After 2 weeks in Niseko I can truly say its changed my perspective on snowboarding, both in the different pleasures it can bring, but also educated me in the dangers the fun can bring. (Don’t worry Mum it was all done safely).

Over the past 2 weeks I’ve managed to experience the joys of riding through the gated areas of the Niseko resorts. Ungroomed and unpatrolled areas which are only opened when the conditions are good and safe enough to do so. Steep and deep in snow with lots of trees to meander through. Incredible, just incredible.

Physically challenging both when you have to dig yourself out the powder if you have fallen and mentally challenging for having to plan your line down and respond to the terrain in front of you.

I’ve hiked more times than can remember this trip. Sometimes through marked gates, other backcountry routes to peaks (with friends with significant backcountry experience) and other times with organised guides. I’ve had to dig deep as I’ve found both stamina and mental determination are both essential, but also learnt a great deal about equipment and clothing. Whilst here I borrowed or rented various bits, but I’m definitely investing in some avalanche gear before I return to Japan to snowboard (which is a certainty). More so for the piece of mind and knowing your own gear when it matters would be critical. I wanted to do an avalanche course, but time and overall exhaustion from the trip didn’t really allow.

Most of the time it was to find those mountain faces which haven’t been touched of if they have only the few who were willing to invest the hours to hike to the drop points. Some of the most mind-blowing runs in my 14 years of snowboarding that I will continue to dream about.

Other times it was just as much for the hiking experience – a great physical workout which still probably doesn’t net out the insane amount of food I’ve eaten.

A finally by no means least of the new experiences is cat skiing. Not cheap at $300 USD, but given a lift pass is about $50 a day I think you get what you pay for.

We managed to fit about 7 runs in on the day. We got picked up at 8am for briefing and equipment hire. The operator took us to a disused resort where the cat would drive us up to various points on the mountain and we would ride down through completely untouched runs given we were the only people on the mountain. We were lucky with the weather as it had dumped the night before and were told it was pretty tracked out with previous 5 days tours where it had not snowed. A pretty awesome bento lunch was provided as was a collection of videos and photos as part of the package. Great fresh track runs and some interesting chutes out which aren’t too dissimilar to the boarder cross in the olympics. Only single filed, much more narrow and unfamiliar turns which you need to be prepared for.  I’ll let the photos do the rest of the explaining, but something I would definitely factor into my trips in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwGj8OP__Tw

I also lucked in on accommodation. I stayed for a good few days in the normal lodge set up with the Tokyo Gaijins group but got the opportunity to share an amazing 17 sleeper chalet through Shane’s network of snow junkie friends. Kasetsu which was run by The Niseko Company was an insane set up that combined Japanese style with Canadian build quality. It was being in an episode of MTV cribs for 4 whole luxurious days. Would highly recommend doing this if you can.

To complement this it was a complement of extremely considerate and fun people from all over the world and varying walks of life.

So many laughs, snow experiences and one epic house party. I will forever be grateful to Shane and Xue for introducing me to the group, Hugh for dropping out (sorry dude but you missed out big time!) and most of all Don and Rochi for organising it all.

Prior to this my Niseko experience had been very different. The massive influx of tourists, so much so it was so far removed from the Japan I have thus far experienced and grown to love. A popular destination for the Australians and Chinese made for a weird combination where staff would typical speak to you in English because they either couldn’t speak Japanese or were expecting you not to try.

The experience was particularly marred when walking down the street a young Australian walking towards me who thought he was being smart in front of his mates shouted out to me “Ni Hao” in an attempted comical Chinese accent. His ignorance was somewhat thrown back when I replied in English to point out his comments may have been of racist persuasion. I would like to point out that I don’t bare any grudge against that great nation. Firstly because some of the best people I’ve met in my travels have been Australian and secondly it’s no different to the British contingents the bring such a great reputation to our nation in the various Mediterranean islands destinations. I sound like an old man, but where is the sense of pride in representing your home nation.

And finally a note of thanks to Simon who kindly put me up in a bed for a couple of nights while I sorted myself out on my slow journey back to Tokyo. Not only did he offer to put me up for a while, he carted me and my luggage around, showed me some pretty awesome parts of the resort runs I hadn’t really explored properly and offered an interesting local insights into Niseko. Thank you.

He had mentioned one evening as part of his tenancy agreement he was required to clear the balcony of snow, so after he left for work one morning I spent about an hour shovelling the snow and compact ice off. More as a small gesture of thanks but it turned out to be quite a satisfying job. Hilariously as Simon returned from work I had cleared the balcony his house mate was responsible for and he pointed to the other balcony he was responsible for which was still caked in a meter of snow and compressed ice. Oooops.

Walking back to Simons one afternoon I was met by 4 open back trucks and some huge piece of machinery that picked up the 2 stories worth of snow at the side of the roads. I recalled a conversation with friends another evening where they said they had that much snow they have to take the snow away. Crazy! And this was suppose to be a rubbish year for snow!

Apologies for the long post, but it’s been a big two weeks of my life that will remain the best (and possibly most exhausting) 2 weeks of my riding career.