Friday 31 Jan 25 - Finally, Some Powder
Up bright and early today to enjoy nature's bounty overnight. Between 15-20 cm of powder fell overnight - yay. Many others had the same idea and it was busier than usual at breakfast and also buying lift tickets, but none the less, we were on the mountain by 0840. First lift is at 0830, so not too bad at all.
The snow was fabulous. Super light, dry, fluffy powder boot deep. You can't tell it in these photos, but I promise you we were both smiling our faces off! This is what we came to Furano for!
[ATTACH=full]432763[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]432764[/ATTACH]
The snow offered no resistance to skis, which just cut through it like a hot knife cuts butter. We ended each run with snow piled on the top of each ski. I was really happy with how I skied the powder too. My new technique of sliding the new uphill ski forward in contact with the snow at all times, setting some edges and staying calm and waiting for the turn to happen made for the best I have ever skied powder conditions. It continued to snow lightly all morning, without any wind, and it was just beautiful. I love, love, loved it.
[ATTACH=full]432765[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]432766[/ATTACH]
As you can see from these photos, the visibility was varied during the morning, but unfortunately it got progressively worse as the day progressed. Even with pink lens goggles, it was pretty hard to see what was what, so inside for a hot chocolate with a view. I have just about given up on coffee up the mountain.
[ATTACH=full]432767[/ATTACH]
Flush with success from a great day's skiing, I even mastered the dreaded H1 run home, so decided to do a couple of finisher runs on Kitanomine side before heading inside for an onsen and dinner. Those runs were just weird though. The morning's powder was by then quite heavily tracked, and the increasingly cold temperatures during the day has sort of frozen it all into quite solid ruts that chattered and bounced the skis around. It was quite unpleasant to ski on tired legs.
All up, one of my best skiing days ever.
In bed and asleep before 2130. The days are taking on a pattern!
