Hi,
I plan going snowboarding in Japan next month; i was thinking around Nagano (Hakuba maybe) or in Hokkaido; does anyone know a very good resort (not too far from a train station) to help me to choose?
And also, any tips for resorts in New Zeland?
Thanks
Good resorts in Japan & NZ:any tips?
Moderators: fivat, rilliet, Arnaud, nils
Good resorts in Japan & NZ:any tips?
* * * "Carve diem, that's it " * * *
I met New Zealanders last year in the alps.
They told me the ski resorts are pretty small there.
Anyway, i just remember that one famous and probably one of the biggest is Whakapapa. (Such a name is easy to remember
)
See:
http://www.whakapapa.co.nz/
They told me the ski resorts are pretty small there.
Anyway, i just remember that one famous and probably one of the biggest is Whakapapa. (Such a name is easy to remember
)See:
http://www.whakapapa.co.nz/
-
Felix
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for NZ it depends on what you want.
Carving= Turoa/Whakapapa(speak:Fuckapapa)
or bigger resorts on the south Island. But be carefull NZ is not there for carving.
NZ is great for Freestyle Jumps (Hey they opened a resort for Freestyle only= 7pipes (2 Superpipes), many jumps....)or Mthutt (=40 kickers last year from 5m tables to 30m tables)
But what NZ is even better for is Freeriding in the club fields or if you have the money Heliskiing. Good resorts for extreme freeriding = Craigieburn and Mthutt. Craigieburn is fucking steep and Mthutt features awesome terrain for playing around = Natural pipes, lots of cliffs....). Both resorts have Ropetows so bring your climbing harness . Those lifts can be as fast as gondolas, but often smash hands of foreigners . In both resorts you are responsible for yourself, there are no slopes but freeriding only and never more than 100 people on the weekend. For Temple Basin you even have to walk in for 1 hour, there is a lift for the luggage though. Temple receives 13m of snow average over the 4month season, there is as well no avalanche patrol. They will announce where to go not, but they do not mind you going down anyway if noone except you could be harmed. Be prepared to shovel after a good dump, thats all inluded in the fun.
Look up snow.co.nz
Look up snow.co.nz
Carving= Turoa/Whakapapa(speak:Fuckapapa)
or bigger resorts on the south Island. But be carefull NZ is not there for carving.
NZ is great for Freestyle Jumps (Hey they opened a resort for Freestyle only= 7pipes (2 Superpipes), many jumps....)or Mthutt (=40 kickers last year from 5m tables to 30m tables)
But what NZ is even better for is Freeriding in the club fields or if you have the money Heliskiing. Good resorts for extreme freeriding = Craigieburn and Mthutt. Craigieburn is fucking steep and Mthutt features awesome terrain for playing around = Natural pipes, lots of cliffs....). Both resorts have Ropetows so bring your climbing harness
. Those lifts can be as fast as gondolas, but often smash hands of foreigners . In both resorts you are responsible for yourself, there are no slopes but freeriding only and never more than 100 people on the weekend. For Temple Basin you even have to walk in for 1 hour, there is a lift for the luggage though. Temple receives 13m of snow average over the 4month season, there is as well no avalanche patrol. They will announce where to go not, but they do not mind you going down anyway if noone except you could be harmed. Be prepared to shovel after a good dump, thats all inluded in the fun.Look up snow.co.nz
Look up snow.co.nz
Thanks for your answers, I've read many things on the web but personal opinions are always more friendly than description and facts;
NZ might be have small resorts but sounds great anyway
...in France my favourite resorts are not the biggest so I have hope for good rides and nice landscapes
For Japan, I'll ask in their forum, thanks Nils. I might not go anyway
, i am afraid my painful ankle (strain) won't let me ride at 100% but if i go, i'll let you know and send you pictures
cheers
NZ might be have small resorts but sounds great anyway
...in France my favourite resorts are not the biggest so I have hope for good rides and nice landscapesFor Japan, I'll ask in their forum, thanks Nils. I might not go anyway
, i am afraid my painful ankle (strain) won't let me ride at 100% but if i go, i'll let you know and send you picturescheers
* * * "Carve diem, that's it " * * *
-
Felix
- Rank 5
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thursday 30 October 2003, 20:14
- Location: Austria, but moedling near vienna, bloody 1 hour drive to semmering or rax
- Contact:
Fuck I mixed up some names. Mthutt is bullshit for Freeriding. Mt Hutt is slopes and frestyle only. (until 10 years ago the skiers worldcup slalom and GS was there) Temple Basin and Craigieburn are for freeriding and extreme inbound backcountry. Meaning little hikes and then superp terrain unskied before.
Do not go to: Mount Cheeseman.
Resorts Turoa and Whakapapa are much more European, 1200m vertical drop, compared to the 500 @Temple or 700 Craigieburn. But good for Freeriding as well, though now Backcountry feeling will be felt. Just like in europe. Mt. Olympus is a nice playground off piste too.
If you have 200 Euros to spare for a day catskiing, its no waste, Go to the catskiing where you fly in from Methven or close. Near Christchurch, can't remember the name. Book advanced and you will have one of your best days in life. One Cat (12 persons) and a whole mountain to do tricks, cliffs and chutes. Forum and Burton sometimes shot up to one third of their Freeridematerial there. thats the place where Lord of the rings was filmed. Since then its expensive and Heliflyin. Before 80 Euros 1 day with drive in. Average snowfall there even 14m but 500m higher than temple, so snow stays, and they watch out a bit more for avalanche security. at Craigieburn I had friends who were given explosives in the morning (they had no education in avalanches or training at all) and asked to help to secure the skifield.
Temple is famous for Whiteouts. 7 years ago an Austrian died on the carpark. He got snowed in completely and was found three days later when Arthurs pass (the street) was finnaly cleared
Notice: Temple and Craigieburn and Olympus do not even own any piste equipment, like groomers or snowcats.
Watch out for the season in NZ too. June and July tend too be not good at all, not much snow. August, and October are Prime time after big drops.
Do not go to: Mount Cheeseman.
Resorts Turoa and Whakapapa are much more European, 1200m vertical drop, compared to the 500 @Temple or 700 Craigieburn. But good for Freeriding as well, though now Backcountry feeling will be felt. Just like in europe. Mt. Olympus is a nice playground off piste too.
If you have 200 Euros to spare for a day catskiing, its no waste, Go to the catskiing where you fly in from Methven or close. Near Christchurch, can't remember the name. Book advanced and you will have one of your best days in life. One Cat (12 persons) and a whole mountain to do tricks, cliffs and chutes. Forum and Burton sometimes shot up to one third of their Freeridematerial there. thats the place where Lord of the rings was filmed. Since then its expensive and Heliflyin. Before 80 Euros 1 day with drive in. Average snowfall there even 14m but 500m higher than temple, so snow stays, and they watch out a bit more for avalanche security. at Craigieburn I had friends who were given explosives in the morning (they had no education in avalanches or training at all) and asked to help to secure the skifield.
Temple is famous for Whiteouts. 7 years ago an Austrian died on the carpark. He got snowed in completely and was found three days later when Arthurs pass (the street) was finnaly cleared
Notice: Temple and Craigieburn and Olympus do not even own any piste equipment, like groomers or snowcats.
Watch out for the season in NZ too. June and July tend too be not good at all, not much snow. August, and October are Prime time after big drops.