JAN.  Basically the new snow of about 10cm was sluffing/sliding very easily.  It snowed all day at less than 1cm per hour.  The flakes were well formed light stellar crystals, not dense snow.  We didn't travel any higher than 1500m where the wind was again very calm. In the area that I gug I was not able to find any buried surface hoar.  But I bet its there in patches on some shaded slopes.  After the forecast storm it will be under about 50cm of new snow.

With a total of 30-40cm new snow at 1500m and more above, snow stability and the implications of sluffing will have worsened since yesterday.

Comments

Submitted by SC on 2 February 2008 - 8:16am.

Sugoroku Hut is a key hut when traveling from Kurobe to Shin-Hodaka-Onesen or Kamnikochi. Also a rout from Arimine Lake to Hodaka area is popular. Yahoo! Map (Sugoroku Hut): http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?lat=36%2F21%2F57.913&lon=137%2F36%2F15.823&layer=0&sc=3&mode=map&size=s&pointer=on&p=%BF%B7%CA%E6%B9%E2%B2%B9%C0%F4&type=static&CE.x=328&CE.y=228 The hut owner decided that they won't open the hut during Golden Week (late April thru begin May) this season. They lost an important staff member at a snow accident last season. This hut is open from June 6 in Summer, and HAD been open in Golden week for snow moutains climbers and backcountry snowers. There is a tent site (Sugoroku lake) backside on Sugoroku hut, but no commercial service in 2008 GW.

Submitted by Damian on 3 February 2008 - 6:34pm.

Thats useful info.  Thank you.

Submitted by SC on 4 February 2008 - 6:45am.

I am very very sorry that Sugoroku hut is not open for 2008 GW. I'd been at the hut several times in past GW. I enjoyed day-excursion tours based on the hut...that were SUPER!. It takes seven hours from Shin-Hodaka-Onsen(or Wasabi hut) to Sugoroku hut via Yumiori-dake (or Ohnoma Nokkosshi). Look at this map again: http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?lat=36%2F21%2F58.898&lon=137%2F36%2F16.003&layer=0&ac=21203&mode=map&size=s&type=static&pointer=on&sc=6 The center is Sugoroku Hut which links Kurobe via Noguchi-Goro-dake in north, links Kamioka via Kurobe-Goro-dake in west, links Kamikochi via Yari-ga-take in east, and links Shin-Hodaka-Onsen via Yumiori-dake in south. It's really the center. If you wana enjoy tours around Sugoroku hut in 2008 GW, you must carry a tent. The best period would be from mid-April thru end-April. There may remain small snow in June begin, but skiing/snowboading would be in very limitted areas. Ref: Sugoroku Goya (Hut): http://www.sugorokugoya.com/sugoroku/shokai/sugoroku_shokai.html SC

Submitted by Damian on 4 February 2008 - 9:09am.

I dont mind a private tent, although the extra weight is a hassle.

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