I’m amped….there’s no other words for it really. February 2014 will see me and some mates from Aussie that I haven’t seen in 10 years ripping up the Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano powder in Japan.
I’ve not been snowboarding particularly long and only saw snow for the first time a few years back but I’m an unashamed addict and try to get up to the small fields in the Craigieburn ranges whenever I can but Mother nature has given NZ a strange season this year; A mega dump at the beginning with excellent conditions (except for the avalanches) followed by warm temps stopping the snow making. Watching all that natural snow melt away was heart breaking over the last 6 weeks with only the recent couple of dumps keeping things in check to stave off early closure and I was concerned I really wouldn’t get a lot of snow time this season. Timely contact from an old mate organizing a boys trip to Japan could not have been more opportune, after verification with the minister of finance and travel I was cleared to go.
Flights are booked, no turning back now. Deep powder awaits and my trusty camera will be along for the ride to broadcast some of the epic conditions that are bound to be present. I’ll need to do some prep, perhaps a few sneaky midweek trips up the hill before the season closes?
How stupid is this though? One of the greatest things I’m looking forward to – Gondolas and chairlifts (some of them heated!) no T-bars….bliss!
Cheers,
Liam