AST Level 2, Hakuba

 Earlier this week I attended the AST 2 course run through Evergreen. Building on from Level 1, it was another fantastic course where I learn't lots and realised how much more there is still to learn. Day 1 on Monday we headed over to Cortina. The top lifts were shut so headed up lift 3 then off into the backcountry from there. We started by examining the snowpack and looking for layers using several different methods.

Me and Helen at Cortina. Me on shorter skis than Helen

Into the backcountry

Helen had a little adventure when she skiied down and slid into a hole by a pole, head first and had to be dug out.

Bill doing an AK block test

 On the second day the wind had dropped, the sun was sort of out, and the snow had continued overnight. We headed to Tsugaike where we took the gondola up to the top station then skinned/snowshowed up from there. I had decided to board this day and snowshoeing was very difficult in the deep fresh snow, often being waist deep. We headed up the south face to the ridge then descended down the north face on some quite crusty snow. We hiked back up to the ridge then went off down the south side through the trees on some great powder and made some of the best turns I had made all season.

Hiking up the north face

me on the ridge

view looking down the south face

south face powder

Andy in the pow

Dave in the trees

fun little drop :)

Kevin in the trees

Helen

Helen

 So after surving 2 days, the final day was perhaps one of the best ever. The sun was out and we headed up Happo to go and ride the north bowls. Taking Grat Quad to the top, we hiked up from there. The views were amazing. Along our hike we met the famous man who likes to do yoga and play his guitar at the top of the hill on sunny days. As we continued along the ridge the wind quickly drew in and clounds started to appear so we decided to drop down early into the bowls. Lovely powder again, just a few random patches of hard snow which were quite easily avoidable. The descent we did was one of the longest and best I've ever done.

From Happo looking over to 47

Hiking up the ridge

JaJa

Kenji with Hakuba in the valley

Yoga man!

River crossing at the end of the day

It was a long descent!

Little hidden onsen

The road home