While the great appeal of backcountry skiing in the great outdoors lies in the many dangers lurking in the snowy mountains, backcountry guides are experts who ensure safety on snowy mountains while providing an indescribable skiing experience based on their extensive knowledge and experience. This article takes a closer look at the personalities and
guiding of up-and-coming guides who have chosen professional guiding as their profession and are slowly and steadily delving deeper into this world, one step at a time.
I was born and raised in the Yamaya family
Mountain guide Daichi Terui was born and raised in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, overlooking Mount Hayachine, one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains. Born in the Taisho era, his grandfather was a ski jumper and his father was a mountaineer whose hobbies were mountain climbing and skiing. From an early age, playing outdoors, such as in the mountains or camping, was a normal part of his daily life.
When he entered elementary school, he joined the Boy Scouts, where he learned the skills needed to survive outdoors, such as camping, ropework, and fire-making.
"You never know what life will bring to you, how the experiences I had back then are still useful in my current job. Things like tying a figure eight knot or a bowline knot. To begin with, I didn't even know what a mountain guide was back then."
The two books that led Terui to become a mountain guide
The bookshelves at my parents' house were lined with books about mountain climbing and the outdoors. Of the books I devoured, there were two that made the biggest impression on me.
"These were the Suspicious Explorers series by Shiina Makoto.
He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, and gulped down whiskey. I remember being happy even as a child that there were adults in the world who were so free."
And it was this second book that led Terui to become a guide:
"Annapurna Premier 8000 by Maurice Herzog, a French mountaineer.
I read it many times and it had a big impact on me. I learned from this book that there is a profession called mountain guiding that has a strong social status, and that sparked my interest."
For about 10 years, from elementary school through high school, I devoted my youth to cross-country skiing. In high school, there was no ski club, so I joined the track and field club, honing my explosive power in the 100m (personal best: 11.65 seconds!) and 200m sprints, and in the fall I ran long distance races such as relay races to improve my endurance.
I also built a frame from my father's road bike that was lying around the house and became absorbed in road biking. It was all for the sake of winter cross-country skiing.
"I used to cycle 48km one way from my home in Hanamaki to the Odagoe trailhead of Mt. Hayachine, then do a round trip up Mt. Hayachine (1,917m above sea level) and back. I used to do things like that a lot. I was always moving my body and never stopped during my student days.
Thanks to that, I was able to release my adolescent frustrations in the outdoors, so I never went through a rebellious phase (laughs)."
A fateful encounter at a mountain hut in Hokkaido
He entered Tokai University's School of International Studies (Sapporo Campus) to study Scandinavian culture, the birthplace of Nordic skiing. He also had a longing for the natural beauty of Hokkaido, the northernmost part of Japan, with its harsh and magnificent wilderness. In
the spring of his first year at university, he had a fateful encounter while staying at Ginreiso, a mountain hut located halfway up Mount Haruka (906m) in Otaru City.
"I met a woman there and told her that I wanted to become a mountain guide in the future. She was a client of international mountain guide Hirofumi Ishizaka, and under the pretext of introducing me to Ishizaka, the three of us suddenly decided to go on a multi-pitch climb up Akaiwa."
Hirofumi Ishizaka, an international mountain guide, looks back on that time as follows:
"I still remember the first time I interviewed him. At the time, I just wanted to listen. Terui was still a university student and had almost no experience in the mountains, but he was a cross-country skier and had good basic physical strength, and I was captivated by the sparkle in his eyes, which I could sense his enthusiasm."
After meeting him at Mt. Haruka, he began looking up to Ishizaka Hirofumi as his mentor and began training as a guide under him while still a student
"One winter day, I decided to go skiing on Mt. Yotei with Ishizaka-san, and we borrowed Dynafit skis with tech bindings and boots, and tried backcountry skiing for the first time. I couldn't ski at all, and just managed to get down by rolling around. To be honest, I had hardly ever done alpine skiing before that (laughs)."
Following his mentor's advice that if he wanted to be a guide in Japan, he had to master mountain skiing, he decided to use the money he earned from his part-time job at Ishii Sports Sapporo to attend lessons at Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort, aiming for weekdays when he could get one-on-one instruction
"Cross-country skis don't have edges, so at first I struggled with angling. That's why I've been training my skis since I became an adult. I
'm not very good, so I tend to make a lot of short turns, and I admire the big turns I see in videos and magazines."
The birth of a winter mountain guide who is just one year younger than his age
He obtained the Hokkaido Outdoor Mountain Guide qualification at the age of 19 while still a university student. There is an interesting story behind what happened at that time, which could be considered a youthful mistake
"The age requirement for application was 18 years old or older for summer mountain climbing and 20 years old or older for winter mountain climbing. At 19 years old, you can't get a winter mountain guide license. I didn't want to remain an apprentice forever. So I went to the office and said, 'I'm one year short, but please do something about it,' and they said it was fine (laughs)."
Thanks to his Hokkaido guide qualification, he was able to smoothly pass the transitional exam and obtain his mountaineering guide qualification from the Japan Mountain Guides Association at the age of 23, immediately upon graduating from university. He
then steadily built up his achievements, becoming a Ski Guide Stage I at the age of 25, a Ski Guide Stage II at 27, and a Mountain Guide Stage I at 31.
During this time, he ventured outside of Japan and experienced the global mountain scene, working as a heli-skiing operator and guide in Iceland in Northern Europe, and skiing across the auto route in the European Alps, and he used his natural drive to hone his skiing skills.
I don't have a home mountain
Terui is currently 34 years old. Based in Sapporo and Azumino, he runs ski and snowboard tours all over Japan. He specializes in the mountains of northern and eastern Hokkaido, as well as his hometown of Tohoku, but he doesn't have a home mountain. There's a reason for that
"Rocks, soil, trees... out of all the elements in nature, snow is the most unstable and uncertain. What's more, with climate change causing all sorts of weather changes these days, I think knowing the different snow qualities in different regions will give you a margin of safety when the time comes. There are
things you can only know because you're a local, but at the same time, there are also things you don't notice because you're a local. I think now is the time to absorb all sorts of information about different snow qualities, terrain, weather, and more, and to gain experience. Once I've mostly finished absorbing that information, I may decide on my home mountain."
He says that even if the mountain is different, what he does remains the same. He takes in information from the general town weather forecast, "Windy," and the specialized weather information "Chikyuki," digests it in his own way, and creates his own glasses for the day. He looks at the site with those glasses, judges whether it is safe or not, and continues to communicate with his customers while watching their expressions as he guides them
"Whenever I go into the mountains, I'm always nervous, in a good way, and very cautious. I always tell myself, 'Today is not going to be normal,' and prepare accordingly. I check the weather forecast a few days in advance and get information from local friends.
Because I don't have a home base, I make many new discoveries and enjoy the snowy mountains from the same perspective as my guests. However, because of my personality, I can't get excited and say 'Yahoo!', so I just guide calmly without showing any emotion on my face."
Although he is a devoted reader of the outrageous "Suspicious Explorers," Terui is cautious and honest. At his core, he has the humility and dedication typical of people from Tohoku
His mentor, guide Ishizaka, has this to say about Terui:
"Terui is serious and enthusiastic about his research. I think his fearless attitude of taking on new challenges is very good."
He not only studies the nature and customs of various parts of Japan, but also new gear and clothing, and uses this knowledge to build upon himself.
By traveling around Japan and interacting with various people, history, and climates, he is deepening and broadening his capacity as a human being before he becomes a guide.
Mental self-care as a guide
Terui has something he keeps in mind every morning while driving to the snowy mountains: a mental check-up to look at himself objectively
"For example, if I can't provide a good ski experience for my customers, I start to feel anxious. Is this affecting my composure? Is this anxiety or fatigue clouding my judgment? I ask myself these questions while driving, and try to bring myself into a neutral frame of mind."
During the season in January and February, he heads to the snowy mountains every day without a day off. Even if he is young, fatigue and stress accumulate when he does it every day. Surprisingly, the way he takes care of his body is by moving his body even more
"I focus on stretching areas that are tense or stiff. Also, if I have time, I go climbing on an artificial wall. When I use muscles that aren't used when skiing, my body loosens up and, miraculously, the fatigue goes away.
For example, when I stretch my arms out to a hold directly above me, it loosens up the muscles in my neck and shoulders that have become stiff from the weight of my backpack and skiing. When I lift my feet to a hold next to my hands, my hip joints open up and my range of motion increases. Also, talking with my friends or thinking only about the challenges I face is a great way to get away from the snowy mountains and refresh my mind and body."
I have to keep swimming
Terui laughs at himself, saying he's like a tuna who will die if he doesn't keep swimming. With the busy season over and spring coming, it's time to head to his mountain
"A different switch is turned on than when you go on a guided mountain climb. You take a tent and immerse yourself in the mountains for an extended period of time, incorporating vertical climbing and giving it your all. Since last year, I've been aiming to climb the north face of Mt. Kashimayari."
He has been skiing for as long as he can remember, and this year marks his 15th year of AT skiing, which he began at the age of 19. AT skiing has become his greatest weapon for mountain travel, and he has improved to the point where he can tackle some of the most difficult slopes in the Northern Alps
"I think of mountain guides as supporting actors. The main characters are the customers, and every step they take brings them closer to the summit. It is the customers themselves who are climbing, and the guide's role is only to help them. When they reach the top, when they ski down a nice slope, and when I see their smiles, I feel happy too. Those are the moments when I think I'm glad I have this job."
Terui is a guide who has the perfect balance of drive to charge ahead without looking back once he has made up his mind, and the caution to always be cautious. This balance is perhaps the most important quality for a guide. Guests expect their guides to take them into a world beyond their own capabilities. Guides then do everything they can to meet those expectations. Naturally, this creates danger. They take into account the weather, the members, the snow quality, and various other factors, and draw a line at which they can avoid accidents and determine their limits for their activities and terrain
Life is a game. It's better to be overly cautious. It's better to be reserved. It's better to be human. It makes
the atmosphere more relaxed. That's the kind of guide Terui is.
【Profile】
Daichi Terui
Born in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture in 1990. A mountain guide active in all seasons, from high-altitude variation routes to overnight hut ski tours. He has been devoted to cross-country skiing since childhood, and first put on AT skis at the age of 19.
His specialty mountain ranges at BC are northern and central Hokkaido, as well as his local Tohoku area. He is based in Sapporo and Azumino, and guides all over the country, connecting people with the mountains.
Qualifications held: Japan Mountain Guides Association certified (JMGA)
, mountain guide stage I , ski guide stage II
Terui Daichi
Official Website: https://teruidaichi.com/Official
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