While the great appeal of being able to enjoy free skiing in the great outdoors is the backcountry of snowy mountains, where there are various dangers lurking. Backcountry guides are experts who use their wealth of knowledge and experience to provide you with an unparalleled skiing experience while ensuring your safety on these snowy mountains.
We take a closer look at the ``personality'' and ``guiding'' of up-and-coming guides who choose professional guiding as their profession and step slowly and steadily into the world.
Dark history that you don't want to know
``My teens and 20s are a dark past for me, so I don't want the world to know about them (lol).''
Shortly after the interview began, Kawada began as follows. Even though the past is a dark history that goes against his ideals (although the author does not think it is a dark history), he has acquired the JMGA Ski Guide Level II, which is said to be the most difficult qualification for BC guides in Japan, and is able to work as an outdoor guide throughout the year. making a living. The effort and hardship behind it is immeasurable. There are bound to be customers and readers who sympathize with that. I conveyed my thoughts to him and continued the interview.
Kawada was born in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture in 1978. ``I started skiing when I was a child...'' is a common thread in the BC Guide introduction series, but he spent his childhood having nothing to do with snow.
``As a child with asthma, my body was weak and I didn't like exercise.I was forced to go to swimming lessons to make my body stronger, but I hated it.During my school days, I was never able to do anything that I could be proud of. I just lived day to day, without anything to do, without anything to do.''
When he fails in his university entrance exam and is on a break, he becomes a shut-in and worries about life. A friend from high school couldn't help but take me outside and said, ``That's not okay!'' That was the prefecture's ski resort.
``During the ice-climb, I fell down the slope and was covered in bruises all over my body.I thought I'd never see it again.But I didn't have anything to do even at home, so I went a couple of times at the invitation of my brother and friends. As I was skating, I was able to skate and it became more and more fun.I can only thank my family and friends."
The snowbum days of youth like a roller coaster
After learning about the resort part-time job through a part-time job information magazine, he ended up spending one season at a hotel at the Echo Valley Ski Resort in Nagano Prefecture, which is run by a ski school.
“That winter I spent at Echo Valley, and that summer I grabbed my part-time job money and went skiing in New Zealand.Then, the following winter, I went to Sumikawa Snow Park and Eboshi Ski Resort in Zao, Miyagi, and the following year. I lived in Ishiuchi Maruyama, then in Niseko the year after, until I was about 26 years old.''
The magical power of snowboarding suddenly takes you to NZ from a reclusive life. My delayed youth has been like a roller coaster. However, I can't make a living just by snowboarding. Considering his age, he decided it was time to start a stable life, so he started working as a temporary worker for a major automobile manufacturer.
``I was assigned to the Tahara Factory in Aichi Prefecture, which faces the sea.The nearby sea is called Irago, and it is a popular place for surfing, so I fell in love with surfing.''
Kawada tours exclusively on SUP during the summer with BC Caravan, which he represents. Lately, I've been obsessed with whitewater river SUP and river surfing.
“Shower climbing and mountain climbing feel great, but I guess ultimately I like riding. I change places, change seasons, and ride my board all year round.”
On the unstable board, you can bring out your physical abilities and feel the snow and waves under your feet. At times like this, he forgets about time and is able to simply face himself without thinking. There was talk of becoming an employee at a major automobile manufacturer, but something didn't quite sit right with him, so he left the company at the end of his term. Later, due to the Lehman shock, a large-scale period of construction was cut, and he said with a smile, ``We were lucky to escape.''
life started to turn
Around that time, my life started to turn around when I reunited with my senior instructor who was with me at Echo Valley during my first year as a Snowbum.
``I was asked if I would like to work at Power Zone, an outdoor guide company in Aichi Prefecture.In fact, while I was working as a temporary worker, I was guiding shower climbing at Power Zone only on weekends.At that time, I couldn't speak at all. I couldn't create a good atmosphere, and I didn't have any on-site skills, so I wasn't good at all, but it was pure fun to be able to share time with smiling customers.''
With invitations from senior guides and the president himself, he was hired as a full-time employee at Power Zone, and was assigned to mountain climbing and BC tours.
``In the winter, I went to Takasu Snow Park in Gifu Prefecture almost every day to work as a BC guide.For six years, I went to the same mountain almost every day.Now, that has reversed and I have started touring. Maybe they're doing a caravan (lol)."
A 1-hour hike from the lift top at Takawase Snow Park will take you to Mt. Dainigatake, which is 1,709m high. Four ridges extend from the top to the north, south, east, and west, and you can choose your favorite slope to ski based on sunlight and wind conditions. It's a great tree run inland with a good chance of clear skies and a beech forest covered in light snow. Because the terrain is complex, it's a guide's skill to have a pleasant ride with as little hiking as possible.
``It is no exaggeration to say that my foundation as a BC guide was developed during my six years at Takawashi.I learned how to read the weather, how snow quality changes depending on wind and temperature, how to take safety margins, and how to line up hikes and rides. Looking back now, I think I was blessed with a good environment, terrain, and snow quality.I wasn't studying under a mountain guide and was immediately thrown into the snowy mountains, so I was very scared at first. I studied hard, explored, and absorbed everything in my own way.”
I want to be a bridge that connects people and snow.
Through his experience in the field and the support of his fellow guides, he has grown to the point where he has acquired JMGA Ski Guide Stage II, the most difficult qualification for BC skiing in Japan. At that time, why not take over as management to the president? I was invited. However, when I told him that I wanted to work hard in the field, he decided to quit because it did not comply with the company's guidelines.
In December 2014, he launched "BC Caravan" and became independent. When you look up the word caravan in a Japanese dictionary, it says, ``A group of merchants who load camels and form a caravan through desert regions.'' The name of the shop reflects our desire to become a bridge that connects people and snow, just like traveling in search of good snow. By the way, Kawada's favorite car is not a Nissan/Caravan but a Toyota/Hiace.
At the end of December, he boards a ferry in his Hiace and crosses to Hokkaido with the bare minimum of daily necessities. During the mid-winter period until the end of February, he works as a guide in the Satoyama areas around Asahikawa.
“Until a few years ago, I used to sleep in my Hiace, but now I rent a monthly apartment in downtown Asahikawa and use it as my base.The Asahikawa area has low temperatures and good snow even in the countryside, making it easy to avoid bad weather. There aren't many people and you can ski on good snow without stress.Asahikawa is famous for Mt.Asahi, but in the midwinter the weather can be rough and it is easily affected by the wind, so you won't be able to ski on good snow unless favorable conditions are met. I only go on days when I feel like I'll regret it if I don't go today (lol).
Most of the guides in Hokkaido are very easy-going, and thankfully, we are able to form horizontal connections, which makes it easy to exchange information, explore together, and work together.''
There are probably some local guides who hate being a travel guide. The reason why Kawada is loved by local guides is probably because he never forgets his respect for the locals and his humility. Additionally, Kawada himself is a member of the Japan Backcountry Ski Guide Association, and may be attending training sessions and interacting with guides from various regions.
``I'm not limited to Asahikawa, I'll go anywhere where the snow is good, like Nayoro in northern Hokkaido, or Niseko or Kiroro in central Hokkaido.My strength is my light footwork.Customers who aren't used to that lightness may be surprised. Often though.”
What would the guests think if the guide told them on the morning of the day, ``We're going to change to that mountain after all!''? Okay! Good snow to ski on! I think most people expect this from their guides. To begin with, there is a parking problem in Satoyama, and since the guides pick up customers at hotels and stations and move them by themselves, it is the driver-guides themselves who have a hard time changing to far away locations. For Kawada, what kind of snow is “good snow” that he wants to ski on?
``In short, is it snow that everyone can ski on without stress? Deeper is not better. If it's too deep, you won't be able to pick up speed and turn well, and if it's shallow, you'll bottom out. The snow is nice and cold.However, even if it's too cold and dry, the snowflakes will stick to the soles and you won't be able to run on the board.It's a caravan that chases the snow in a nice way that everyone will love.
The tour continues
As the temperature rises in March, the caravans begin heading south. Cross the Tsugaru Strait and tour the mountains of northern Tohoku, such as Mt. Iwaki and Mt. Moriyoshi, before heading to the Hakuba area of the Northern Alps.
``Hakuba in the spring, when there are fewer foreigners and less high pressure, is definitely attractive.You can access high altitudes by ropeway, there is a wide range of active mountains, and you can say that it is a unique place where you can take all kinds of routes efficiently. I have a lot of respect for the guides working in Hakuba. Probably because the mountains are big, there is a lot of snow, the terrain is complex, and the terrain is steep, so he is highly sensitive to risks and is good at using the terrain. I learned a lot by watching them, and I would like to learn from their attitude in sharing snow information.”
In mid-April, when the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route begins to move, I head up Mt. He will become a resident of Raicho-so without coming down to the city until the end of May.
``So far, I have toured various mountain ranges during the remaining snow season, including Mt. Chokai and Mt. Gassan, but in the end I settled on Mt. Tateyama. Every spring, I confine myself to Mt. Tateyama, but I still haven't fully used the vast field. There are many different courses, and the mountain huts are comfortable and have hot springs, and one of the reasons I keep going is that I can interact with mountain friends from all over the country. Masu"
During the season, if you don't always pay attention to the mountain and constantly check the snow conditions and changes in the weather, you will become unbearably anxious. He doesn't go home often because he wants to be as close to the field as possible.
``It is up to the guide's skill to work in one mountain area and find good snow within that area.However, I want to interact with the locals and actively move in search of good snow. It would be great if I could experience the culture and history.”
Because it is ordinary, it is close to the guest's perspective.
In June, when I returned home from Tateyama to where my wife was waiting, I switched from snowboarding to SUP, and began a river caravan. Such a yearly cycle is the daily life of BC Caravan.
``I'm not a rider or climber with a track record of skiing or climbing, but I'm just an ordinary person.As a result, I think I can provide services that are closer to the guest's point of view. If you have a clear desire to ride, your guiding style may not suit you. I just want to ski on good snow and be happy. If I can bring a smile to those people's faces, I'll be happy."
The reclusive young man, who had asthma and was not good at exercise, is now working as one of the few young BC guides in Japan. Kawada does not show off the effort and hardships he has put in thus far. He is extremely humble. He is a hard worker who grew up as a snow bum and is a late bloomer.
I think that's why I'm able to value communication with my customers and provide detailed guides without being bossy. Looking at Kawada's pitch-black smile as he faces water all year round, I can see that he is where he is today because of the dark history he says, and that shines through as part of BC Caravan's charm.
【Profile】
Naoki Kawata (Naoki Kawata)
Born in 1978 in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture. Representative of BC Caravan, a guide company that travels on pilgrimages in search of good snow. During his time as a hikikomori, worried about his life, he discovered snowboarding and entered the world of snowy mountains. He gained BC experience in Gifu Prefecture as a guide manager for the outdoor guide company "POWER ZONE" in Nagoya, and became independent in 2014. BC areas that we specialize in include Satoyama and Tateyama around Asahikawa. In the summer, he makes a living doing SUP tours.
Qualifications: Certified by Japan Mountain Guide Association (JMGA)
, Mountaineering Guide Stage II , Ski Guide Stage II
BC Caravan
official website: https://www.bc-caravan.com/Official
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