A freeride tour of six of the most exciting resorts in Hokkaido, featuring a day of snowcat riding and a bit of skitouring!
This destination needs no introduction. Japan, Hokkaido, volcanoes, sushi, sake, and powder up to our armpits – and not just any powder, but the lightest in the world! Undoubtedly, it is the “Mecca for every freerider.”
So, it’s no surprise that Japan and Hokkaido are part of our itinerary, but as usual with us, we want to do things our own way 😉 How?
First and foremost, we have a rather unique experience planned – a day of snowcat riding. Imagine several meters of divine powder, where only our crew is shredding it up XD We know many great spots, but snowcat riding in Japan is a different dimension, topped off with a cosmic lunch!
During our freeride trip to Hokkaido, we will visit as many as seven different locations – yes, exactly, we’ll be hitting a different spot every day! In addition to resorts like Furano, Kiroro, and Sapporo, we’ll also explore the backcountry of the highest volcano on the island – Asahidake. Makoto, our local guide born in Sapporo, will lead us throughout the trip.
Of course, there will also be time to experience the Japanese way of life – at the famous hot springs (Japanese: Onsen), in restaurants, and indulging in the local urban entertainment 😉 Are you ready for the Freeride Tour in Japan with Off Piste?
Freeride with Snowcat
6 Different Resorts
Backcountry
Après-ski and Onsens
Price Includes:
- 9 nights accommodation in double rooms at 3* and 4* hotels
- Breakfasts
- A total of 7 days of skiing with a local mountain guide
- 1 day of freeriding with a snowcat and Japanese lunch
- Supervision by a Polish team leader
- Full itinerary: road transfers, 4 cities
- Standard travel insurance including medical expenses, accident coverage, and personal liability. Additional insurance covering off-piste skiing is required. Many of our clients already have year-round high-altitude policies. If you don’t have one, we can provide coverage for the trip at a cost of 370 PLN.
Price Does Not Include:
- Flights
- Meals other than breakfast (approximately 200 PLN per day)
- Ski passes (day pass approximately 170 PLN)
- Ski or snowboard equipment – you need to bring your own
- Avalanche safety equipment (beacon, probe, shovel) – available for rent, reservation required
- Extreme sports insurance, including off-piste skiing
- Tips
- Entrance fees to attractions
- Anything not mentioned in the program
ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORTATION
- There are plenty of flight options to Sapporo, so if we don’t all fly together, we’ll just meet at the destination.
- We will stay in hotels in the cities of Otaru, Furano, Sapporo, and Asahikawa
- We will travel around the island in a rented van, and with a full group, a second vehicle
- In Japan, everything is smaller 😉 We suggest not overpacking
- For more information, check the TRIP PROGRAM tab
OFF PISTE – Terrain Details:
- During our trip to Hokkaido, we will visit several different resorts where we will enjoy freeriding with lift support, as well as some short approaches on skins. Our freeride tour includes:
- Furano
- Otaru
- Kiroro
- Sapporo Kokusai
- Sapporo Teine
- Asahidake
- We have one day of snowcat freeriding planned
- We also plan to conquer the highest mountain on the island – Asahi volcano at 2291 m above sea level – first using a gondola, then completing the rest of the journey on skins
- Our guide will also take us to their skitouring “secret spot,” where the total vertical gain for the day will be around 1100 meters
- What equipment to bring?
- Light and wide skis (100mm+), with touring bindings
- Splitboard and a second powder board (we can switch equipment as needed in the parking lots)
Difficulty Level: 7/10
- On Hokkaido, the main challenge may be…the amount of snow! We definitely recommend having prior experience in skiing in deep powder. Every fall in several meters of powder involves considerable effort in getting back up, searching for your ski, etc., and it may also pose a risk of suffocation.
An additional difficulty can be the trees, which can sometimes be quite densely packed – good control over your skiing line is essential.
Trip Profile
- In the resorts, we will primarily be freeriding, but we will also do some short approaches for variety and in search of untouched powder. Two days will be more focused on skitouring, so if you don’t want to miss out, definitely bring your freetouring gear.
SAFETY
- On this trip, we will be led by a certified (JMGA) Japanese guide
- The trip will be overseen by a Polish team leader
- INSURANCE:
- The trip price includes basic travel insurance. Additional coverage for off-piste skiing is required. This can be purchased from us for 370 PLN per person. We do not include this in the base price as many of our clients have their own year-round high-altitude policies.
- There is also an option to purchase Trip Cancellation Insurance, which provides a refund in case you are unable to join us due to illness or other unforeseen events.
- Participants must have avalanche safety equipment and know how to use it
- We also recommend an avalanche backpack, which can be rented from us (reservation required)
VISA
- Not required.
HOW TO JOIN THE TRIP
- Fill out the reservation form
- We will contact you to sign the contract
- Pay a 30% deposit
- We’ll complete the group, handle the formalities, flights, details, etc.
- Pay the remaining amount 30 days before departure
CANCELLATION POLICY
- If you cancel up to 60 days before departure, you can transfer your deposit to any other trip – we will issue a voucher valid for 2 years.
- We recommend additional insurance in case of illness or an unforeseen event preventing you from traveling. You will then receive a full refund for the trip. Ask us about Trip Cancellation Insurance.
- We reserve the right to change the program due to circumstances beyond our control, such as insufficient participants, snow or weather conditions, or political situations. In case we need to cancel the trip (even for reasons beyond our control), we will promptly refund all payments made.
Day 1 (February 3)
We depart from Warsaw. It will be a long journey – approximately 20 hours in total.
Day 2
We land in Sapporo and treat the symptoms of jet lag with a tried-and-true recipe: ramen, sake, onsen, repeat 😉
Days 3-5
Each day, we will visit a different ski resort, most likely in this order: Sapporo Kokusai, Kiroro, Sapporo Teine. During these days, we will stay in Otaru and Asahikawa.
Day 6
Cat skiing, meaning a day of freeriding with a snowcat, combined with an awesome lunch – this is not a cheap affair, but believe me, it’s unforgettable! Of course, this is all included in the trip price. In the afternoon, we’ll move to a small mountain town, Furano.
Day 7
We will take a gondola to halfway up the highest mountain on the island – Asahi (2291 m above sea level) – and from there, we’ll continue on skis. It’s possible that we’ll first make a few runs from the gondola.
Day 8
We will charge on at another resort – Furano. For those who are tired, there’s an option to take a break for some local-style recovery 😉
Day 9
It’s time for our guide’s skitouring “secret spot”. Hokkaido has many wild and uninhabited areas covered in mountains and 12 meters of snow 😉
Day 10
Time for a cultural clash, which means an evening in Sapporo!
Day 11
We will fly home early in the morning, and thanks to passing through multiple time zones, we will arrive in Warsaw on the same day.
