Mount Hakkoda (elevation 1,266.5m) in Aomori Prefecture is a popular spot for backcountry skiing and is enjoyed by many.
When you climb Mount Hakkoda, you can see a large, beautifully shaped isolated peak to the west.
That is Mount Iwaki. At 1,625m, it is the highest peak in the prefecture. Along with Mount Hakkoda, it is one of Aomori Prefecture's most representative mountains.
Due to its distinctive shape, it is also known as "Tsugaru Fuji."
Mount Iwaki, a representative mountain of Akita Prefecture, is a mountain range that doesn't often appear in the media, in contrast to Mount Hakkoda. However, when you actually ski or snowboard on it, you'll find that it's a mountain with steep and mellow slopes everywhere that are irresistible to us skiers and snowboarders.
This time, I'll introduce a report of a one-day tour that I accompanied on an Akita Adventure Guide tour.
[1 DAY TOUR -Mount Iwaki-]
9:30 Meet at Aomori Spring Ski Resort
10:00 Start hiking up
11:30 First drop from just before Nishihoji Forest
12:00 Second drop from the regroup point
12:15 Lunch
13:30 After climbing back up, third drop in the forest
14:00 Followed by fourth and fifth tree runs
14:30 Return to the bottom of Aomori Spring Ski Resort - End
There are mainly four routes for backcountry skiing on Mt. Iwaki. One is the route starting from Hyakusawa Ski Resort on the south side of the mountain, another is the route starting from Yayoi Ikoi no Mori on the east side, another is the route starting from Oishi no Sato, also on the east side, and the third is the route starting from Aomori Spring Ski Resort on the north side.
This time, we'll be taking the route starting from Aomori Spring Ski Resort, which allows you to conserve energy by using the ski resort's cable car before heading into the backcountry.
During the 2021-2022 season, the gondola that goes all the way to the summit of Aomori Spring Ski Resort was not operating due to a mechanical failure, so we took the Quad 1 lift up to the middle of the mountain. From there, we put on our climbing skins and walked for about 20 minutes to the gondola's summit station.
Then, from the entrance to the backcountry area at the summit (approximately 900m above sea level), we began our serious climb up Mt. Iwaki. The
area near the summit of Mt. Iwaki is full of sastrugi due to strong winds blowing in from the Sea of Japan, so it is not possible to ski there. Our actual destination is just before Nishihojimori, a small peak at an altitude of 1,288m.
The trail begins through a beautiful beech forest reminiscent of the Shirakami Mountains on the border of Aomori and Akita prefectures.
Being among the trees provides shelter from the wind, making for easy walking. Mount Iwaki is not a popular mountain for hikers, so on this day there was only one set of tracks from a group ahead of us. As we walked, slopes that looked perfect for untouched tree skiing opened up before us.
"When we're walking, customers often ask us, 'Can't you ski down this slope?' or 'I want to ski down here.' There are so many attractive slopes everywhere. If there's a slope you'd like to ski down, please don't hesitate to let us know,"
said Takeki Fujimura of Akita Adventure Guide, who kindly agreed to be our guide for this trip.
About 30 minutes after leaving the ski resort, we arrived at a wide open space with a view of the foothills. Since we had been walking for almost an hour, we took a short break.
Mutsu Bay was also visible from this spot.
After the break, we set off again towards Nishihoji-mori. From the break onward, the view remained open as we made our way through the sparse forest. After another hour of walking, we arrived at the drop point just before Nishihoji-mori. Because we were above the treeline, there was nothing to block the wind, and strong winds were blowing.
The slopes were packed hard by the wind, so be careful not to let your skis or luggage get blown away.
From Nishihoji Mori, the summit of Mt. Iwaki is visible right in front of you. As if watched over by Mt. Iwaki, we dropped onto the open slope.
The snow was packed just right, and when you stepped on it, you could feel the fluffy snow sleeping beneath your feet, making for a very pleasant run.
We skied down exhilaratingly amidst the magnificent scenery.
And then another one from the regroup point. There was less wind here, so there was a lot of powder
After enjoying the open slopes, we descended through the forest, traversing the terrain. This is where we took a lunch break.
"There are various ways guides handle lunch, but I like to sit down and take my time to eat,"
says guide Fujimura. You can also enjoy a picnic-like experience in the beautiful beech forest.
The next point we reached was a spectacular spot where we could ski while overlooking Mutsu Bay. We could do tree runs and open skiing. Each member discussed where to ski and then dropped off. The skiable area was wide, so no matter where we skied, there was no track
We continued skiing through the forest for two more runs. The forest is less affected by the wind and there is plenty of light, fluffy snow. Even though it is mid-March, there is still plenty of high-quality powder snow lying dormant
After enjoying the open runs and tree runs, you will ski through the stream and return to the slopes of Aomori Spring Ski Resort to finish the day
By mid-March, spring skiing was in full swing at ski resorts across Honshu, but Mt. Iwaki still had snow from the peak season. You can gain altitude from the ski resort using the cable car, and there were relatively few people there (there were only two other groups besides us that day), and the powder was well-preserved, with open runs and just the right amount of spacing between the trees. It was a mountain that seemed to have all the charms of the backcountry packed into it
| Tour Name | Iwaki Mountain Tour (Akita Adventure Guide) |
| Average hike time | Approximately 2.5 hours |
| Guide Ratio | Guide 1-2: 1-10 guests |
| Required equipment | Beacon, shovel, probe, climbing equipment, helmet (recommended) |
| Difficulty (required BC experience level) | BC beginner/intermediate skiers: Skiing skills are intermediate or above and can handle fresh snow |
| Participation fee | From 12,000 yen, private guide (1-6 people) 46,000 yen |
| Reservations and inquiries | MAIL:ftarbo0928@gmail.com TEL: 090-9516-5114 |
Interviewed and written by Daigo Onozuka