Postcards from Niseko is a new series for ’17-’18 we have developed with Rome SDS Ambassador, Evan Wilcox. He will be sending us digital postcards from Niseko, sharing images and videos of the famed japow, and detailing the adventures he gets up to.
Closing Week
It’s over! The final chairlifts in Niseko have turned for the 2017-18 winter. I’ve had some amazing snow seasons in my life, but I can easily say without hesitation that this was my best yet. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. While the actual closing day at the Niseko United resorts was anticlimactic and very rainy, the final week had plenty of good times and interesting lines.
Grand Hirafu always pushes up a great spring park every year featuring the biggest jumps of the season. They did a great job this spring, creating the best set up I have seen yet. Hips, step-overs, step-downs, and the famous table top jump at the bottom of the run. This year that thing was big! As I’ve mentioned before, park is no longer my focus, but if there are interesting transitions (including hips) you can find me there.
I’ve had a new shape from Rome under my feet all spring that’s coming out for the 2018-19 winter. It’s called the Ravine. It’s a directional, surfy, all-mountain deck with a scooped-out rocker nose and strong camber from your front foot to your tail. I’m having a blast on the 162cm! It’s handled everything from deep spring powder to slashing slush, and matches my style of riding very well.
While all the young guns and park rats lap the new park, I spent most of my time picking out interesting lines and gaps that you can only find in spring. There is more snow higher up on the mountain, but the fast-melting lower section is dynamic and offers a challenge to me.
Reflecting on this winter in Niseko brings me joy. Years ago, when I used to live in Utah I remember thinking, “Is there anywhere in the world that I can ride powder every day? That’s all I want to do.” Niseko was that place this winter. The snow was incessant, and so was my happiness. That being said, there is still plenty of snow in these mountains to ride. You can find me hunting peaks on my splitboard somewhere in Hokkaido until it’s time to trade my snowboard in for a surfboard.
See you all next year!
Hello from Hokkaido! I'm Evan. I'm from Portland, Oregon, but now call Niseko my home. A few uninspiring snow years in the US left me with a hunger for deep snow, which let me to pick up and move to the snowiest place on earth. I now work marketing for Hanazono Niseko Resort and have the freedom to ride and explore these incredible mountains blessed with that world-famous japow. Follow my adventures here through Japan Grabs' Postcards!