Weekend On the Slopes

Anyone who knows me understands just how much I hate snow, cold weather and skiing. Yet, somehow, I still found myself with my family in a car driving 6 hours to go skiing with some of our friends for a weekend.

We went to Hakuba in Northern Japan. It is near Nagano and was the location for the Alpine Skiing and Ski Jumping 1998 Winter Olympic events. We stayed at this cute little pension (similar to a bed & breakfast) called Alpine Wind. The owners were very friendly and helpful and it had an onsen in the back, which was wonderful after being on the slopes all day. At night we gathered near the fireplace to enjoy card games and wine.

I am not sure if I have ever seen so much snow in one place. The week prior to our trip there was a storm that blew through and dropped 2 meters (almost 6.5 feet!) in 24 hours. Apparently there is crazy snowfall here every year.

The first day on the slopes was miserable. It was freezing cold and snowed like crazy. I haven't been on the slopes in 2 years, and even before then my experience is very limited, so the inability to see and the continuously falling snow was not a good combination. Needless to say, I was pretty much on the same baby slope all day. Sami really picked up skiing and was off to the more advanced slopes before lunch. Emily decided to try snowboarding instead of skiing and by the end of the weekend she was doing pretty good. And Chris and Matt... I swear they were born for the slopes. Off they went to the black diamond runs.

 

The second day was much better. It was about 8 degrees warmer, sunny and there was not a flake in the sky. I even managed to do a few intermediate runs. And if you consider slow plowing and rolling down the slopes to be a sign of success, then I am one step closer to being in the next Winter Olympics myself.

While I am still not a fan of snow, cold weather and skiing, views like this made the trip worthwhile.

How to Not Ski in Japan

I am unable to ski this year due to my knee incident in Vietnam (can you hear the sadness in my voice -- not). So I decided to be a good mom and wife and go along to "watch". As usual, things in Japan aren't always how we thought they would be. 

So how do you go and just watch?

1. Get up at 4 am, pack, and load car.
2. Depart at 4:45 am.
3. Drive 2 hours without any issues.
4. Hit toll booth where the ETC lane needs shoveled clear so it takes 15 minutes to pay ¥300 in the one lane open.
5. Drive 1/2 way up a snowy mountain while it snows the biggest flakes Alexis has ever seen.
6. Stop and put on tire chains.
7. Drive 1/4 way up mountain until you reach a car that is stopped in the middle of the one lane mountain road.
8. Spin around and slide back down 1/4 way of mountain.
9. Try again to make it up the mountain.
10. Finally reach the top where there are several huts with ski rentals. NO lodge in sight.
11. Everyone puts on their ski gear, except for Alexis who has none as she was NOT skiing due to her knee injury.
12. Load Alexis, in jeans, crappy gloves, Uggs and no hat, onto a ski lift along with a 10 pound backpack and camera case.
13. Son calms Alexis down, who is deathly afraid of heights, on the 20 minute ski lift ride.
14. Ski lift drops everyone off in the middle of a mountain, with no lodge in sight.
15. Alexis walks through 8 foot snow to a series of buildings carrying 10 pound backpack and camera bag, while wearing jeans, crappy gloves, Uggs and no hat.
16. Said buildings contain tables, approximately 500 Japanese children and someone’s kitchen.
17. While sitting in building Alexis cannot see nor have any idea where her husband, 11 year old and 7 year old are. Camera will remain in bag.
18. Alexis may return home after the spring thaw, as she is not going back down that ski lift.

Highlight of the trip:  The building has free Internet.
Moral of the story:  Be a crappy mom and wife and JUST STAY HOME.

Skiing in Japan

My idea of a perfect weekend or vacation is soaking up the warm sun rays, in minimal clothing, while engrossing myself in a good book. My husband's idea of the perfect trip is flying down a cold, snowy mountain with your feet attached to two skinny pieces of plastic. You can probably guess who wins from pictures of all our past vacations.

Matt has really been hoping that at the ripe age of 35 I would suddenly develop a love for skiing. I have to admit, the slopes here are beautiful, but as Diana Ross loved to sing there "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to make me want to play in the cold, wet, snow all day long.

Skiing is a popular activity in Japan. And unlike almost everything else, it is actually decently priced. It doesn't actually snow where we live, so you have to drive at least 3 hours to find decent skiing.  Matt loves when the weather turns colder and he can head North and hit the slopes. Last year we took a family trip to Gifu, where Sami learned to ski. This year, thanks to my knee injury, there will be no skiing in my near future. (Can you sense my disappointment?) So this month I stayed home with Sami since she isn't ready to brave the slopes alone quite yet, and Matt and the other two kids took a few day ski trips to Hachi Kita.

This year, Chris and Matt traded their skis in for a snowboard, and surprisingly they did very well. In fact, Chris is way better at snowboarding than skiing. We have a store nearby that sells lots of used ski and snowboard equipment so both were able to find themselves some good, cheap gear. Emily wasn't quite ready to trade her skis in, but she is planning to next weekend when she goes to Fuki Ski Jam with her two friends.

Matt, Chris, Emily and our neighbor Maggie getting ready to brave the slopes

 Beautiful mountains

 Emily and Chris on the slopes

 Chris and his gear

 Chris trying to be cool

Emily & Maggie

 Matt & Chris on the chairlift. As you can see it is really snowing.

I think Sami was feeling a bit left out of all the fun, so Matt helped her practice the proper ski look at home. 

7th Grade Ski Trip

Every February the middle school students at Canadian Academy take a 3-day winter ski trip. Each grade goes to a different ski resort somewhere in Japan. Imagine my stress when after only being here a month we were to send our little girl on an airplane with a bunch of kids and chaperones that we did not know to Northern Japan for 3 days. But after all the worrying on our end, the trip turned out to be an amazing experience for Emily.

The kids waiting at the airport to leave for their trip.

The 7th grade class went to Shizukuishi Ski Resort, located in the Iwate prefecture of Japan.



They had 3 days of skiing, sledding, snowball fights, eating, and learning about climates, weather, physics, and even how to market their own ski resort.

The kids doing a learning exercise.

Emily said that it snowed so hard at times that you could barely see.


Emily had an awesome time and it was good for her to get to know the kids better and to start making friendships.

I think next year Matt will chaperone.