After the sunshine and heat early in the week the weather has cooled a bit and its currently cloudy here, 8 degrees, with rain threatening this afternoon. Aokiko lake is warming up and we got in the first eskimo rolls of the season yesterday and a team has gone out on the canyoning virgin run of the year today.
Canoeists, kayakers, rafters and fishermen have been out in Lake Aokiko brushing the cobwebs off their strokes and fishing poles and some taking the first dip of the year. The mountaintops are white and everyday the valley is getting greener. Cherries are starting to bloom and will be at mankai (full bloom) through the Golden week holiday. So you may want to gather the gang for some morning skiing, followed by a paddle on the lake, mt. bike ride or even some cold water canyoning before enjoying some afternoon ‘Hanami’ in the Northern Japanese Alps. The weather for Golden Week at this stage looking fine with temperatures pushing back up into the 20’s.
It’s no longer possible to ski to the bottom at Goryu meaning Gondola trips down from the mountain. As most years 47 still has clean runs to the bottom and should do until closing at the end of Golden Week. The Terrain Parks on Hakuba 47 and Tsugaike are open and in great spring condition.
Avalanche Advisory:
Temperatures are rising and water is freely flowing in the snow pack thus slab avalanches to the ground are a definite possibility. Watch out for those precariously hanging slopes of snow on steep convexing terrain and under glide cracks. Move quickly through areas in terrain trap valley bottoms. There will be general loose wet slides on all slopes as surface snow temperatures rise and due to the snow pack being isothermal, ( all right at 0 degrees from ground to surface) Slides can be very big at this time of year so play smart.
Avalanche Danger:
Below Tree Line: Moderate
Tree Line: Moderate
Alpine: Considerable
See Below for International Danger scale classifications or click on the Canadian Avalanche Association web page for the International Danger Scale.
TEMPERATURE IN THE VILLAGE:
8 degrees C.
TEMPERATURE AT TOP OF MOUNTAIN:
5 degrees C.
WIND:
Calm
VISIBILITY:
Good
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Goryu:
BASE DEPTH: 125 cm (at 1500m)
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LIFT OPERATION:
Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba 47, Happo-One, Tsugaike Kogen (all limited operation)