Hokkaido Powder & Backcountry Guiding

RESORT, LIFT ACCESSED BACKCOUNTRY GUIDING & TOURING

• PEAK SEASON (4 JAN – 28 FEB)
  ¥130,000 (1 – 5 people)
• OFF PEAK (21 DEC – 3 JAN / 1 – 8 MAR)
  ¥115,000 (1 – 5 people)
• SPRING (9 – 16 MAR)
  ¥100,000 (1 – 5 people)

Niseko area includes: Niseko, Moiwa, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Kokusai, Teine, Shiribetsu, Mt Yotei and other backcountry zones.

Furano area includes: Furano, Kamui, Tomamu, Asahidake, Sahoro, Furanodake, Tokachidake and other backcountry zones.

Kurodake: on request (additional ¥100,000 for 2nd guide)

Price includes:

• Your own qualified guide
• Furano or Niseko Accommodation pick-up/drop-off (7:30-8am / 4-6pm) and transportation to the resort or backcountry area of your choice
• Flat rate – maximum of 5 clients per guide.

Not included:

• Avalanche Safety Gear (beacon, shovel, probe and backpack)
• Lift passes
• Ski/SB equipment
• Assurances on the days weather
• Accommodation pick up from areas other than Niseko/Furano. Extra charges will apply for additional travel.

NOTE: If you booked a certain ski resort and the lifts are shut that day we will offer up another resort. If all available resort options are closed we will try to reschedule another day (if available), or offer you a full refund

Niseko United
Made up of 4 resorts, Niseko is big enough to cater for all tastes. Plenty of intermediate powder runs are found side by side with off-piste advanced areas. You are pretty much guaranteed reliable, day after day powder skiing and riding on long groomers, wide open tree skiing terrain and plenty of variety for all levels.

Rusutsu
Located only 40mins around the other side of Mt Yotei, Rusustu is another favourite amongst locals from the Niseko area. It’s modern lift system, two mountains with long groomers and well spaced gladed tree areas make it an ideal resort to experience and improve technique.

Kiroro
Located between Niseko and Otaru, this gem gets the most snow of anywhere in Hokkaido. With easy access to its multiple areas via a well equipped lift system, lots of groomed terrain combined with some wide open off piste areas, Kiroro has some of the best terrain to get that true knee to waist deep Japanese powder experience.

Sapporo Kokusai
Located another 40 minutes or so past Kiroro and views back over Otaru and the Sea of Japan on a clear day, Kokusai offers a range of long groomed runs to satisfy all levels with excellent off piste and tree skiing pockets spread over the resort. A favourite for Sapporo and Otaru locals, Kokusai captures the snow as the fronts pass form the ocean over the top of the range making it an ideal resort to improve your technique.

Sapporo Teine
Also located 40 minutes or so past Kiroro with must see spectacular views over all of Sapporo and the Sea of Japan. Teine comprises 2 linked resort areas of Teine Olympia,the site of the bobsled competition for the 1972 Sapporo Olympic Games, offering delightfully mellow slopes. Teine Highlands sits above Olympia and is a step up in terrain to assist in challenging your ability.

Asari
Nestled down the valley from Kokusai, Asari is protected more so than all the other resorts from the wind with excellent teaching terrain and beautiful views stretching over the sea to the horizon. Added to that Asari is at the onsen town of Asarigawa Onsen, the perfect place to relax after a day on the slopes.

Otaru Tenguyama
Located above the seaside town of Otaru, Tenguyama offers excellent terrain for all abilities, and the restaurant offers amazing views on fine days across Otaru and the bay. Most weekdays it will feel like your own private ski resort.

Furano Ski Area
Furano isn’t a ski town, it’s a country town that happens to have its own ski area. Things are changing as word gets out how good the ski area and it’s backcountry is but it’s still relatively quiet most days and when we take you down into town you’ll experience an authentic Japanese night scene with lots of restaurant and bar options. On the mountain you’ll enjoy some of the best tree skiing in Hokkaido, with various backcountry access points leading you to steep faces, glades, and gullies full of fresh pow. The cold temperatures in Furano keep the 9 metres of annual snow light and dry and when its on, it is quite simply the best. Add to this the distinct lack of crowds and express lifts that take you to the top of 3.5km runs in a little over ten minutes and you have a recipe for leg burning skiing and boarding. Furano is where Whiteroom began so be given a special locals welcome while you stay here.

Tomamu
Tomamu strikes a cord with all who ride its mountains. With arguably the best in-bounds powder skiing in Hokkaido you’ll be wanting to come back for more. Mt. Tomamu at 1239m, offers skiers and snowboarders a wide variety of runs catering to all abilities. With 11 lifts, Tomamu has some great options. It also offers skiers and boarders an awesome park and off-piste section which is roped off from the rest of the crowd. However it’s Tomamu’s backcountry which makes it special.

Kamui Ski Links
Kamui is a small ski resort set on its own, 1 hour north of Furano. With 7 lifts accessing a network of wide open cruisers as well as powder filled trees and gullies, you’ll feel like your riding your own private mountain as crowds here a virtually non-existent – unless school kids on the beginner lifts count. Combine that with one of Japan’s most open ski area policies and there is enough here to suit every kind of skier and boarder.

Asahidake
Asahidake is one of the most popular touring locations in Hokkaido, due to the easy access to above tree line terrain given by the Ropeway at the bottom of the volcano (top height 1600m) and the fame of the mountain itself, which at 2290m is the highest in Hokkaido. Short hikes are often required along the ridges at the summit and there is the option of hiking around the volcano. Expect chutes, alpine bowls, massive pillows and epically deep powder. Once at the bottom, all roads lead to the Ropeway.

Tokachi Sahoro Resort
Sahoro is a resort full of surprises. From short fun shots between the lifts to full vert tree runs down to the road, it’ll sure put a smile on your dial! It’s well protected and is a good option when the weather has come in.

Pippu
A quiet mountain and a good option when the storms are coming in. Plenty of trees to ski through, good pitch and no people off-piste. This is a great mountain when everywhere else is busy or clapped out due to low vis or high winds.

With 9 – 25 meters of snow falling each winter across Hokkaido, we’re constantly in search of fresh lines out past the ski area boundaries in uncontrolled terrain. Whiteroom has always had safety of both our clients and guides at the centre of what we do.

Developed over many seasons we now have in place a multi layered safety system that ensures we are in keeping with the highest international standards of operating procedure. This process starts long before we touch the snow in the early hours of the morning as our team of avalanche forecasters rise to check out our weather stations at each of our home bases and match this data to what the forecast is predicting. Each day our guides in the field feed their observations into our in-house snow safety system which combined with live data allows our forecaster to post our daily avalanche hazard rating.

Working with the local Hokkaido Mountain Guides Association we now have a network of remote equipment caches across Northern Japan allowing us to have access to both rescue and medical equipment should we ever need it. If an incident does occur in the backcountry you’ll be safe in the knowledge that our guides hold remote first aid and professional level avalanche qualifications as a minimum as well as undergoing training sessions throughout the season.

This lines up with Whiteroom’s core philosophy of developing strong relationships with the local Japanese associations to ensure a higher standard of care and safety for our client whilst we chase fresh powder and untracked terrain.

NISEKO & FURANO DAY GUIDING

• Expect a 8am pick-up from your accommodation and drop-off at 4-5pm
• Depending on the groups ability we will spend 90% off the day off-piste exploring the side and backcountry of Niseko/Furano. However if your group just wants to be shown around piste that’s fine too, but our guides won’t like it that much and really, what’s the point? By and large we are guided by your ability and fitness and will match terrain choice to these attributes.
• Hiking is not expected but a short boot pack or traverse her and there can get you some pretty amazing lines, but that’s up to you! We are keen if you are!
• Avalanche safety equipment is compulsory for this product.

NISEKO & CENTRAL HOKKAIDO AREA GUIDING

• Expect a 7:30-8am pick-up from your accommodation and drop-off at 5-6pm
• The resort destination can be flexible so that you get the best conditions possible
• If you booked a certain ski resort and the lifts are shut that day we will offer up another resort. If all available resort options are closed we will try to reschedule another day (if available), or offer you a full refund
• Avalanche safety equipment is compulsory for this product.

Remember – lift tickets are not included but can be arranged

BACKCOUNTRY TOURING

• Expect a 7:30-8am pick-up from your accommodation and drop-off at 5-6pm
• The destination can be flexible so that you get the best conditions possible
• If you booked a certain area and the weather makes this objective impossible we will offer up another resort. If all available options are not possible we will try to reschedule another day (if available), or offer you a full refund.
• Avalanche safety equipment and touring equipment is compulsory for this product.

When booking this service you are getting:

• Your own qualified and experienced guide. This means you can have one person or up to six in the group. The fee remains the same so the more people you have the cheaper per person it becomes.
• Niseko/Furano accommodation pick-up and drop-off and transportation to the ski area. Usually you will have private transportation, but if we have another group heading to the same ski are that day you may need to share. We don’t want to add anymore carbon than necessary to the atmosphere.
• Note: extra charges may apply for transportation from areas outside of Furano or Niseko

Things to remember:

• Avalanche safety equipment. You will need this equipment. This includes a transceiver, probe and shovel. You can hire this equipment from us and you will be instructed how to use this equipment and be given a safety briefing before each days riding. The gear issued to you is your responsibility and if it is lost or damaged you will pay for a new replacement.
• This is a private booking. You will only have those in the group that you yourself have booked. If it’s you and your three friends then that’s who’s in the group. If it is just you then awesome. You book and we guide – no blow-ins.
• We can only guide to the lowest ability in the group. If you have a friend that’s slow and the rest of your group is fast then you may have some issues getting as much out of the day as you’d hoped. You either need to be happy that you are going slowly and accessing mellow terrain or you need to quietly ask your friend/partner to go have a beer or hot chocolate so that you can hit some more challenging terrain. Beware that we aren’t going to get into group politics so please sort out everyones expectations before the guided day and we’ll all have a lot more fun.
• Mixing skiers and snowboarders – whilst we don’t really mind guiding mixed groups this can limit your terrain choice and preferred line. Skiers can of-course traverse hard, step up and pole out of flat spots so this opens up larger areas of terrain, especially on Asahidake. Conversly snowboarders read a mountain differently and want to smash long wide open turns and hit drops and features.
• We do not guide beginners or low-intermediates. Sorry but we don’t see the point in guiding someone on piste. If you are this ability level we recommend booking a private instructor as you’ll get so much more out of a day instruction than a days guiding.
• Asahidake is for advanced skiers and boarders only. Some hiking is involved and if you are a boarder you need to be able to keep your speed. There is no ski-patrol and the entire mountain is off-piste.

Extra transportation charges

Greater Furano or Niseko area (outside of Hirafu and immediate surrounds and outside of Furano and immediate surrounds) requiring approximately one-hour extra travel – client pays ¥10,000 extra. For example, picking up in Rusutsu and taking to Kiroro.

For Asahikawa, pick-ups then on to Asahidake or Kamui/Pippu it is 2 hrs extra travel on top of  3hrs regular driving to Asahidake. 5hrs of driving plus guiding = a very long day. If clients are staying in Asahikawa clients they will be charged an extra ¥10,000 and must also pay for the guide’s accommodation either before or after the guided day.

STANDARD CONDITIONS

View our full Terms & Conditions here.

Guide Bookings Confirmation & Payment Cancellation Policy

Please note that Guide bookings are NOT CONFIRMED until a 20% deposit has been paid. Final balance is due 30 days prior to the start of your booking.

You must complete our booking form and Registration/Waiver from before your guided day. Failure to do so will result in the cancelation of your booking.

Guide Bookings Cancellation Policy

Your 20% deposit is non-refundable unless we cancel the guided day due to unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather or guide injury.

Whiteroom will refund your full payment less the 20% deposit if notice is given 30 days prior to your booking date commencement.

Whiteroom will refund 50% of your full payment if less than 30 days but more than 7 days notice of cancellation is given.

Whiteroom will provide no refund for cancellations less than 7 days prior or a no show on your booked day.

If Whiteroom has to cancel your guided day due to adverse weather or other unforeseen circumstances you will be offered another date or a 100% refund.

Backcountry Safety Equipment Requirements

Backcountry safety equipment is compulsory for all participants on any guided day. All of the necessary equipment (transceiver, shovel, probe and backpack) is available to hire. Please advise us if you need this equipment when booking. You may also bring your own gear to use.

If your Backcountry trip requires Alpine Touring equipment, split boards or snowshoes please see our great range of backcountry frame and pin bindings from Weston or Moment as well as Weston Splitboards.

Pre Purchasing Lift Tickets

We are happy to include in your guided package for ultimate flexibility and ease of mind. For day trips we recommend against purchasing lift tickets in advance, as there are no additional cost savings. Pre-purchasing lift tickets may only serve to limit your flexibility. Due to localized weather patterns, conditions can often be much different at nearby resorts & may influence the final destination decision.

Ski / Snowboard Ability Requirements

We recommend that you try to have everyone in the group at a similar ability level.

This is very important as experience shows that no one wants to be in over their head, holding up a group or alternatively waiting for others to make it down the mountain.

However, if you are all happy with a mixed ability group because you are all friends or family members then that is of course fine with us.

Ski / Snowboard Instruction

Some of our Whiteroom Guides are also qualified instructors or avalanche trainers. All our Guides are happy to offer advice and tips to help you improve your skills.

However, if you are interested specifically in instruction or resort guiding we now offer a resort powder guiding product as well as private lessons in both the Furano and Niseko regions. Click here for more information and to book.

Extra transportation charges

Greater Furano or Niseko area (outside of Hirafu and immediate surrounds and outside of Furano and immediate surrounds) requiring approximately one hour extra travel – client pays ¥10,000 extra. For example picking up in Rusutsu and taking to Kiroro.

For Asahikawa pick-ups then on to Asahidake or Kamui/Pippu it is 2 hrs extra travel on top of 3hrs regular driving to Asahidake. 5hrs of driving plus guiding = a very long day. If clients are staying in Asahikawa, they will be charged an extra ¥10,000 and must also pay for the guides accommodation either before or after the guided day.

We had an amazing experience with Whiteroom from start to finish! All of the communication leading up to our guided day was excellent and our day on the mountain was EPIC. The ability for our guide to take us to the best lines and maximize our effort made for our day at Asahidake to be one of the best days we’ve ever had on a mountain. We will definitely use them the next time we’re in Hokkaido.

– Dillon McElwaine 2024

What a cool experience touring with Whiteroom. Deep diving into Japanese culture & backcountry. The epic powder turns were a bonus. Thanks to Blacky for a bucket list experience. 10/10.

– Gavin Johnston 2024

Had an outstanding 7-day adventure with Jack as my guide. We did a fun mix of in-bounds resort skiing, sidecountry skiing, and backcountry touring. Jack managed to find great lines even on days when the snow wasn’t falling and was a ton of fun to spend a week with. And the overall experience with Whiteroom was highly professional from start to finish. They even helped with dinner reservations at the end of the ski days. Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience central Hokkaido.

– Ryan Kellogg 2024

Had an unbelievable day skiing near Furano as part of the lift-assisted touring program! Our guide, Tay, went all out in making it a memorable outing. The personalized planning the night before, skillful on-site guiding, route selection, and providing multiple options for us to pick and ski really exceeded our expectations. Even the private onsen tour, with some helpful tips on Japanese etiquette, was really appreciated. Whiteroom runs a great program that I would recommend to anyone looking to make the most of their time in Japan.

– Will Sasges 2024