Each year at NCMG we offer what we call the "rotating tap". These trips are for people that have skied with us before and want to try something new. In the winter of 2018 we offered a rotating tap trip to Hokkaido in Japan. With all of the stories about the deepest, driest snow and storms that would dump meters upon meters of snow, we simply had to experience this for ourselves. Needless to say we were blown away. Japan consistently lives up to its reputation, so we added Hokkaido to our yearly offerings. In addition to legendary powder, Japan offers a unique cultural experience with amazing food, wonderful hosts, and beautiful hot springs (onsen). There's nothing quite like grabbing a bite of sushi out of your pack before dropping into deep Japanese feathers!
This trip will include 6 days of skiing based out of two locations on Hokkaido - Niseko and Furano. Both of these locations offer virtually infinite options for backcountry tours or "sidecountry" laps at numerous local ski areas. Each day we will travel from our lodge via 4x4 van to find the best snow. En route we will grab lunch at one of Japan's famous quirky convenience stores (a unique cultural experience in its own right!). After a full day of powder skiing, we will soak in one of the local onsens followed by an amazing dinner. This will be the general day to day flow.
We combine two areas on Hokkaido to give us the best options to find great powder in a variety of terrain: Niseko and Furano. Niseko is the bustling center of skiing on Hokkaido but has easy access to a plethora of backcountry terrain and some of the most famous powder on Earth. Furano is quieter and is more backcountry oriented with outstanding touring in the trees and beautiful alpine terrain on the volcanoes.
Our trip includes the following:
Not included:
Day 1 - Meet in Niseko in the early evening for a briefing and welcome dinner
Day 2 - Ski in the Niseko area
Day 3 - Ski in the Niseko area
Day 4 - Morning skiing in the Niseko area then drive to Furano
Day 5 - Ski in the Furano area
Day 6 - Ski in the Furano area
Day 7 - Morning ski in the Furano area then drive to the Hotel near the New Chitose Airport
Proficiency in alpine touring or splitboarding
Advanced level skiing or snowboarding ability
EQUIPMENT LIST – Japan Skiing
TRIPS COVERED BY THIS LIST:
A NOTE ABOUT EQUIPMENT LISTS: Nothing can ruin a trip faster than having the wrong gear for the conditions at hand. All our programs are subject to rapid and severe changes in the weather. Select garments that are warm, lightweight and durable. Generally speaking, the best arrangement is to think in terms of layers – a system that dries quickly, allow flexibility and resists wind, water and abrasion. All of us have different tolerances for heat or cold; for example, you might choose warmer gloves than specified here if you tend to get cold hands. If you have doubts about a specific garment’s appropriateness, please talk to your guide in advance about conditions you are most likely to experience. This list is built for a trip with an unsettled weather forecast. With a good weather forecast some of these items may be left behind to save weight.
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CLOTHING Head, Hands & Feet
Upper Body Layers
Lower Body Layers
ACCESORIES
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ACCESSORIES continued…
SKI / RIDE
AVALANCHE SAFETY (these may be rented from NCMG)
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LODGES
TRAVEL
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2025
January 6th-12th - ONE spot available
