What started out as a variable visibility day, turned out to be a real cracker!

As always we started our first Powder Detour for 2013 in Niseko. It’s not very often you get a Niseko blue bird powder day but we scored it today, and the smiles were beaming far and wide.

Tristan laying it WAY over in the pow

Tristan laying it WAY over in the pow

We started our day splitting off into our groups over coffee: our Powder Experience Week skiers in one group, the Two Week Hokkaido Detour skiers in another group, and all the snowboarders heading out together.

The snowboarders headed straight for the peak (as all had been on snow for a few days already), while the skiers decided to cruise the lower gates in Hirafu. The peak was limited visibility (so no amazing views of Yotei) but the Kozanosawa Bowl provided some amazing knee deep freshies all the way down to the base of Annupuri. We snowboarders spent the majority of the day heading out gates 1 and 2 in Annupuri riding the Osawa Bowl, before heading back to catch up with the Two Week Detour skiers for a short avalanche beacon training session.

Fun times! But then Niseko blue bird powder days always are. Enjoy the pics…

Niseko peak

Martin and Brian at the peak


Scotty Ellison with Niseko Academy

Scotty pointing out where we’re heading.

Niseko blue bird powder at it's best.

Niseko blue bird powder at it’s best.

toe-side spray in powder

Tristan laying out yet another toe-side spray

Martin getting some fresh lines.

Martin getting some fresh lines.

Scotty Ellison in powder

Coach Scotty doing his thang.

Annupuri view

Enjoying the view

Ready for a session in Hirafu's beacon training ground

Ready for a session in Hirafu’s beacon training ground.

Learning how to use transceivers

Learning how to use transceivers.

Comparing transceiver results

Comparing transceiver results.

using a probe in avalanche beacon training

Don’t stick that in there!

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