Backcountry
Japan, as we know it has recently become the mecca of the powder skier. ย Dream lines in perfectly natural glades with the deepest powder of your life is simply waiting there, stacking up as the season continues. ย Although it is alluring, it does not mean that there is inherent risk- particularly in the backcountry.
On January 12th, a group of ย six Finnish males were skiing in Nagano at the Nozawa Onsen ski resort after they skied down a steep slope, away from posted runs, were unable to hike back up. Similarly, later that afternoon, authorities were notified of a group of six Australian men and women who were stranded in a similar situation. ย This group was located in the backcountry outside Urabandai Nekoma ski resort in Fukushima.
The Australian group was found later that same night; meanwhile the Finnish were extracted by helicopter the morning after. ย
It is incredibly uncanny that two groups of the same size and both tourists to Japan were stranded in the backcountry the same day- and even luckier that both groups were rescued unscathed. ย However, this also speaks to the spike in tourism in Japan’s mountains of skiers and snowboarders in search of the world-famous powder. ย With the increase of tourists skiing in Japan and the technological improvements in backcountry technology, more and more skiers and riders are going further than ever before. ย The lines that are skied on a regular basis push the envelope of what is possible and many seek the deepest snow of their life in Japan. ย This could be a fatal combination if these trends continue, but with the proper equipment and avalanche training backcountry skiing becomes safer.
