Well I finally arrived in Japan after a fiasco in Narita airport. However it was altogether a fun journey. The winter is looking optimistic for Japan after a very slow start. Snow is on the way and LOTS of it. Clayton Kernaghan (owned of Black Diamond Lodge in Niseko, Japan) was nice enough to hook me up with a place for the ski season. So if you choose to live vicariously though blog updates for this year, make sure you come visit next year since it will only be better. I will try to summarize all the fun I have in this one tiny space full of videos/pictures the BD lodge crew will get this year.For now there will be two events going on at the lodge. Clayton and his wife organized a Christmas eve and Christmas night dinner for anyone that wants to come. So come meet all the guys here at the lodge (super chill) and get your apres eat and drink on. Here is the info:

Also spending the past 4 years in Utah, I am a bit calloused towards avalanche danger here in Japan. However, it is real and I quickly noticed from some debris on the side of the road that it is also the real deal. So the guys (BC guides) here at the lodge put on a pretty basic but definitely informative run-down of the basic tools and knowledge that will help you in this terrain.Every Tuesday all winter long (starting with Dec. 22) Black DiamondTours with the support of Yuki Bar and Powderlife magazine will beoffering a backcountry information session below the new BDTours officeat Yuki Bar. The session will run from 6-7pm starting with a discussionof the Niseko rules before moving on to cover the basic tenets of safebackcountry travel & terrain evaluation followed by a briefexplanation of the 3 essential pieces of rescue equipment everyoneshould be carrying in the backcountry.So go check it out if you are in Niseko-Hirafu, again if you haven't been here yet the snow is starting to fall heavy and it looks like it is going to be a late season.Should be getting some pictures and videos to update soon after this next storm hits! Sayoonara for now!