Damian's personal blog at SteepDeepJapan.com
2 Feb - windy
Time to take a day off and stay at home clearing snow. I also made an extension for my snow height measurement pole, which is 300cm and has little more than 50cm left. I added another 100cm and sincerely hope we do not need much of it. Warm weather coming briefly next week should aid rapid settlement. So far this season we have had 791cm of snowfall at 800m at the snowy end of the valley,which is more cumulative snowfall than we have had at this point in the season for the last 4 seasons [since I have been measuring]. More snow forecast this evening may take us closer to 300cm snow height outside my house. This afternoon the clouds cleared and the wind really started to move in the valley, though it has been blowing at least moderately to strongly for some days now at treeline. I took advantage of the sunlight for a photo of the snow walls around the entrance to our house. For reference, that pair of DPS Wailers are 184cm long.
If anyone reading is a snowshoe hiker and wants to complete an AST Level 1 avalanche course, I have another snowshoer looking for partners so that I can run the training. Otherwise, if you are a skier or boarder, my next AST course is on 11-12 Feb.
Edit: last night gave Hakuba 4cm whilst other areas a little NE in Nagano of here received 30cm or so, for example, Nozawa. Density of new snow is a little misleading as most of it fell almost 20 hours prior to reading at the end of the new snow 24 hour period.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
1 Feb - AST and snow
Once again I was out on the field day of an AST Level 1 class and would otherwise have something more to add, however the raging storm kept us low and distant from the action today. This turned out to be a good thing as when I came home we had received 43cm of snow in 11 hours during the day, with winds that had picked up enough to shut many lifts. The winds for most for the day were from the south west, which is unusual, and the water content in the new snow is higher than normal (and normal is already high water content in Hakuba). During the night, temps dropped to -11C then within a few hours rose again to -6C. So there will possibly be some variable density in the storm snow independent of the wind effect. Today's AST field session was a little limited due to conditions, however it was one of the better chances I have had to help some enthusiastic people open the backcountry door.
Based on the 850mb chart, next Monday has a sudden spike in temps forecast with freezing level rising to perhaps 1400m or so.
Perhaps look out for an updated Japan Avalanche Network avalanche advisory tomorrow morning (Thursday).
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
31 Jan - AST course
I was indoors all day teaching an AST Level 1 avalanche course so have nothing to offer from the backcountry. It snowed a lot of the day in the valley, and that snow has buried the sun crust which was created yesterday. I saw it up close being formed on sunny morning and midday S and E aspects at least up to 1550m. Look at the 850mbar map - snow is forecast to intensify this evening with the possibility tomorrow of quite strong winds and windslab creation onto that new crust. And so it goes. Possibly the start of a new avalanche cycle? If anyone sees any avalanche activity please send me an email or mention it here. Some guys from Suomi sent me some photos of an avalanche on the summer roads of Sakka last week - an area people dismiss as harmless, yet has had skier triggered avalanches at least twice in the last three seasons.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
30 Jan - perfect powder
Today I returned to the same place as yesterday in Otari. What a surprise! It started out windy and clouded over, then cleared blue and calm. After so many tracks in that area yesterday, a day busier than I have ever seen there, the new snow overnight completely reset the zone and there was virtually no sign of any previous activity. I was breaking trail in knee deep. Not one other track on the descent, which had good quality fast powder. I could not find any evidence of avalanche activity on the terrain visible from the ridge and had a good time skiing deep quality stable powder on NE aspects below 1550m.
The clear weather has created a new sun crust on east and south slopes that will no get buried by the coming storm. New instability? At 1400m in a somewhat wind loaded area the 1201234 sun crust on south slopes is now 170cm deep. Overnight winds from the north had transported and sculptured the ridge in places forming large soft cornices and loaded south aspects.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
29 Jan - avalanche fatality
After my post yesterday news spread about a large avalanche on "the south side" of Goryu just outside the roped off ski area boundary (the slope actually faces ESE). One person was killed after triggering a Size 3 avalanche on a steep treeless slope from about 1550m. He was buried 5m deep (not officially confirmed). The sliding surface was a thin crust, but possibly not the thick crust that was created after Jan 18th and buried on Jan 23rd. Steep slopes, particularly over 35 degrees, that get loaded with wind and warmed by the sun with no trees and are near ridge lines make for classic avalanche start zones. This slope ticks all those boxes. Also, there has been a search effort looking for a missing person during this storm on "the north side of Happo". Though not confirmed, it is so far assumed he was in an avalanche.
Today I skied in Otari, along with everyone else it seems. It was very busy. We had deep powder that was not showing any signs of instability on NE and N aspects, though I avoided particularly steep or unsupported areas and kept my eye out for weak spots and trigger points. We approached it carefully out of common sense and respect for recent events. Despite the enormous traffic in the area, we had a good day.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
28 Jan - Persistent Slab
I have nothing to report from the backcountry for today. It snowed and blowed a bit in the valley. This morning the Japan Avalanche Network released another avalanche advisory for the weekend (which will likely be updated again on Sunday morning, so keep an eye out for any changes). Amongst other very useful information, today's advisory listed a Persistent Slab problem for the first time this season. For about a week now there have been varying reports of slab avalanches between Size 1 and 2 triggered by skiers on a buried sun crust on solar aspects. These avalanches have not abated, hence the problem is becoming persistent. You can read more about Persistent Slab avalanche concerns here at the Canadian Avalanche Center's online course.
Edit: this evening news spread of a person who was killed after being buried 5m deep in a large avalanche on the south side of the Goryu ski area, below tree line, triggered in a steep well known treeless area just to the side of the resort boundary. A Persistent Slab is a serious thing - those who have taken an AST course know this and see it every time they use their Slope Evaluation Card. I teach these courses and do not want to be accused of marketing on tragedy. I am simply making the point that Considerable avalanche danger with a Persistent Slab problem is a serious situation and is plainly recognised as such by avalanche professionals to the extent that it is taught on intro courses. And it is why I made this post earlier today.
Don't get caught up in the moment of feeling great in powder. Stop and pause every time a slope gets steeper above 30 degrees, or the snow changes it's tactile feel under your board/skis, or the trees thin, or you hit a rocky area or a convexity. Every turn down slope changes your avalanche risk - it is not a constant thing from the top of a slope to the bottom. And do not let familiarity or proximity to a ski area boundary fool you into a false sense of safety, nor good conditions you found on a slope with a different terrain character the previous day. Respect the snow, respect terrain, understand that both change with time and as you move around. Easy to type this advice, easy to read it. Hard to do it (I fail on many days I ski). Be humble and do not over estimate your competency in avalanche terrain.
Finally: have as much fun as possible in the mountains. Everyday there is something great to enjoy.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.
JP-two
Continuing with my journal of trips to the JP area, this was my second outing worthy or recording. This particular trip was not really onto JP, rather we skid it's little brother which offers good fun skiing without serious terrain traps from 2100m down to 1600m. A steep upper section that pans out nicely into the run out, unlike most tight terrain in Hakuba. 35-40 degree chutes and ridges give a lot of options wrapping from north into east. This outing was particularly good since we had near perfect conditions for the zone, and good company.
I joined Rich Marshal (ACMG Mountain Guide) and his customers who had flown to Japan for 2 weeks of backcountry. This was one of the few times I have had the chance to be on that area with other people. It is always nice to share the experience, rather than being alone. Conditions were stable and the group was strong, so this gave me the chance to see what a professional guide will do with the terrain given these somewhat lesser constraints.
After hiking in from 800m, we filled the middle of day with two ascents of the main ridge line which leads to The Ponds. The first run was down Number 1, which is has the fastest access. After that we went back up past Number 1 almost all the way to the ridge summit near The Ponds. It is a narrow ridge that doesn't offer much room to move, however conditions on the climb were better than I have ever seen later in the season with no cracks across the ridge at all, no significantly challenging solar aspect snow, and stable snow to the north east which allowed some movement out onto large pen faces, rather than being confined to the ridge. It was good to watch Rich work.
In seasons past I have been in crampons with wind scour, step-up cracks to ground and either refrozen or very weak snow on the sunny side, and less stable snow on the north east. I've had some scary moments along it in the past where the wind lip that lines the ridge was little wider than the width of my foot. One step in front of the other. For me, confidence and competency comes from being in the mountains as often as possible, and seeing more experienced people operate.
I seldom bother taking action shots as the movement and company of people, snow and weather conditions and terrain are far more interesting to me from the perspective of good memories than the actual skiing action. Plus who wants to interrupt good skiing , consume valuable time, and assume added risk just to take a picture of someone skiing? You can get that in any magazine.
We finished the day with a final ascent up to the summit of Obi and a descent down what os without doubt one of my favorite ridges that broadens half way down to offer a seldom touched area of very nice tree skiing. It went pretty well, though was a bit too scrubby at the bottom due to conditions in the earlier season.
It was a good day with good people and a good guide.
I have since had a few other perfect days for another JP trip, however have had the company of a variety of other experienced people visiting Hakuba and wanted to make the most of those opportunities, rather than head off on my own again. Plenty of time for that.
27 Jan - powder
We were heading for a simple tour today however with signs that it was blowing harder along with a lot of new snow at tree line, and more snow falling heavily all morning, we decided for some lift served terrain and just skied. It was fun, lots of time to feel the snow - and it felt consistent and right way up with no slabby properties where we were in non wind effected areas in the forest. The sun crust from the 23rd was about 150cm deep and not really of any interest to us at all on the 30-35 degree supported terrain that we skied. I'd be quite interested to look more closely at that crust in areas where the snow pack is thinner and the terrain more convex. I think those more sensitive areas would bring the crust into play and I'd be always on the lookout for such spots as I moved through the terrain. This evening I've heard 3rd hand vague rumours about avalanches being triggered in the valley today. Does anyone have info about that?
It is the weekend so an updated Avalanche Bulletin will be available. You should read it carefully.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
26 Jan - plenty of powder
The trees were looking very nice today. We skied in the Tsugaike area from 1900m to the south for a few runs of nice deep fast slightly dense powder. There were three of us there, and not another person or track to be seen. Private mountains. After yesterdays cracking and fracturing I was happy to be up higher with 100cm between the crust and myself, and off complicated terrain with steep pitches, convexities and other gullied textures. We skied our way up to a little over 35 degrees on supported terrain with only spaced anchors and felt great. Deep trail breaking, cold temps, light winds and a covered sun yet still great visibility. Pretty good conditions for that area.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
25 Jan - powder, fractures
Skied terrain to 35 degrees today, N, NW and NE aspects below tree line. Good deep powder, slight heavy. Sun or temperature crust on all aspects between 40 and 60cm deep between 1200 and 1500m. Some shooting cracks, and steep unsupported convex rolls were fracturing with small soft slab, sometimes 60cm deep, though no propagation across the slope. For now I am avoiding steep start zones and certainly avoiding triggers like convex rolls (I try to avoid them all the time any way). Great skiing, 1cm per hour most of the day light winds or calm. The mountains are talking, time to listen and pay attention. Please let me know if you see any slab avalanche activity of any size.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
24 Jan - deep powder
10cm in 24 hours at my weather study plot. Down valley in Otari, past the ski areas, there was 60-80cm for the same period. After long deep trail breaking in unconsolidated snow we had a few runs on mostly not steep enough terrain. The small sections of steep gave hits and a few small drops with over the head powder spray. As the trees attest, there has been virtually no wind at all, unlike yesterday in Hakuba. No comments on stability as the zone we skied really doesn't relate to the conditions in Hakuba, where there was much thinner more wind effected new snow. Today John from the mountains of Idaho joined us. Along with a few others recently, he is another experienced avalanche forecaster and passionate skier passing through Hakuba and it was great to chat about the way of the avalanche world. And skiing.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
23 Jan - problems?
Out today I have to admit that there are places looking very lacking in snow, or at least avalanche debris. Gullies are still deep and v shaped, stream holes are open, and scrub is sometimes everywhere. We went to 1900m where the wind was gusting to 40-50kph from the north and transporting snow onto south aspects, creating some small soft cornices and also loading a potential problem layer. We have a thick sun crust from recent clear weather, above that is 10-15cm of dry loose powder, above that is another sun crust from yesterday. So that is a very soft layer sandwiched between two much harder layers. That soft layer has the potential to remain preserved as it is protected from further wind and sun from the upper crust. One of the classic avalanche problems in Hakuba is preserved stellars as a weak layer. Well, we appear to have that in the making, and worse is that it is above a hard crust that may or may not have surface hoar on it, and protected by another sun crust op top. You'll find this crust-powder-crust sandwich on solar aspects up to at least 1900m. If it gets buried by new snow and additionally loaded with wind, we may have a problem. If you are not looking out for it on south and east aspects as this coming storm arrives, you should stay in resort.
Northern aspects have been wind scoured and old tracks are now showing in the scour well down below ridge lines. Localised variable winds in tight terrain well below tree line has created thin areas of wind slab sitting over unconsolidated powder above a temperature crust. I saw long shooting cracks on a 40-45 degree slope today, despite the fact that it was well BTL and we had no significant snowfall in the last 48 hours.
And don't forget skiers started to trigger slab avalanches yesterday at 2100m on ENE and NE aspects. It didn't help that they went straight for the obvious trigger point in the start zone - in this instance a convex roll. It is amazing how unaware some people are.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
22 Jan - avalanches
I had a great class today on the field day of this weekend's AST 1 course. Nice weather in the morning before it became too warm. The day started with with thin powder at 1650m over a slippery sun crust on steeper southern and eastern slopes. Northern slopes were deeper and cold without a crust. By afternoon below tree line steep sunny slopes had become unstable due to the warmth with the previously loose powder forming a more cohesive slab over the sun crust and reacting to ski cuts. Higher at 2100m above treeline we say a size 1.5 slab avalanche which had been triggered by a skier at the top of a big slope, with terrain traps on the path. We also saw a number of smaller loose snow and slab avalanches along the same ridge. These were on 40 degree NE aspects and all on obvious convex rolls within start zones. During recent clear weather surface hoar formed and has been found at treeline. With the expected loading from the coming storm, this may or may not become a difficult problem on shaded aspects. Or perhaps it is already? Likewise, yesterday's new snow that fell on a sun crust has now been sealed in below a new sun crust formed today. Will this form a 15cm thick layer of weak low density preserved stellars? Lets watch for that.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
21 Jan - AST course
I was inside all day teaching the classroom component of an AST Level 1 - so do not have any backcountry observations to offer. It snowed most of the day in the valley, seemingly starting out relatively dry and getting wetter. Almost raining at valley bottom by 5pm. The Japan Avalanche Network released another Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin for Saturday, this time with considerable danger rating for below treeline in acknowledgment of the warmer and weaker snow at lower altitudes. For the sake of comparison, once again take a look at the satellite shot for today and compare it to the image I will hopefully remember to post on perhaps Thursday next week when the Siberian thing is back on (technical terminology there).
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
20 Jan - wet and warm
Compare todays Wx chart to the one in store for next week (posted yesterday). It will be cold and snow then. Today was warm warm warm and wet. It apparently rained to at least 1600m during the night, turning to snow. That snow was very dense and wet, leaving a snow surface that was weak whilst warm and likely to form a thick melt freeze crust once it cools down. More wet snow fell in the south of the valley than further to the north where we skied lower altitude trees from 1400m. That choice was not for snow quality, rather for fun. And in the end we got some fast heavy snow turns through a great zone that runs over 1km and drops 500m. In it's category it is the best I know of and even with very poor snow, it made us all smile.
With the warmth, the snow has weakened and I was able to cause a large chunk of a corniced feature at 800m to break with very little pressure. Continued wet snow or rain on lower altitude steep terrain will lead to more unstable snow.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
19 Jan - alpine soft
Out again with the same group from yesterday. Back up to the Happo ridge today for calm conditions and soft wind touched snow that has settled in with continued milder weather and cooler nights. The day started clear adding to the solar crust formation on east and south aspects. By midday thicker high clouds moved over and obscured the alpine region by mid afternoon. At 1pm it was -5C at 2360m. Most tracks had been filled in and smoothed off from a few days earlier and once we moved off the ridge a little the snow was smooth and consistent. Lower down in the easy accessed areas it was very well tracked and snow quality became denser except in the most sheltered places. The Big triangle had ok snow. Stability everywhere we moved was good, though some thin wind slab had formed on lee slopes whilst sunny slopes were getting wet and weakened as they warmed at low altitude.
A new colder storm is coming by the 24th or so, with what looks like a bit of a classic set-up peaking around the 28th:
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
18 Jan - alpine, powdery
It isn't hard at the moment to ski good quality stable snow on untouched terrain above tree line in the backcountry. Today I toured with ACMG Mountain Guide Rich Marshal and his fit and motivated guests. Climbed from 800m to 2100m with three runs in the Junction/Obinata zone and some worthwhile vertical accumulated. It is perfect up there on all shaded aspects above about 1500m Good stability, great ski quality, great weather, easy movement along ridges compared to how things can be. To spend a day in my favourite zone, get it in great condition and have people to share it with rather than being alone makes it one of the best days of the season so far. South and east aspects are getting further cooked under the sun, with a crust forming as high as we went. The crust is thick on east aspects at 1200m. Some snow transport and probably windslab formation in the higher alpine. Some surface hoar about in isolated dips and groves near bushes. I also found surface hoar at valley bottom this morning.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
17 Jan - alpine powder
Such consistent powder from higher up all the way down. We were on Happo (so were many others, and it is heavily tracked down the main routes to the north from lower elevations). Today was a good group: local backcountry lady, Chika-san, our friend, Shoji-san - who runs Tengu Cat in Hokkaido. Their friend and nice guy, Greg Johnson (ACMG Split board guide from Canada) and his friend, Anna, who told me she has been sled boarding in British Columbia for... along time... and is now getting into splitting. Three splitters, two skiers, great snow and good stability with fair weather and no wind. You get a few per season, this was one. We skied easier terrain that on other days is not so easy from a stability perspective. Mume is still mostly untracked for a nice few hundred, but Oshi and Gara are wrecked, so the total Happo vert is not in good shape. The south aspect was baked. This leaves plenty of shorter lines in the wider area, and plenty higher up. Any one been through the waterfall?
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
16 Jan - great powder... again
Today I went into my backyard hill - a common 'backcountry' haunt in the valley, and skied a specific line I call Low Hanging Fruit. Couple of runs, good quality fast stable powder, with a face shot on every slarve. One run in particular flowed perfectly from top to bottom, only stopping once momentarily to negotiate a small cliffy section. I'm not the type to air stuff, particularly not when alone and away from help. The snow quality at the bottom (1200m) was tending towards a bit heavy, but higher at 1500m it was very good. I think at the bottom of one line I muttered out loud to myself "it doesn't get better". Of course, it does get better, but in the moment that doesn't matter. What doesn't change is how easily I can ski a line of utterly untracked pure powder for 300m vertical non-stop with perhaps only one other person in the general area. It seems powder isn't money after all. No one wants it! Or is it so that only easy powder is money? Easy? Each run cost me 45 minutes of lazy hiking (hence the line name). The steeper 40 degree sections were sluffing lightly, otherwise I saw no signs at all of instability below tree line today. Powder on top of a progressively denser snow pack. Great stuff, but it tricks you into a false sense of confidence and dulls your avalanche brain. Don't let it get too lethargic, as it will catch up with you eventually, like it did last season after endless weeks of generally good stability, then suddenly, not so good. People were caught out.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
15 Jan - powder. again.
17cm at 800m over night translated to almost 40cm at 1500m in Otari. Lazy day without hiking, great powder, clear morning, then snow moving in this afternoon. No comments on stability other than below tree line away from the recent wind is stable. Generally the more I get out this season the more I realise that it appears as though we are lacking snow, when we are not (see the recent snow data chart I posted). As I have already mentioned, the difference this season is no single big 100cm storm at valley bottom, which means no 200cm single storm where all the vegetation needs to be squashed and creeks need to be filled.
Another factor that has occurred to me is the relative lack of wind. Happo has, as usual, had it's share. However below tree line has been still. Even treeline areas near Otari have seldom revealed signs of strong wind and intense snow transport. It is wind transported snow that really rounds out the texture in the terrain and fills out the streams and gullies. So no large season starter storms around xmas, and relatively calm winds until recently means the terrain looks a lot more boney and people are still concluding that we are missing a lot of snowfall.
Conditions so far this winter have been consistent, cold, reasonably windless, and mostly stable at treeline and below. As today's chart indicates we have had new snowfall in almost every daily 24 hour period since it started (later than normal). Powder has not been in short supply.
Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and also consider how current weather may change yesterday's Danger Ratings.
