i just got back from 8 days in niseko japan, wasnt too shabby either

Poida said...
i just got back from 8 days in niseko japan, wasnt too shabby either

I agree, went there last year and was lucky enough to get over a meter in a few days then blue skies. The best thing i've ever done (going out gates 6 and 7 I think) and doing the peak. Farking awesome! Cant wait for next year

Nice,

but why would you want to be anywhere else than WA at the moment, best season ever for kite surfing or windsurfing.

Every thing else becomes pointless,

high as a kite said...

snoopy said...
red thumbs to both of you..... only because i'm stuck at work [}:)]

Emm, stuck at work hey, red thumbs to you cause I wish I had a job like yoursrefer to your avatar

haha, somebody has to do it.

wal269 said...

Kitesurfing - Ho hum

I have just finished snowboarding 2 feet of fresh Vail champagne powder on my last day of a 10 day trip.

I know it's off topic but I had to tell someone :)

Do whatever you can to get there - best resort in the world!

been there done that.. was a cool mtn though, luv the heated sidewalks

What the.. you can use a board on snow??
Who would've thunk!

Do whatever you can to get there - best resort in the world!

thats a big call right there!

Hopefully the snow keeps puking in Niseko for the next 3 weeks

If you are a kiter that came from Windsurfing, then we may be on a par, but the late 90's early 00's provided some epic seasons with both wind and swell in abundance.
Been keeping a diary since learning to windsurf in Leeman back in 94.
(Bugger, now I sounds like an old fart!)

Yep you won the bet! LOL!

Don't know about snow boarding being easier, maybe it was becuase I was a Kook, in blizzard conditions, trying to follow my eastern states mate down black runs who had snow boarded since he could just stand. But my back leg was on bloody fire after an hour.

One thing i will say is farq the cold!

You guys are close but still missing the point

Combine the kiting with the snow

all the fun of the snow and kiting without the lift passes or lift cues

ride up a fresh peak and board down with or without the kite

Anybody who has ever seen Entropy will know what i mean

( just slating you coz i'm jealous)

eppo said...
Yep you won the bet! LOL!

Don't know about snow boarding being easier, maybe it was becuase I was a Kook, in blizzard conditions, trying to follow my eastern states mate down black runs who had snow boarded since he could just stand. But my back leg was on bloody fire after an hour.

One thing i will say is farq the cold!

Ha ha, both legs on fire after first 1-2 days! And triceps killing me of getting up on the board.
Ice gel was in high demand even on the cold!

And in Japan, than it comes to Onsen, aaaahhhh...

at minus 10deg C on the mountain and snowing I was hoping the wind wasnt picking up. theres only so many under, mid and top layers i had. fingers were getting numb after a few hours on the colder and windy days. someone told me its my body shutting off the periphery parts.

How do you handle kiting in such cold condition with wind chill etc?

eppo said...


Don't know about snow boarding being easier, ......

it was my first time snowboarding
three days of lessons. by the end of 8 days i could handle red runs. i was glad i took the lessons so i got the right technique. front foot, then back foot follows, bend the knees
the learning curve is the killer, fell over so many times in the first 5 days, was fairly battered

dbabicwa said...

airjunkie said...
You guys are close but still missing the point

Combine the kiting with the snow

all the fun of the snow and kiting without the lift passes or lift cues

ride up a fresh peak and board down with or without the kite

Anybody who has ever seen Entropy will know what i mean

( just slating you coz i'm jealous)

Nah mate,

not comparable. You just can't snow kite on a 3-3.5k peak above the sea level in French/Italian/Swiss Alps.

Well, you can but only once:)

well your half right "I" cant snowkite on that peak but many people do kite crazy peaks like that

one example :Chasta and Jerome kite to the top of such peaks and fly to the next mountain top they carry a base jumping parachute for safety and double up on harnesses (normal and climbing) but they are slightly insane

the last resort i snow-kited at was based out of the Col Du Lautaret sorry only 2300m in the french alps but having spent 13 years in europe snow-kiting and snowboarding as much as i could. I have found little difference in the altitude other than length of season - but then you wouldn't go there out of season

One bloke who kited most of the way up europes highest peak was documented in magazines years ago

also your missing the point of my post it was about combining two of your sporting interests kiting and snowboarding
- if the wind forecast is not so great then hit the resort's and line up for the lifts like the normal people

but if it makes you feel special then your mountain is bigger than mine well done

frankief said...

And you just cant beat snow kiting on the Hardangervidda plateau in Norway.

I'll second that one been there a couple of times truely epic
(but dbabicwa its only 1000-1300m sorry )

Wal269 - Champagne eh -- Niseko was Brut de Brut this year - but I reckon the scenery in Vale would be hard to beat

Look forward to trying snow kiting - especially with deep powder protection - aka water (deep enough!!) substitute...

eppo said...
trying to follow my eastern states mate down black runs who had snow boarded since he could just stand. But my back leg was on bloody fire after an hour.

If U do not / have not used them - this is the perfect time to try skins or equivalent - not quiet toned up for snow/other sports - then they are magic - nearly all the promo' blurb is true - Last time I wore tights was in the woman's police force on stage (+ a mini-skirt)

Niseko was drier than last year IMO - even the ski poles squeaked .. Knee played up too much when on the board - had the wrong keys in my brace - flexed too much

Gate 5 - and the only reason to go to the bottom of Hanazono was to get a decent coffee - Ozzie barista (after Strawberry fields - fresh powder). U had 47 brands of coffee (ice coffee equivalent - not) in the supermarket fridge - most where SH eye t - so this place was gold.

Nothing like hooning thru' the trees (with a good insurance policy and a polished halo)

Did Risutsu for 1/2 the trip - +++ on the snow --- off the snow way better for combining off piste and on piste runs and meeting up at the bottom.

The Hokkaido weather in January seems to go from 1 extreme to the other - would be hard to predict 4 snow kiting. -

Learn to board / ski before kids.. as going on a trip with them once they can be a bit independant is pure magic - but old skills required to keep up with raw enthusiasm... Loved that powder.

Kid's enthusiasm - snow hole!!


Where was the bus stop??
In Kuchin after sushi - cold


Loved getting off that plane in Brisbane - the heat and the smell 4a well earned rest

if U do not want any culture shock Niseko = mini-oz in Japan.

Cheers

AP