STEEP has started a reader report series, believing that the experiences of its users will be valuable information for others. This is the first installment of the series, brought to you by Yoshi, who has been skiing for 20 years and has been backcountry skiing for seven seasons, and usually skis mainly in the Hokushin and Tohoku regions
Back to Kagura Mountain for the first time in a while
Kagura is a mecca for backcountry skiing within easy reach of the Tokyo metropolitan area. My own backcountry debut was at Kagura in the 2018 season. As my backcountry experience grew, my range of activities expanded, and recently, I'd only skied a little at Kagura Ski Resort for my first run, so I'd been away from it for quite some time
This time, through a friend's introduction, I participated in a backcountry camping event hosted by a shop called "UPLND Kagura Camp (February 26-28, 2024)." It was my first time in several years to visit Mount Kagura. I would like to report on my experience
What is "UPLND x OGASAKA Kagura Camp 2024
Let's start by explaining what kind of camp "UPLND Kagura Camp" is. It's a truly luxurious ski camp hosted by "UPLND," a pro shop that sells the Nordic brand Haglöfs, and will be joined by OGASAKA, Haglöfs, and guide Yamaki-X (also known as Yamaki Masahiro)
When I think of ski camping, it usually means staying at a lodging near a ski resort for two or three days and having fun skiing with friends when I was a university student, but this time it was the adult version. Members with connections from the backcountry guide club I often use and the shops I frequent gathered together, and together with staff from each manufacturer, it was an adult camp where we all enjoyed Kagura's powder for two nights and three days
The joys of a shopping tour
The unique pleasure of a shop tour is that you will be accompanied by staff who are knowledgeable about gear, and you will be able to obtain a variety of up-to-date information during the tour
After dinner, the camp was packed with entertainment elements not found on regular tours, including an introduction to OGASAKA's backcountry and freeride skis, interesting development trends, materials from Haglöfs and next season's items, a fitting contest, and a gift for participants at the end
Furthermore, the key feature of this tour is that photographer Hiroyuki Nakata will be taking photos of the skiing during the tour. A professional photographer will take photos of the skiing scenes every day, and at night we will all project the photos onto a big screen, with Yamaki-X (Yamaki-san) reviewing each photo!
I could see why the regulars were so excited about this. The photos taken by a professional are just so cool! (laughs)
On the first day, I joined the tour without thinking about anything, but from the second day onwards, I started thinking about how I would look in photos, adjusting the accessories on my backpack and the way I held my poles to be more photogenic! From the second day onwards, I started dressing nicely, and the photos reviewed in the evening got better and better. This is how more and more "conscious" skiers who care about how they look in photos are born (laughs)
Exquisite guiding that can be enjoyed by participants of a wide range of levels
From the perspective of a skier, backcountry tours seem like a very difficult undertaking. It can also be extremely difficult to find a guided tour for beginners, and once you do try one, you may feel intimidated by the number of advanced skiers
This camp, which is aimed at beginners to intermediate skiers, is perfect for that. Of course, there are many advanced skiers among the participants, but with Yamaki's superb guidance in selecting the right slopes, both beginners and advanced skiers can enjoy a very satisfying ski run
During the three-day camp, the last two days saw continuous snowfall, creating perfect powder conditions. Thanks to the excellent selection of slopes, with both mellow lines and lines for advanced skiers on the same slope, everyone in the group, with a range of levels, was very satisfied
As long as you have a certain level of skiing skill, anyone with any level of backcountry experience will be fully satisfied. The warm consideration to meet the expectations of a wide range of participants and the outstanding guiding know-how are very moving and impressive, and I think this is why I can especially recommend this camp to backcountry beginners
Another benefit of camping is that professionals gather
What makes this different from a regular guided tour is that many other people involved are also participating besides the guide. This time, the UPLND Kagura Camp was attended by professionals in their fields, including the Ogasaka Ski development manager, the Haglöfs Japan representative, and the UPLND planning manager. Not only did they gain a deeper understanding of gear, but they also had deep knowledge of how to avoid equipment problems
In fact, during this camping trip, my wife, who was with me, had trouble with the poles of her beloved MSR, freezing. Specifically, if she used the three-section poles for two or three days in a row, they would freeze on cold days, making it very difficult to change modes. Until now, she had managed to get by by warming them up, but..
A staff member who witnessed the situation took the time to help us solve the problem after dinner. First, we disassembled the pole and looked closely, and found water droplets scattered all over. These should have frozen. In short, the structure makes it prone to insufficient drying
However, it is not something that can be easily disassembled, so we will think about how to make maintenance easier. This is something that only happens when we spend time with professionals in the field. Encountering many such episodes is one of the charms of UPLND Kagura Camp
Experience the fun of skating in a different environment
Spending three days at UPLND Kagura Camp, I learned and enjoyed things differently than I would on a backcountry tour with my usual group of friends
One thing I had imagined to some extent was the variety and high quality of the guides' guiding styles. Another was the richness of the three days spent with the caring staff who tried to liven up the camp as a whole. It far exceeded my expectations. The other was the warmth of the participants. Many people might be hesitant to spend three days suddenly sharing meals and sleeping quarters with people they've never met before, but that's only at the beginning. When people who share the same hobby of playing in the snow gather together, they quickly become friends within a day
When the people around you change, the information you receive changes, and so do your plans for your next tour. In fact, after hearing so much about the wonders of Mount Yudono from those who participated in this tour, I decided to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Yudono myself this spring. If you're someone who always goes out with the same guides and friends, someone who loves skiing but isn't yet used to backcountry skiing, or someone who wants new motivation to ski, why not join the UPLND Kagura Camp again next year?
SPECIAL THANKS
Guide: Masahiro Yamaki
Support staff: UPLND rider Ai
Sato Salesperson at RCT Japan Co., Ltd. Miura Salesperson
at UPLND Shunsuke Murai
Salesperson at Ogasaka Ski Nagano Head Office
Seki Photographer Hiroya Nakata