Dispatches: Quebexit Strategy – Oli Gagnon 1.1 Japanese Backcountry

February 24

6am in the van... it was bluebird today so we had to be on it. I spent 2000 YENg's at seico mart for breakfast and lunch.

Photos & Captions: Oli Gagnon

It seems like everyone and their mother is in Japan right now. Well except us, we are stuck sitting in an office at the moment… but that is besides the point. SNOWBOARDER senior photographer, Oli Gagnon is checking in with his second Dispatch from the Land of the Rising Sun. Luckily for them the sun rose enough to get a bluebird day in a backcountry zone on the North Island called Tokachidake. Stay tuned for more Dispatches from Oli.

This is the spot, Taka Nakai's favorite zone to go on the north island. It's called Tokachidake, bring your snowshoes.

We ran into the Nitro crew on the way up. Bryan Fox, Austin Smith, Knut Eliassen, Mark Welsh and filmer/mule Hayden Rensch. Had to do a group souvenir photo.

Shark Boy, the japanese Gus Engle.

Here I poached Hayden's angle when Bryan dropped. Sorry Mark.

To make the day even better, we ran into the YES bros too. DCP, JP, Romain and Tadashi along with filmer and french tabarnaker Pascal gallant. I feel like I am back in Whistler, only without a sled.