Naeba Snow Adventure
It took almost all afternoon to build our quinzee or snow shelter for our first night in the snow. We chose a spot not too far from the hotels at the bottom of the resort just in case things didn't work out and began digging at 13.30.
On the small bank we selected there was already quite a build up of fresh snow so with the supervision of Paul Farthing and help of the rest of the Jets' snowboard party a large mound of well-mixed snow was soon created. All in all about 3 metres in diameter it looked plenty big enough for the 3 of us. (Myself, and midfield dynamos Steve Parker and Paul Adamson). Then, to the disappointment of those who'd come to see the cave itself, we left for a couple more hours riding while our snow mound compacted.
Returning just before 16.00 the three of us worked till 18.30 to hollow out our cave. With only one shovel and saw it was tough going especially as we hadn't helped ourselves by burying any bags under our original mound.
Taking turns digging and removing snow the cave itself soon grew. The difficulties at the start when digging in a tiny enclosed hole were replaced by anticipation as with each shovel load the inside grew. With this it took two of us to clear the snow that one was digging and we used the removed snow to soon make an enclosed entrance-way to keep out the wind. In fact our entry portal ended up being so low (to keep the hot air in) and so well sheltered that we didn't even block it for the night.
As it grew later and we all grew colder we made a final effort to clear out more of the floor of the cave - we now had enough space for three of us to lie down and also for our bags but we wouldn't be able to sit up straight. In making a couple of air holes it was obvious that our cave still had very thick walls and roof (over 80 cms); but as the snow was getting heavier outside, and we were all tired and hungry, we decided that it would be enough and rode down the short way back to civilisation.
As it was our first night out in the snow we allowed ourselves a luxury trip back to the pension where we had stayed the previous night and also took a hot-spring bath in the village. Sakamoto-san, owner of the Oji Pension and friend of the Jets, needed a lot of convincing and the promise of an early morning call before giving us emergency snacks and allowing us to go out into the snow and to what he seemed to see as our certain doom.
Up in the village we spent longer than usual in the steaming bath, not wanting to go back into the cold, and even when we'd made it back to the slopes it wasn't easy to leave the giant Prince Hotel where we stocked up on final provisions.
Back at the cave and nearing midnight we took turns to go in and sort ourselves out. There wasn't really room for the three of us to be moving around inside so it was one at a time. Cooking outside was difficult in the wind and snow, so when settled in our sleeping bags we moved the gas burner into the entrance-way to make soup and noodles.
It was past midnight when we stopped eating and drinking and put out the candle nestling in it's shelf in the wall. Outside the wind and snow showed no signs of letting up and the temperature stayed below -10 degrees. Inside it must have remained 1 or 2 degrees all night as even the water-pac near the entrance-way didn't freeze. Wearing a balacalava, hat, gloves, and fleece and sleeping in between my two fellow explorers I soon warmed up. Paul needed a bin liner to stop his bag getting too wet from the dripping roof - next time we need to smooth it off more carefully - and Steve with a summer bag and borrowed clothes had perhaps the toughest time. Nevertheless we all made it through the night and it was clearly warmer than I'd been when staying in a Japan Alps mountain-hut the previous November.
Steve who had to work back in Tokyo in the morning was first up at 05.30. Paul and I couldn't really move because of the lack of space so we let Steve go - thankful that we weren't working ourselves. After Steve had left we had a little more room and began the two-hour process of getting up and changed. With soup and chocolate and a warm sleeping bag it was hard to motivate to get up and out. Still we managed one by one - the toughest bit being getting into our snowboard boots without standing.
Leaving a few things in the cave we rode down to the warmth of the Prince hotel to change again and dump some of our excess baggage in the lockers. Still hungry and glad to be in the warm we searched out breakfast and stumbled across an absolute feast of everything that you could want - Japanese English and Continental styles all laid out in a buffet paradise. Dazed, and excited we'd somehow missed the entrance and found ourselves in the centre of the buffet platter with the other hotel guests. We filled our trays and not seeing anywhere to pay sat down for a most excellent breakfast totally befitting of our fabulous adventure.
After speaking with Paul Farthing and the poor Sakamoto-san, who'd kindly spent much of the night worrying as to our fate, the day was spent riding in sunshine on the fresh that had fallen overnight.
Thanks to all the Saitama Jets who helped build the mound, and to the Sakamoto's for their concern.
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