Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Japow Tours joins with Mammut for Trial Program.

This year Japow Tours in partnering with Mammut to bring you a special trial program.  As customers of  Japow Tours you will be able to try and use the New Mammut ELEMENT Barryvox Avalanche Transceiver  for Free. YES FREE! It's a great opportunity to try the best Transceiver's in the Business for those who want to venture into the Backcountry safely. Book your next trip with Japow Tours and try one out yourself.  Thanks to Outdoor Japan for making all of this happen! 



Weekend, powder snow and sunshine, the perfect freeride combination. However, the thrill of the search for untouched expanses of deep snow should never make you lose sight of safety. Along with an avalanche shovel and a probe, the Mammut ELEMENT Barryvox is an essential item of basic equipment for any freerider. Pared down to the essentials, the LVS convinces thanks to its clear instructions and simple operation.
In an emergency, every second counts. The Mammut ELEMENT Barryvox, developed and produced entirely in Switzerland, has therefore been reduced to the essentials. This digital 3-antenna device offers high performance combined with great ease of use. Its one-button operation and clearly laid out display make the device easily understandable and user friendly. Guaranteeing fast and precise location. Additional aids include signal analysis, listing of victims and a marking function, to quickly and reliably tackle even complex situations involving multiple buried victims. To ensure that the device continues to work correctly even after a fall, the extremely robust housing offers effective protection against impact or breakage.
Unlike its big brother, the Mammut PULSE Barryvox, the ELEMENT does not have an analogue mode. The ELEMENT Barryvox also does not include any user configuration options. In addition, only the PULSE version can display victims’ vital data. The device is therefore ideal to help even less experienced users keep a cool head in serious situations.
Technical Features:
  • Type: Digital 3-antenna device
  • Transmitting frequency: 457 kHz
  • Range approx.: More than 40 m
  • Search strip width: 40 m
  • Dimensions: 113 mm x 75 mm x 27 mm
  • Weight: 210 g (including batteries)
  • W-Link frequency EU: 869.8 MHz
  • W-Link frequency USA/Can: 916-926 MHz
  • Batteries: Alkaline 3 x AAA 1.5 Volt
  • Battery life: At least 200 hours
  • Warranty: 5-year Mammut warranty
  • Standard: EN 300718


Saturday, December 24, 2011

Japow Tour/ Snowpulse

Hakkoda is off to a great start with meters of snow before Christmas. I got a call from Pierre of Snowpulse.com (which make amazing life saving technology for Mammut and a handful of other companies) saying he heard Hakkoda has the best snow on Honshu right now. He was right. Snowpulse makes an Avalanche Airbag System that is designed to keep you afloat in case of avalanches.  For more on their system check out snowpulse.com and Mammut.com  Here a few pictures from the last couple of days at Hakkoda, and no we did not have to deploy the life saving airbag system.

Check out Snowpulse in Action: This guy is really lucky he had Avalanche Airbag System.








Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Tokyo-Yokohama

Been traveling and working lately.  Burton Sales, Outdoor Japan, Mammut and catching up with old friends.
Here are a few from last week while on the road. Good to be home and see the family and stoked to go snowboarding this week.












Thursday, December 15, 2011

Hakkoda Opening day!

Hakkoda opened the ropeway Tuesday the 13th 2011 for the Season.  In the States a place like this would be crawling with powder junkies on opening day.  But not in Aomori Prefecture Japan.  It's not Hokkiado, so anything north of Hakkuba gets lots in the shuffle.  Hakkoda has deep, deep snow.  Not the steepest mountain, with most runs just under or around 30% pitch, but an abundance of good snow.  What I love the most about Hakkoda is the local seen.  Pure Powder Junkies.

I pulled into the parking lot at 815am and there where only a handful of cars.  Unbelievable!, I thought to myself.  If this where Mt. Baker on opening day, I would have been late, especially with a couple feet of powder to shred.  But this is Japan and this is why I love it here.  I hooked up with a Hakkoda local Ryoma-san and friends for the most of the morning trading turns and powder boarder cross bumps.  The snow was pretty low tide so lots of bushes and bamboo where exposed which make for more things to bonk and jump over.  Great first day on snow for the season. More powder days head. 



Monday, December 5, 2011

Hakkoda Time Lapse

Spending time in nature, especially the mountains is what gives me peace. Although, I have been in the mountains when these magical sights appear, I have never had the time or the right equipment to make a serious time-lapse photography film. Some day when I have the time and the very expensive  equipment I will do some nature time lapse photography. The people who do this type of nature photography have great patience to wait for the right time and moments to take these amazing sights come to life.  Here are some time lapse photography from the Hakkoda Mountains and other areas in Aomori Prefecture.  This is all right in my back yard. Really amazing stuff and I am super inspired by this guys work. 
For more check out it out here-------> Aomorigonta youtube

Please open to full screen to get full effect on these Videos!!!!!