Backcountry guided tours
When skiing in the backcountry, there are many benefits to joining a tour led by a trusted guide. Having a guide with you can help you enjoy the experience with peace of mind, especially when skiing in unfamiliar areas or when the weather is not ideal
Generally, there are two types of guided tours: application-based, where people can choose a set schedule and content and apply freely to participate, and private, where a guide is rented exclusively for a group or individual. Each has its advantages, but the one I experienced this time was a private tour. Let me tell you what it was like
international mountain guide
Yuji Emoto
International mountain guide Yuji Emoto is not a member of any particular guide club, but is a freelance guide who only conducts private tours on his own
"In the application-based tours where individuals participate individually, strangers form groups, and because their skill levels and preferences differ, it can be quite difficult. Participants may experience unnecessary stress, such as 'That guy fell again,' or 'That person is always the first to ski.' Well, Japanese people are relatively easygoing, so they are less likely to complain or argue about such things, but foreigners will complain without hesitation. Since
many of my tour guests are foreigners, I basically handle everything privately, whether it's one person or a group. If you're in the same group, even if your skill levels differ, or if someone falls, or if problems arise, you'll mostly be tolerant of each other. Also, since the group has usually reached a consensus on where they want to ski and what kind of situation they want, I can often accommodate their requests,"
says Emoto.
It's true that on a typical tour, participants who don't know each other first gather together and start by nervously exchanging greetings. They check each other's skills by watching the hike and the first run, and proceed while trying to figure out whether they can get by without causing trouble for the group, which often involves being considerate of those around them
This time, five of us asked Emoto for a private tour. He knew everyone's skiing level, physical strength, and level of selfishness, so we didn't feel any stress as mentioned above. Emoto said that he is reducing the number of guides for foreigners for the 2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were lucky to be able to book a tour even during the February holidays
First, we meet the day before and decide where we're going
On guided tours, the group will share in advance where they will be skiing and what the conditions will be
"You wanted to ski at the top of Happo, right? But it hasn't snowed for two days, so there might be some tracks by now, but would you rather go for a long high-alpine run? Or would you rather ski on high-quality, untracked powder?" Emoto asks
"When you say high-quality powder, do you mean in the forest? Like Tsuga powder?"
"No, no, not on the groomed slopes. You climb up from Tsugaike, go up to the treeline, ski in a good spot, walk again, ski in another good spot, and then go down to a different ski resort."
"I'd like to ski in the high alpine, but which do you think is definitely the best place to go tomorrow, Emoto-san?"
"The powder."
"Okay, then I'll go with that."
Our group usually enjoys powder snow at places like Tenjindai, Kagura, and Niseko. We enjoy backcountry skiing on our own at our home slopes, but this time we wanted to fully explore uncharted areas of Hakuba, so we decided to hire a guide. We made sure to communicate our skill level to Mr. Emoto in advance
Aiming for the top from Tsugaike
The next morning, we left one car at Hakuba Norikura and headed towards the summit of Tenguhara from Tsugaike Kogen Ski Resort. Itwas a 90-minute hike. Under clear skies, each of us climbed at our own pace.
Even as we climbed higher, the surrounding trees were already in full spring mode. It was hard to tell whether there was any dry powder left
The perfect powder spread even with the sunshine
"You can slide down here. I'll be waiting for you at the bottom, so feel free to go down there. There might be some snow piled up in the middle."
Emoto led us up a steep slope facing north, a bowl-shaped terrain. Emoto nimbly sprayed up the air as he descended in one go. Despite the sunny weather and rising temperatures, the skiers were covered in the finest powder. Our excitement rose as we watched. Each of us dove into the soft-looking snow
In the morning, we enjoyed two skiing spots with good views, and then we went on long runs in powder through tree and stream terrain. Just as we had said last night, there was still good snow left. Thankfully, Takahiro Nakanishi, the photographer who accompanied us on the tour, filmed our skiing. Here's a clip of our riding
Descend to Hakuba Norikura for a break and move to the neighboring Cortina
After climbing back up, we skied down again, and before we knew it we had arrived at Hakuba Norikura Ski Resort for a coffee break.
"The temperature is high and the snow is quite heavy, but do you still want to ski?" asked Mr. Emoto.
"We still want to go!" we replied.
We got into the car we had left at Norikura and headed to the neighboring Cortina Ski Resort. There we bought two lift tickets and went back up to the upper part of the ski resort.
A luxurious dessert of a powder tree run
"From here we'll be doing a tree run. I think the snow's probably not dead yet... but who knows? Well, let's go," Emoto said, and plunged into the forest.
Wow, that looks invigorating. The sun was shining brightly and the temperature was 5 degrees Celsius. I had thought it would all be spring crust snow by now, but there was still plenty of dry snow left in the forest. And it was untouched. I had no idea such a luxurious dessert awaited us.
We made our way through the forest. After passing through a pleasantly gentle slope, we nimbly flew over trees spaced about 25 degrees apart. It seemed like we could go on. As we descended in altitude, the snow turned to heavy, wet snow
"We'll be traversing a steep slope up ahead. Be careful if you're on a snowboard." We carefully descend a fairly steep cliff
Catch the train from Nakatsuchi Station to Cortina in 15 minutes!
"We have to get to the bottom in 15 minutes, so let's hurry up," Emoto said, and while I wondered why it was 15 minutes, I persevered and made my way down the cliff, eventually arriving at a small town. Urged on, I walked for a few minutes and arrived at an unmanned station called Nakatsuchi. From there, I was to catch the train back to Cortina
The train arrived shortly after we arrived at the station. There were other skiers with their skis and boots, and we all boarded the train. If we missed this train, the next one would be an hour and a half later. This is when I understood why there were only 15 minutes. If I had asked the reason on the mountain, I might have fallen over from nervousness and missed the train
In the end, the course for this day was to start from Tsugaike, cross several mountains, and finally ski down to a small station in Otari Village. It started at 9am and ended at 4pm with a lot to do. What a special tour it was
[Tour Course]
Tsugaike Kogen Ski Resort → Tenguhara Area → Hakuba Norikura Ski Resort → Cortina Ski Resort → JR Nakatsuchi Station in Otari Village
Two days later, I booked another private trip,
this time to Happo BC.
Enthused by this experience, we decided to ask Emoto-san for a private guide again two days later. There had been no snowfall yesterday, and skiing down the slopes didn't seem like much fun. We asked Emoto-san again, confident that he would take us to a nice spot even in these conditions
"Today we want to ski the upper part of Happo," we said.
"Then let's walk about three hours from the top of the lift and ski a long run of untouched powder," suggested Emoto.
However, this time we declined Mr. Emoto's proposal and requested, "Since the weather is nice, we want to ski two runs at Happo BC." Only in a private setting can we get such a request accommodated
To Happo BC
Today we headed to the top of Happo-one Ridge. We started from Happoike Sanso lodge on skins and snowshoes. The dazzling blue of Hakuba awaited us
The high peaks of the Northern Alps spread out before your eyes, with Mount Karamatsu and Mount Fukimine in front of you, Mount Hakuba Yari, Mount Shakushi, and Mount Hakuba on your right, and Mount Goryu on your left
Thanks to the guide, we were able to stay clear of tracks even on the next day when there was no snow
Although there was no snowfall last night, we chose to drop onto the vast slopes without tracks. With High Alpine, you can enjoy untracked powder even the day after there is no snowfall. Thanks to the guide who led us to a good route
Enjoy the natural beauty of Hakuba and experience the benefits of a private guide
Under clear skies and the Hakuba blue sky, we were able to ski two runs at Happo BC, just as we had hoped
"Hakuba is a deep place. Whether it's sunny, snowing, or a little windy, there's always a place where you can enjoy skiing. There are plenty of fun spots within the ski resort, and in the backcountry there are so many routes you can't ski them all. Of course, the places you can go will vary depending on your skill level and physical strength, but Hakuba is an area where you can truly experience skiing in the great outdoors," says Emoto
We were blessed with good weather this time, and were able to fully enjoy the spectacular natural scenery of Hakuba. We were also able to fully appreciate the benefits of having a private guide
[Tour Data]
Happo-one Ski Resort → Happoike Mountain Hut → Happo BC → Hakuba Village (2 runs)
To recap the benefits of a private guide:
The price for a private guide is basically the same whether you are traveling alone or with a group. A one-on-one tour can be quite costly, but if you split the cost among the group, as in this case, it is quite reasonable
- You can ski with like-minded friends without worrying about your skill level,
and the experience can be customized to suit your group.
- The participation fee is higher than application-based groups, but it can be reasonable depending on the number of participants.
Not only Mr. Emoto, but many guide clubs also offer private tours. We hope you will take advantage of this option when enjoying BC with like-minded friends
❖ Yuji Emoto
- UIAGM International Mountain Guide
, French National Certified Mountain Guide
, French National Certified Ski Instructor
*Private guides with Yuji Emoto are available for up to 6 people and start from 50,000 yen per day. Prices vary depending on the location and content
Report: BS.H / STEEP Editorial Department Photo: Takahiro Nakanishi, Diceman, Dominick