Fluffy white fluff.

Japan, as everyone knows, is a magical powder wonderland. Little anime trees dancing on picturesque mountains buried to their branches. Curry for lunch. Cute kitty cats doing their cute thing all covered in fluffy white fluff.

The best place to snowboard in the entire world? Don’t take my word for it. Here is Army Capt. James Bassette, 30, who arrived at Camp Zama outside Tokyo in October, has been skiing and snowboarding regularly this season.

“I’ve probably gone six weekends. I don’t know if this is a normal season, but the amount of amazing champagne powder is on par or better than British Columbia (in Canada). It’s effortless skiing through it.”

It is a normal season but dangerous for some as a United States Air Force airman was recently injured on a snowboarding jaunt.

Air Force Tech Sgt. Amy Lynn Koehler-Warren, occupational safety manager for the 374th Airlift Wing, issued a warning to all service members in country.

“This sport is fun but can be dangerous if the proper precautions are not followed.”

She then advised them not to exceed their experience and skill level, inspect and maintain gear, obey posted signs, not stop on the slope, never snowboard alone, stay on-trail, wear a helmet and let someone know where they are going and when they will return.

Wise.

Better than Spam musubi.

Maunakea, the Big Island of Hawaii’s tallest volcanic peak, has received near-record snowfall this winter drawing many rippahs. There is no resort, no lifts, lodge or peppermint schnapps infused hot chocolates for apres but there is plenty of room to shred.

Vermont native, Aaron Todd, for example has waited and waited for this moment since moving to Hawaii in 2018.

“I mean this is insane, right?” he declared after multiple runs from the summit. “I don’t think there are too many people who can say they’ve snowboarded in Hawaii. When I was coming up here I saw the snow thin out, so I was a little worried,” Todd said. “It’s a little icy, but I was able to get some nice runs in.”

Very cool.

He heard a rumor that it snowed in Maui last year and will be checking forecasts etc. to catch if it happens again.

Shreddahs are allowed to drive to the top then have their spouses collect them at the bottom.

A likely bummer for the spouses but better than having to sit on a beach and take pictures of a husband or wife surfing.

The absolute worst.

Got ya!

There are surprises and then there are surprises. Like, finding an extra Taco Bell burrito, unpaid for, in your bag is a surprise. Going into an outhouse near the mecca of Alaskan snowboarding, though, and becoming bitten by a bear from below is a surprise.

But let us meet Shannon Stevens who was on a backcountry adventure with her brother near Haines.

You certainly recall Haines from every recent snowboard film ever.

Very dynamic.

In any case, Shannon and her brother were staying in their yurt when she needed to use the facilities.

Out she went to the outhouse, opened the door and…

“…sat down on the toilet and immediately something bit my butt right as I sat down,” she told The Associated Press. “I jumped up and I screamed when it happened.”

Her brother, hearing the commotion, rushed out to find Shannon tending to her wounds. He assumed she had been tasted by a mink or squirrel but no, she told him. “I said, ‘There’s a bear down there, we got to get out of here now.’”

The next morning they found bear tracks all around the property but Shannon is not mad. “I expect it’s probably not that bad of a little den in the winter,” she said.

What a lovely person.