No real new snow to speak of overnight for the first time in about a week, and the forecast for clear conditions turned out to be a bit off – there were patches of sunshine lower down in the valley but the mountains were shrouded in a light cloud throughout the day. The very top of Suginohara was almost above the clouds, but just not quite!

Tonight and tomorrow are still predicted to be clear with temperatures tomorrow getting up to a few degrees above zero. We’ll have to wait and see if the sun does shine through….. Thursday and Friday are looking cloudier before some light snow on Saturday – the forecast for rain is gone for now so hopefully that will remain the case!

Despite the lack of new snow, cold temperatures have kept the conditions good with excellent light snow to be found in the plentiful Myoko sidecountry. North facing slopes always keep their condition longer, but even the more easterly aspects were in surprisingly good condition today.

BELOW: Rider – Shinya
Photo – Tim

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

Another 30cm of snow? Sure, why not!  With all the fresh snow from the last week settling down there has been a slight drop in the snow depth at some of the resorts, but today’s conditions are a repeat of yesterdays – a nice fresh 30cm on top of a deep cover of recent snow.

Light snow this morning has eased off now and it’s getting brighter although no blue sky in sight yet.  We may indeed have to wait until tomorrow for that to come but it does look like a couple of clear days on the horizon.

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

Last night Akakura Onsen had their ‘Dondon Yaki’ festival – this traditional Japanese event involves a bonfire in which the people of the village burn the decorations put up over the new year’s holiday period. Also, ‘mochi’ (pounded rice cake) are attached to the end of a long bamboo pole and cooked in the bonfire. The mochi is eaten with a sweet red bean soup (‘oshiruko’) to ensure a year of good health.

The weather was not on our side last night, with strong winds and driving snow, but a small group of locals and some tourists gathered to enjoy the festivities. The bonfire was a pretty large pile and once it was going put out plenty of heat to keep the onlookers warm and cook the mochi as well as some dried squid brought along by some of the locals. Cooking mochi in this way is quite a talent, and for the most part it turned into a charred mess but for those willing to be patient and use the cooler parts of the fire there was a delicious reward to be had…..

There was more snow on the ground this morning – around 50cm in Akakura and 70cm in Seki Onsen taking the base there to 5 meters! Light snow continued to fall throughout the morning with winds picking up in the afternoon and visibility deteriorating on the mountain.

Light snow is expected to continue through to Monday night before clearing to sunny conditions Tuesday and Wednesday with warmer temperatures predicted. The weather will close in again towards the end of the week with the treat of rain still looming on Friday at lower altitudes although I suspect it will snow in the resort, albeit wetter, heavier snow.

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

As I mentioned earlier today, we’ve been getting phenomenal amounts of snow this past week, and it has boosted the snow depth across the resorts. Suginohara has broken the 2m mark with a current snow depth of 210cm and Seki Onsen leads the way with a hefty 470cm base! For an idea of how much snow we’re getting even in the village check out my video below…

Light snow and snow showers are forecast for the next 48hrs before clearing Monday night. Tuesday and Wednesday predicted to be fine and sunny with temperatures getting a few degrees above zero at village level before more clouds and precipitation from Thursday evening. At this stage there is a forecast for rain on Friday morning down in the village, but snow up higher in the resorts.

Hotel Mumon January 14th 2012 from Tim Hayes on Vimeo.

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

For the second time this week we’ve woken up early to clear a massive amount if snow from the driveway outside Hotel Mumon. About a meter fell in twenty four hours a couple of days ago and today another 70cm! Needless to say deep fresh powder is everywhere in the resorts…. Myoko as we know and love it!

I’m in Myoko for my third season and STILL I’m finding new tree runs with lift access. As much as I love the adventure of heading out into the backcountry for a hike, it really is a lazy powder junkie’s paradise here….

BELOW: A frame-by-frame slideshow of Ben enjoying a tree run at Ikenotaira

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

And so the cycle continues here in Myoko, another 30cm or so overnight then a fairly clear morning and now it is snowing again.

It’s looking like another sunny morning tomorrow, before a cloudy day Tuesday with snow showers then heavier snow overnight and into Wednesday.

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

We’ve had quite a bit of new snow since my last post, with a bit of a pattern of clear conditions in the morning being followed by snow in the afternoon and evening. Today was a fantastically sunny morning with some great fresh snow although it did start to get heavy pretty quickly especially on the sunnier slopes. The forecast for the weekend is for more clear mornings and light snow in the afternoon and evening. Heavier snow is expected for Tuesday night next week.

As you can see from the table below, the snow pack is looking very healthy around the Myoko resorts!

A few snapshots of the action in Myoko over the last few days….

Myoko-San!

Ben enjoys Suginohara's long runs

Great views and powder turns

Stylin' on the course margins

On piste powder play

Fresh turns 'til the sun sets

Lay back and surf the mountain...

Knee to thigh deep on course!

Shinya throws up a nice wall of spray

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

Yesterday and todays snow report. Very cold and windy but today is beautifully fine.

Warning from me: I stupidly got myself into serious trouble yesterday going under a rope. I thought I was going into an area that I knew really well, but I made one very bad decision and ended up way out of bounds at the top of a cliff with no way down.

At the top of the cliff the slope was very steep and snow very unstable. I could easily have fallen and died. From the top of the cliff it took me 4 hours to climb out up very steep slopes through waist to neck deep powder and I only made it out to the edge of the ski area completely exhausted just on darkness. On the way back up I thought I would never make it out and probably die of hypothermia.

When I got out I realised how lucky I was to be alive and felt extremely grateful for my life and everyone in it. I also felt terribly stupid for risking it all so lightly. On top of that, I realised the trouble I had caused for the resort and those waiting for me not knowing whether I was just lost or had fallen and injured myself or even gotten buried in an avalanche. I’m extremely sorry that my stupid action caused so much unnecessary work and worry.

Please let my stupidity be a lesson for you, if you are in the snow this season follow the rules and stay safe. Have a great day and take a moment to think about how great it is to be alive!