Dancing Snow: Myoko Outdoor Adventures
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Dancing Snow

News

New website coming

We've been quiet the last two seasons—for obvious reasons! But now, with Japan opening up again, we're excited to get going again, and will have our new website up shortly with lots of information for the coming season. We're looking forward to getting out in the Myoko backcountry with you! In the meantime, please contact us at info@dancingsnow.com if you have any questions, requests, etc.

Looking forward to seeing you soon in Myoko!

Software Update for Tracker 2 Transceivers:
Free at Dancing Snow!

 

Backcountry Access (BCA) has announced a software update for the world-renowned Tracker 2 transceiver, one of the most popular and reliable units available. The update improves transceiver performance in low-power mode, a special feature of the unit. This is not a recall or a mandatory upgrade, but an upgrade to ensure the best possible functioning of your unit. Upgrades will be available free of charge through Dancing Snow, a BCA authorized dealer.

 

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If a user leaves a Tracker 2 in the powered-on state for more than 12 hours with no input, it automatically switches to the low-power mode to conserve battery life. It then emits an audible beep every two minutes. Along with saving power, this also lets people know if a unit has inadvertently been left on while in storage.

 

Most people will probably never use this mode, turning their beacon on in the morning or at the trailhead for a transceiver check, then shutting down the unit at the end of the day. However, when entering the low-power mode, the transmit pulse can vary slightly from international standards. So, while there have been no accidents or problems associated with this fact, and only one other transceiver has had any problem in picking up signals from the Tracker 2, every owner should update the software in their Tracker 2.

 

For more details, these links will give you the official release from BCA on the update, and an FAQ sheet as well.

 

To update your transceiver, just contact us at sales@dancingsnow.com, or call at 090-1433-1247. You can send your Tracker 2 transceiver cash-on-delivery by your favorite delivery service; we’ll update the software and return the transceiver to you free of charge.

See us if you need a new wire!
The BOA closure system found on snowboard boots, our Tubbs snowshoes, boots, golf shoes, running shoes and a whole lot more is a tough, clever way to get tightly into your footwear. Boa
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The wires can break (apparently the twist unit can get bashed to death by some of you mad tree bouncers)—although it doesn't happen that often. If it does, just come by Dancing Snow. We've been trained, we have the parts (which are free), and we can get you back in pristine form and ready to head back out on the hill. The labor will be affordable, too—just buy a beer and relax while we rethread the wires! (or a coffee, or a new BCA avalanche transceiver. We aren't fussy). Let us know if we can help!

Shop
Lots of fun stuff for the snow
Dancing Snow is here to guide you up into the mountains, but we're also ready with a variety of things you'll need to be safe and have fun when you're traveling in the hills:
· Topographic maps of the area, with English key (above; so you know which hill is which!)
· BCA snow safety gear: beacons, shovels, probes, airbags
· K2 skis, poles, boots
· Tubbs snowshoes
· Fits ski and hiking socks
· Ultra-light Blue Ice ski-use harnesses
· Myoko-original items from Maruni Jeans

Get your new skis!
Ready for some new skis just right for the Myoko snows? You can get those shiny new boards right here at Dancing Snow!

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K2 Pon2oonWe can get you set up with all the skis from K2 and Line, put on the bindings of your choice, get them waxed and ready and hold them here for you until you come to visit! We can also ship around Japan as well.

And, if you like, we can also store your skis right here in Myoko for you over the summer. We’ll put on a thick summer wax to protect the edges and bases, store them, then have them ready for the coming season. Just contact us at info@dancingsnow.com if you'd like more information, or want to place an order.

We also carry the full line of BCA snow safety equipment, K2 and BCA poles, helmets, skins, Tubbs snowshoes, and some fun Myoko-original clothing and goods in our center.

Sea Kayaking & Canoeing
We’re in the mountains, but we love to go out on the water. Myoko’s a great place for sea kayaking: Lake Nojiri is just minutes away, and is ideal for a first, wave-free kayak experience. And within an hour, we can be on the ocean in an area that’s fun for beginners or experienced kayakers alike. We also would be happy to take you out for the fun of paddling on the lake in a canoe as well — quite a different paddling experience from a kayak.

We also have a great deal of experience in hosting multi-day sea kayak touring on the Sea of Japan. Destinations include Wakasa Bay in Fukui, the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa, Awashima Island off the northern coast of Niigata (a great first camp/kayak destination) and Sado Island, right off the coast here. For tours, we often work with our partner Granstream.

We would be very happy to develop an itinerary and estimate for you, based on the number of people, days and destinations.
First paddle
Lake Nojiri is a great place for a first experience in a kayak or canoe. There's a surprising mount of wildlife here, from fish and freshwater shrimp in the water to kingfishers, mandarin ducks, cormorants and birds of prey in the air around the lake. If you're an early riser, we'd suggest getting out very early, before the motorized bass boats start screaming around the lake at 7am. But it's always good to be out on the water, and the fishermen's initial frantic attacks usually quiet down pretty quickly (tehy get a bad case of big fish fever first thing in the morning, but quiet down once they start casting).
Second step
I had to use that title, as it's also the name of one of our very favorite restaurants in Myoko. But, once you've gotten used to the feeling of kayaking on the lake, the natural next step is to head out to the ocean. The area near Kashiwazaki, a little less than an hour's drive from Myoko, gives us a great setting for learning about the waves, about threading through the narrow passages of the rock gardens, and more. In fact, on a quiet day it is possible to make this a first paddle as well, if you're confident in and around the water. Once you've gotten used to them, the waves make paddling a lot more interesting (although we'll never go out when conditions are wrong, or if our guest isn't confident). This means learning a greater of variety of paddle strokes to move through tight spaces and deal with the waves.
Touring
As mentioned above, one of the main goals in learning to paddle is to then be able to go out for overnight or multi-day tours. Sea kayaks and canoes make these trips great fun: they carry a lot of gear (none of it on your back!) so we can carry along lot of camping gear and even heavy items like Dutch ovens!

Some of the possible destinations include:
  • Okutadami Lake (on the border between Niigata and Fukushima) by kayak or canoe.
  • Awashima Island. easy access, camping right on the beach (or in a beach house). A complete circumnavigation of the island takes about six hours, and anyone with a good, straight paddling line can do it.
  • Sado Island. Much bigger than Awashima, a tour here can be anything from a two nights to more than a week to do a complete paddle around the island. Historic, with excellent local cuisine and even some saké breweries that can be toured along the way.
  • Wakasa Bay. One of our favorite places, with lots of choices for touring, super-clear waters and good food! Pretty far from Myoko, but we can meet there, and also call on our local partner Granstream from support.
Pricing
There are so many variables, particularly in touring (we can even provide a luxury tour with our car moving ahead to prepare meals, or host a tour where we stay in local hotels), so tell us what you'd like to do and we'll get back to you with an estimate and more information!
About backcountry activities
Please read and understand the following before taking part in a tour:

1. Depending on weather and snow conditions, tour destinations may be changed, or the tour cancelled.

2. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding and water sports involve the risk of injury or death. For that reason, we require all guests to sign a waiver before taking part in backcountry activities (a pdf version can be found here). At the same time, our guides have training in paddling and water safety, first aid, avalanche forecasting and rescue, and are dedicated to providing the most enjoyable, well-planned experience possible

3. Every Dancing Snow client is automatically included in our group insurance policy at no additional charge (please contact us if you would like more details on coverage). We also strongly suggest that all those taking part in backcountry tours have their own active insurance policy which covers outdoor activities.

4. If you do have a chronic health condition, we appreciate your letting us know. We know that many people can take part in outdoor activities despite some conditions, and we respect your ability to judge if a tour will be within your abilities. Your information will be kept strictly secret, but will be very useful in helping us respond should anything happen during the day.

Note on personal information
To ensure the safety of our guests, we do ask for personal information including telephone numbers, emergency contacts, etc., as part of registration for lessons and tours. We will not use this information for anything other than this purpose, nor will we release any personal information to any third parties.

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