One of great pleasure of skier of my country is taking onsen after skiing. I will let you know some manners and medical knowledge what you should do in an onsen.

I looked an instruction poster at cheap hotel in Akita Hachimantai ski-area where we visit every winter.

http://www.sanroku-j.jp/ski/ski-1.htm

The poster which is displayed at the big bath room entrance says:

Drink enough water(not alcohol) before and after taking onsen.
Do not rinse away an onsen mineral water from your body after taking onsen.
In the beginning, take ease and slow your body into an onsen.

We've just returned from skiing 2 separate days at Blue Mountain in Collingwood Ontario. I feel so lucky to have been there.

Some may remember that I broke my tib/fib in a sloppy fall 5 years ago. I didn't think I would walk again, let alone ski.

So it's very special being out and about, even if I ski slowly now.

Have you been heli-skiing lately?

Regards,
Dave L
x-boler mountain
ski instructor for 35 years.

Yes, I went to the BB in 2005. To tell the truth, I have no good memory at BB. Because, only 2 heli-skiing days in one week by the bad weather(It was rain even in a midwinter!!). I haven't particular difficult terrain in my memory in there. Although the first day temperature was -30 degrees celsius. I was wandering fields near lodge by cross-country skis in rainy weather days. Once we arrived to the lodge, avalanche and helicopter guidance was held. Then we started skiing even in a first day. To make matters worse, I was bothering about jet lag at that time.

We couldn't earn a regular vertical drop per a day. Probably, I suppose there were improper skiers in the other two groups.

Anyway, Have a good ski days at BB!!

I have no wife. I have a girl friend who does not ski. So I go it alone. It rained? -30 degree C? Sounds bad to me.

I will be leaving in 2 days. I'll find out what the deal is. May be I'll get lucky.

I usually drink sufficient wines and beers to counter the effects of jet lag. I should be alright.

Chong

We were divided into 3 groups with about 10 skiers in each. The helicopter Bell 212 which carried up to 13 people flew all day nonstop to pick up and drop off skiers. We all had a wonderful time skiing. I had to take off early because my lungs and skills did not measure up. But I skied enough. It was a dream came true.

I met a few people there. They were nice people. Most notable was Laura Ogden who was in my group and I shared dinner table with her once (the third night). I have no idea who she is because I don’t keep up with the celebrities in skiing at all. But it turns that she owns a number world and US championships, including the US Free Style Extreme Skiing Women’s championship. Although we rode the helicopter together, Laura Ogden skied off on different trails with her two professional photographers. So I never had the honor to witness the Champion skiing. Not only she wins various championships in skiing, she is a enthusiastic and nice person. AND she is beautiful. Yep, God is not always fair.

You need to be careful on the timing you buy. Most of popular clothes will be sellout till November.

I will let you know some well-known companies as follows:

http://www.asics.co.jp/winter/products
http://www.descente-onlineshop.jp/
http://www.idoneski.com/product.html
http://www.phenix.jp/
http://www.mizuno.jp/ski/
http://www.goldwin.co.jp/gw/snow/product.html
http://www.japana.co.jp/ski_wear.html

I hope that you able to operate a Japanese browser.

Thanks a lot for the information. They are useful for me because I have short extremities relative to my body. May be I find something I like.

By the way, I just had my wet suit custom made over the weekend when I visited SCUBA convention in New Jersey.
http://www.beneaththesea.org.

Chong.