Snowboard Appreciation

[AsianVegan]

Any Pals up in the mid-atlantic or northeast that can recommend the best/funnest hills in that area?
Will be in DC late December/Jan and a mate and have loose plans to visit PA or VT if anyone is local or has experience?
I'm over from Oz, so used to very shit snow and keen to ride smaller resorts that I wouldn't get a chance to otherwise. Thanks!   

[formula420]

Any ikons in colorado? Copper is my jam.

[bartlaser]

Any Pals up in the mid-atlantic or northeast that can recommend the best/funnest hills in that area?
Will be in DC late December/Jan and a mate and have loose plans to visit PA or VT if anyone is local or has experience?
I'm over from Oz, so used to very shit snow and keen to ride smaller resorts that I wouldn't get a chance to otherwise. Thanks!

All the big/main resorts in VT will be fucking insanely busy on the weekends around then, especially with the holidays.  You'll have a much more fun, and probably cheaper experience, if you can stick to weekdays.

I live in Northern VT.  A good small hill up here is Bolton Valley.  Family owned.  Chill local vibe.  Decent runs, and you might get offered whisky on the lift.  Also has night skiing.  At the top of the state is Jay Peak, which is medium-sized, has great terrain, fewer people, and is more affordable than somewhere like Stowe or Sugarbush.  But it's right near the Canadian border.

Lots of little hills and other resorts in southern / central VT too.  I just have less experience with those ones.

[mj23]

Any Pals up in the mid-atlantic or northeast that can recommend the best/funnest hills in that area?
Will be in DC late December/Jan and a mate and have loose plans to visit PA or VT if anyone is local or has experience?
I'm over from Oz, so used to very shit snow and keen to ride smaller resorts that I wouldn't get a chance to otherwise. Thanks!

i live and snowboard in the northeast. we went to the PA hills a lot as a kid and i really don't bother going back anymore. they barely get any snow, and aside from that they also have really tiny vertical drops. even just going to the catskills in NY is considerably better. you can find mountains with at least 1000' ft rideable vertical drop, many even a decent bit taller than that. to me the PA pocono hills are totally fine if you live in the area but absolutely not worth any special effort. but of course if youre planning to drive from the DC area you may not want to go much further north. VT mountains are generally better than PA or NY, but of course then it is even further from DC. they're all a lot of fun. killington is quite large. mount snow has great terrain parks. jay peak gets a ton of snow every year, like as much as some of the big utah/colorado resorts. and then there are tons of less expensive and blown-out options as well.

[Lukabrazi]

Any ikons in colorado? Copper is my jam.

I'm up in Steamboat, send me a DM if you ever come up this way and need someone to show ya around

[cucktard]

First day of the season in Hakuba, Nagano, Japan.

From the forecasts thought there would be marginal cover, but had really decent calf-deep powder, and a lot more opened than I expected

Found a new early-season small gap hit, and tomahawked a few times goofing off trying other stuff.

Nice way to start the season before it gets crazy here

[Lukabrazi]

First day of the season in Hakuba, Nagano, Japan.

From the forecasts thought there would be marginal cover, but had really decent calf-deep powder, and a lot more opened than I expected

Found a new early-season small gap hit, and tomahawked a few times goofing off trying other stuff.

Nice way to start the season before it gets crazy here

jelly Cucktard! I've been tracking flights for the last few years trying to come back out there but just haven't been able to pull the trigger .

We've started the season pretty terribly up here in NW CO . I think we are at 40% of average now after a small storm yesterday into today . Big totals apparently tonight into Monday. hoping we surpass 2ft because we have no base at all yet on anything under 9500ft.

took one lap today and it was a shit show. hopefully more terrain opens quick after this storm .

[cucktard]

Expand Quote

First day of the season in Hakuba, Nagano, Japan.

From the forecasts thought there would be marginal cover, but had really decent calf-deep powder, and a lot more opened than I expected

Found a new early-season small gap hit, and tomahawked a few times goofing off trying other stuff.

Nice way to start the season before it gets crazy here

[close]

jelly Cucktard! I've been tracking flights for the last few years trying to come back out there but just haven't been able to pull the trigger .

We've started the season pretty terribly up here in NW CO . I think we are at 40% of average now after a small storm yesterday into today . Big totals apparently tonight into Monday. hoping we surpass 2ft because we have no base at all yet on anything under 9500ft.

took one lap today and it was a shit show. hopefully more terrain opens quick after this storm .

Japan and the western US seem to get affected in  opposite ways with Pacific weather currents. US had a massive season last year, in Japan spring started in February.

It was the late 90s when I saw climate change really start to fuck with seasons and I gave up expecting anything ‘normal’.

Normal is gone, in Japan as well. We’ve had some extremely fucked seasons, including the worst snowfall on record 3 seasons ago. I’m not sure it’s worth an expensive trip just for the snow. Maybe if you plan to see the sights, and if the snow happens to be good, go riding, but even though my winter job depends on winter tourism, I can’t bullshit anyone and say “Japow” a sure thing.

In fact, I forsee a time in the future when the snowfall becomes so marginal that I will just have to say goodbye to a sport and lifestyle I’ve enjoyed since I was 2.

After growing up in cold winters with lots of natural snow and powder, seeing these increasingly erratic seasons is like watching a parent slowly die.

I’m just going to enjoy the time I have with her while she’s still around.

[pointandclick]

tempted to go ride more this season. been a long time since i put in on snowboarding.
used to film with the homies but it got more expensive and days off became fewer and fewer.
some 13+ year old footy
http://vimeo.com/11129181

[cucktard]

tempted to go ride more this season. been a long time since i put in on snowboarding.
used to film with the homies but it got more expensive and days off became fewer and fewer.
some 13+ year old footy
http://vimeo.com/11129181

Skills! And Sunshine! Nice edit, i has hoping to spy a Rude Boys sticker somewhere.

[Dad_Brains]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

First day of the season in Hakuba, Nagano, Japan.

From the forecasts thought there would be marginal cover, but had really decent calf-deep powder, and a lot more opened than I expected

Found a new early-season small gap hit, and tomahawked a few times goofing off trying other stuff.

Nice way to start the season before it gets crazy here

[close]

jelly Cucktard! I've been tracking flights for the last few years trying to come back out there but just haven't been able to pull the trigger .

We've started the season pretty terribly up here in NW CO . I think we are at 40% of average now after a small storm yesterday into today . Big totals apparently tonight into Monday. hoping we surpass 2ft because we have no base at all yet on anything under 9500ft.

took one lap today and it was a shit show. hopefully more terrain opens quick after this storm .

[close]

Japan and the western US seem to get affected in  opposite ways with Pacific weather currents. US had a massive season last year, in Japan spring started in February.

It was the late 90s when I saw climate change really start to fuck with seasons and I gave up expecting anything ‘normal’.

Normal is gone, in Japan as well. We’ve had some extremely fucked seasons, including the worst snowfall on record 3 seasons ago. I’m not sure it’s worth an expensive trip just for the snow. Maybe if you plan to see the sights, and if the snow happens to be good, go riding, but even though my winter job depends on winter tourism, I can’t bullshit anyone and say “Japow” a sure thing.

In fact, I forsee a time in the future when the snowfall becomes so marginal that I will just have to say goodbye to a sport and lifestyle I’ve enjoyed since I was 2.

After growing up in cold winters with lots of natural snow and powder, seeing these increasingly erratic seasons is like watching a parent slowly die.

I’m just going to enjoy the time I have with her while she’s still around.

Hey cucktard, is there a way to get to Hakuba if I land at 7.30pm? Or is it waiting for the next morning? What’s the best way these days to get there? I saw Nagano snow shuttle seems like a good deal.

I’ve just seen some return flights from NZ come up for a cool $990 but the days/times are obviously not great due to being cheap (well the 21 hour overnight stopover in Fiji ain’t a bad thing…). So might have to lock that in early February next year

[cucktard]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

First day of the season in Hakuba, Nagano, Japan.

From the forecasts thought there would be marginal cover, but had really decent calf-deep powder, and a lot more opened than I expected

Found a new early-season small gap hit, and tomahawked a few times goofing off trying other stuff.

Nice way to start the season before it gets crazy here

[close]

jelly Cucktard! I've been tracking flights for the last few years trying to come back out there but just haven't been able to pull the trigger .

We've started the season pretty terribly up here in NW CO . I think we are at 40% of average now after a small storm yesterday into today . Big totals apparently tonight into Monday. hoping we surpass 2ft because we have no base at all yet on anything under 9500ft.

took one lap today and it was a shit show. hopefully more terrain opens quick after this storm .

[close]

Japan and the western US seem to get affected in  opposite ways with Pacific weather currents. US had a massive season last year, in Japan spring started in February.

It was the late 90s when I saw climate change really start to fuck with seasons and I gave up expecting anything ‘normal’.

Normal is gone, in Japan as well. We’ve had some extremely fucked seasons, including the worst snowfall on record 3 seasons ago. I’m not sure it’s worth an expensive trip just for the snow. Maybe if you plan to see the sights, and if the snow happens to be good, go riding, but even though my winter job depends on winter tourism, I can’t bullshit anyone and say “Japow” a sure thing.

In fact, I forsee a time in the future when the snowfall becomes so marginal that I will just have to say goodbye to a sport and lifestyle I’ve enjoyed since I was 2.

After growing up in cold winters with lots of natural snow and powder, seeing these increasingly erratic seasons is like watching a parent slowly die.

I’m just going to enjoy the time I have with her while she’s still around.

[close]

Hey cucktard, is there a way to get to Hakuba if I land at 7.30pm? Or is it waiting for the next morning? What’s the best way these days to get there? I saw Nagano snow shuttle seems like a good deal.

I’ve just seen some return flights from NZ come up for a cool $990 but the days/times are obviously not great due to being cheap (well the 21 hour overnight stopover in Fiji ain’t a bad thing…). So might have to lock that in early February next year

Sorry, no idea. I live here, I have never had to get from the airport to Hakuba. Best look at the Hakuba travel groups on Facebook or just google it.


There are direct buses running in the winter, but not sure how late. You can also hire a private or share taxi to take you right to your hotel.

https://chuotaxi.co.jp/english/

[tkp]

first day on the mountain yesterday in tahoe. a couple nights of car camping and some fast groomer runs. not the same as smashing through deep pow, but it did the job for the time being.

the difference in snow pack this year compared to last is night and day, but at least it's been cold enough for the resort to get enough runs open to get going fast.

[cucktard]

Had 4 days on snow, top of the highest Hakuba resorts open.

Been doing this for years, and thought I had all the decent jumps figured out but then at the end of the first day spied a ok-sized gap I never noticed before.

It’s not really doable later on in the year for a bunch of reasons, and figured out the speed and did it. Powder landing and perfect transition.


Had a photo shoot for the company I work with a couple days later and went back, did it again, super nice but the landing was getting chopped.


Second go at it, brought the other instructors there to try it, my boss shows up as well as the manager of the hill, and I fucking blow it, haha.

Popped a bit too hard, went forward, and did a full double tomahawk.

At 48, I was worrried mid-rag doll the this would be a season ended, but fuck me, the mediocre work I did at the gym paid off and I walked away without even a sore neck.

Exercise and stretching works.