Japan Yesterday = Tight Trees, Pow, Monkeys, & Avy Fences

Happo-One ski resort in Hakuba, Japan got about a foot of new snow yesterday and the skiing was good. Happo is doing very well this early season as they already have a 230cm (91 inch) base at mid-mountain and the storms continue to march in.

japow — Happo One, Hakuba, Japan. Dec. 31st, 2013. Rider: matthias weichselbaumer. photo: Txema Trull

Actually, it doesn’t matter about storms in Japan. A cold northwest wind comes off of Asia, crosses the Sea of Japan, picks up moisture, then slams into the mountains of Japan. That northwest wind blows consistently in January and February make Japan a very snowy place during these winter months.

monkey ski resort — We saw 8 monkeys yesterday at Happo. photo: Txema Trull

Yesterday, Happo got about a foot plus of snow. You could still feel a bit of a crust underneath in spots. Higher up, you could feel that crust as the wind the previous day stripped a lot of snow away. Just down from the ridges and exposed areas it got pretty deep and was certainly damn fun. Heavierish snow, but good for going fast, dodging trees, threading avy fences, and even taking an air of two.