The Lost World

10 Jan 2012

The title is really a bit over dramatic. And actually quite incorrect. But that is how I feel when I ski the Daihoraku area. The approach can be from a variety of easy start points and sometimes it passes through a nice rolling area that has a mix of mature mountain trees all in one place, which is a little unique and possibly a sign that the Lost World is near. Then suddenly you come to the edge of it. Once you enter, there is only one way out. Actually, that is also not factually correct, but for practical purposes, the way home is pretty obvious. However it is long, and out of sight from everyone else.

We went up with closed in clouds and snow faslling, counting on an improvement in the weather as forecast. By the time we approached the edge of The Lost World, the forecast became reality, however only momentarily as clouds quickly obscured the sun as it dipped behind terrain so that all contrast was lost on the shaded north aspect. The skiing was great, stable powder on steep terrain. Pity the first skier down each pitch, which was me most of the time.

Starting from 1650m we skied good terrain, though not nearly the most aggressive options, down to about 1200m where we didn't quite have a thick enough cover to fill in some nasty deep narrow eroded riverside terrain. This meant we had to climb a short pitch up on the exit ridge, rather than attempt an artful traverse above the gorge and onto the ridge for far less effort. Form there, reasonable tree skiing along the ridge for 200m vertical. Then across the iconic relic of The Lost World, the official gateway. Red paint faded and unseen by most.

Not long after we were climbing again, a short leg, then skiing heavier soft snow through bump fun trees for another 300m vertical and an eventual arrival in a very small Japanese rural village which sits on a lonely small flat area at the edge of a deep gorge, hidden from the main valley road which tunnels through the steep peak nearby. The first contact with civilisation after exiting The Lost World is still partly lost.

Actual facts: 100 years ago a huge landslide occurred from that escapement. It went down valley for 8km, destroyed part of a small village and killed 27 people.