Japan Photo Report 2013, Part II

This winter, the weather is doing what it wants and not following the usual January rules: Instead of snow without end, there is plenty of sun, wind and miserable snow conditions every now and then. Definitely the worst January for years. Nevertheless, we also find descents that are a lot of fun, as in this picture.

Thanks to the comparatively poor (fresh snow) conditions, descents that are otherwise only possible in spring become possible.

Japan Patrick Fux 2 2013

After a descent in catastrophic snow conditions and a 30 cm deep river crossing, this was the moment of redemption. It took us 1 hour to descend 500 vertical meters on a seemingly endless avalanche cone. This was the low point of the week. This manifested itself in a sharp rise in frustration levels and a significant increase in alcohol consumption.

Redemption came in the form of a snowstorm, which brought not the predicted 10 cm, but a whole 40 cm: people's minds were quickly turned back to green, even if the old crust of snow could be heard and felt from time to time.

Cool powder turn. Fortunately, you can't hear the noise of the ice crust in the photo.

Hakuba after the storm and again far too warm, windy and dry. But the prospects look promising.