Catching Some Big Air: 栂池

Taka and Saki invited me to go snowboarding with them this weekend near Nagano. On Saturday, we took an early morning bullet train and were on the slopes before noon. The weather was beautiful, the snow was deep, and the scenery was magnificent.

Here I am catching some big air earlier this afternoon. 

And here's Taka going for a mid-air Method grab.
Props to Taka and Saki for showing me such a good time this weekend.
And here are the two of them amidst the Japanese Alps.
The sign literally says, "Suurooo Daown"

My pictures aren't doing the scenery the slightest bit of justice. The grey weather doesn't help. Under blue skies, the mountain range was exquisite. The resort we were boarding at, Tsugaike-kogen, was huge with trails wider than I've ever seen. Behind the mountain were even taller snow-capped peaks sleeping in the background, standing taller and more treacherous than the ski slope.