Backcountry Skiing in the Roof of Hokkaido
Daisetsuzan and Tokachi-Dake

You will meet a guide at Asahikawa airport that connects to Tokyo Haneda airport or other airports with multiple daily flights. An hour drive with a private van will take you to Asahi-Dake Onsen, one of the principle hot spring resorts in Daisetsuzan National Park. The resort is located at altitude of 1,100 meters, Mt. Asahi-Dake (2,291m) is just in front. Get relaxed and enjoy hot springs at a hotel.

After breakfast, we take an rope-way to the upper station called Sugatami-no-Ike, it takes 10 minutes to gain 500m in elevation. The upper station is situated at above the tree line of 1,600 meters in elevation, if the weather permits, you will see a breath taking scenery of white mono-color world with Mt. Asahi-Dake spouting water vapor violently from several fumaroles. Pasting the climbing skins on your ski sole, while looking up at Mt. Asahi-Dake, although it depends on weather conditions, we reach to Sugatami-no-Ike Refuge situated at 1,670 meters where we start skiing. If the weather doesn’t allow us, we’ll enjoy skiing between upper and lower cable station.

This section is about 4 km long and is almost inside the natural forest with just the right distance between trees, a ski lane created by a snow cat is also usable. Normally, multiple time of skiing are recommended with using an unlimited one day ticket.

After skiing, we return to the hotel in Asahi-Dake Onsen.

After breakfast, we take a transfer by private van to Tokachi-Dake area, it takes nearly 2 hours . A lovely mountain lodge called Hakuginso is located at 1,010 meters, we paste climbing skins and start climbing toward to Mt. Sandanyama (1,748m). Cutting tracks on the ridge that continues at a steady angle, we go beyond tree line at altitude of around 1,200 meters. We may need to attach the ski crampons to tackle the slippery snow surface. It usually takes about 2 to 3 hours to get the top of Sandanyama. From the top, we ski down on the ridge we came up, or in the valley called Furiko-Zawa, it depends on the condition of the day. If the situation permits, a multiple time of skiing with re-ascending will be possible. After skiing, we take a short drive to the accommodation in this area.

After breakfast we take a short drive or start directly from the hotel entrance, toward to the end of ‘Giant ridge’, one of big ridges stretching from Mt. Furano-Dake (1,911m). We start climbing from a point at altitude of 990 meters, crossing two small valleys and hike up constantly, we finally reach to the ridge top, it normally takes 3 hours to get to the position at elevation of 1,750 meters.

Skiing down on Giant Ridge is definitely one of the best spot in Hokkaido. If the

situation permits, and also you still have spare energy, a couple more times of skiing

should highly be recommended.

After breakfast, an hour drive with a private van will take you to Asahikawa Airport.