Welcome to PowderTown
Ski Niseko Videos
Guests of Pension Woody Note consider themselves so blessed that many book their next season's arrival and departure dates prior to leaving for home at the end of their stay. Toshio San and Rie San also consider themselves blessed with the large number of family friends they have made over the years. One such family consists of three siblings who have a very special connection with Pension Woody Note. Their family was the first European (Australian) family to have a winter holiday at Woody Note and they have since become the first European summer guests.
Ski Niseko
Many guests regard the opportunity to ski Niseko as a privilege. The general standard of skiing at Niseko is very high with a disproportionate number of expert skiers to be found. Our first three videos feature Molly, Annie and Ned all of whom are expert skiers. In the first Molly Let's Loose. Strange skiing style? Not at all, they are Telemark skiers. Amazingly Molly, Annie and Ned would have been out partying until the early hours of the morning on each of the days they shot these videos. We can't believe they were able to hold the camera steady. Oh, and skiing over a cornice, no matter what it's height, is not recommended!
MOLLY
MOLLY LET'S LOOSE
Go Girl Go! The Gondola featured is the Hirafu Gondola.
ANNIE
ANNIE GETS PHILOSOPHICAL
Featured lifts are the Hirafu Gondola, the open Ace Quad, still referred to as the Center Four by local Japanese, and beside it the Ace Pair 1. The final scene shows Hirafu as seen from the top of the 'Super Ridge'.
NED
NED
The covered quad lift featured is the Hanazono Three Quad most often referred to as Hano Three. The opening scene is shot from the roof of the Pension with Virginia on the Left and the roof of the Cottage on the right. Most of the skiing takes place, as it does in the other videos , in 'Fujiwara No Sawa' which is out-of-bounds and accessed via Gates 3, 4 and 5. All the out-of-bounds areas in Niseko (Hanazono, Hirafu, Higashiyama and Annupuri) are roped off and can only be accessed via 'Gates'. If the gates are closed it will be because the area is unsafe. We have a saying in Niseko: "Duck a rope and Die".
RANDY And RALPH
Two repeat offenders at Woody Note are Randy and Ralph otherwise known as the Usual Suspects. Here they strut their stuff after taking the Hirafu Gondola, skiing either from the 'Peak', accessed from Gate 3, or skiing from Gate 4. Either way the last lift taken would have been the single chair nicknamed The Pizza Box. Once you have seen it you will know why!
RALPH AND RANDY
Opens with Ralph and Randy in the Hirafu Gondola.
HIRAFU And HANAZONO
The following video has been included because it has been shot at Hanazono and Hirafu. It opens at the bottom of Hanazono with the Hanazono Quad Lift 1 on the left. It quickly switches to the bottom of Hirafu with the Holiday Lift 1 (Pair) and the Hirafu Gondola visible. The flat section where Kiyo? is coasting along is the Setsuzoku Connection which runs from the top of Hanazono 2 to Downhill C. The video immediately switches back to the bottom of the Hirafu Gondola. The open quad lift depicted in the following scene is Hanazono 2, often referred to as 'The Chair to Nowhere' as its main function is to connect lifts Hano 1 and Hano 3
HANAZONO AND HIRAFU
Featuring Kiyo and Norriko??