Wet Dreams in the Hida Mountains, Japan: Shirouma Central Couloir The day after the northeast face of Shiroumadake promised for optimal weather. We decided it was a good time for round two. Burning the candle at both ends with these early starts and long days, I couldn’t help but allow ‘Brown Girl in the Ring’ to creep into my head while walking in the dark. Sunrise couldn’t have come soon enough. The sun did a sufficient job broiling the easterly facing central line down Shiroumadake, making it prime for corn turns. Wind kept things firm and interesting for the top few meters, but once in the line, it rode quite smoothly. […] Zach Paley | May 6, 2015 2 Comments
Wet Dreams in the Hida Mountains: Shirouma Northeast Face It’s no secret that skiing the alpine around here is something we fantasize about. It’s also no secret that it rains a lot here in the spring. Though the ‘wet dreams’ we don’t want can become a reality all too often in the spring, the ones we want are worth the wait. When rain gave way to snow up high, […] Zach Paley | April 25, 2015 3 Comments
Wet Dreams in the Hida Mountains: Shirouma Southeast On Honshu, the transition from winter to spring can be be painful. In March, temperatures rise, but the mountain weather remains as wild as ever. The result is rapid and violent transitions from heat and sun to rain, cold, snow and heavy doses of wind. However, when the Gobi Desert dust finally settles and stable weather windows materialize, opportunities arise […] Backcountry Lee Lyon | April 12, 2015 1 Comment
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