Jackson Hole, WY, Pro Skier Dies in Backcountry Accident in Hakuba Valley, Japan A 33-year-old American pro skier has died following a backcountry skiing accident near Mount Kotomi in Hakuba Valley in Japan’s Northern Alps, Japanese newspapers confirmed on January 19. Mount Kotomi is located in the northern Japanese Alps on the Tomi Ridge leading toward Mount Goryu, in Nagano Prefecture. According to Japanese police, the skier fell while backcountry skiing, became stuck, and […] Backcountry Julia Schneemann | January 20, 2026 4 Comments