Home > Trip Reports > Jan 11-18, Hokkaido, Japan

Jan 11-18, Hokkaido, Japan

1/11/16
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Posted by Kenji on 1/18/16 9:09am
This was an ACC trip for 10 participants with three guides, I was able to take the last cancellation spot in last Nov to join 4 other Seattle skiers. I learned to ski after I moved to US, never backcountry skied in Japan.  Yuji was our lead guide based in Canmore, Akiko was our local guide, who grew up in Hokkaido.  Wil was our ACC trip manager, who is a ski guide based in Golden.  It was a big group of good skier/sliders with various BC experience, which was sometimes a source of inefficiency especially in poor weather and many tour transitions.  We all had good time overall: great snow, different landscapes, good company, good food and hot springs.

We skied for 4 days around Asahikawa which is a major city in the central Hokkaido.  We enjoyed two mellow tours off a little pass, Etanbetsu. Nothing spectacular, but it was delightful, very Japanese (?).





Furano is smaller town and our lodge was up in the mountain at about 4500'.  A guide said over the years 30 days of January have been snowy in Furano area.  Fortunately we had one bluebird day for alpine tour, and skied other days in trees.









We all had wonderful time, are hoping to go back.  One sad incident was Steve's knee injury on the 3rd day at Asahikawa Ropeway (SteveP on TAY).  He had to leave early and miss the Furano skiing entirely. At least, the injury was a sprained MCL with no permanent damage, so he will be ready for Spring skiing.

More pics for .

Thanks for the wonderful pictures and trip report, the snow looks fantastic!

Wow, great photos, Kenji!

Wonderful photos! I love that area. Did you ski at all near the Furano ski area or mostly Tokachidake?

author=dromond link=topic=35514.msg145541#msg145541 date=1453676756]
Did you ski at all near the Furano ski area or mostly Tokachidake?

Just skied around Tokachidake and Furanodake.

Yuji, our lead guide, got a shot of me in deep powder:


Now I'm back in wet NW.  As much as I miss soaking in hot springs, also miss those bullet trains! This one runs between Akita and Tokyo in 4 hours at up to 200mph:


Every year when Stevens Pass has me do a survey, I say they should reinstate the ski train from Seattle to Stevens. Get on downtown, get off at the Iron Goat, and bus shuttle to the resort.

Let's bring this back:
http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/ref/collection/imlsmohai/id/6832

That would save several lives a year and many thousands of gallons of fuel to boot.

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jan-11-18-hokkaido-japan
Kenji
2016-01-18 17:09:38