Wet Dreams in the Hida Mountains: Shirouma Southeast

On Honshu, the transition from winter to spring can be be painful. In March, temperatures rise, but the mountain weather remains as wild as ever. The result is rapid and violent transitions from heat and sun to rain, cold, snow and heavy doses of wind.

However, when the Gobi Desert dust finally settles and stable weather windows materialize, opportunities arise to ride big, beautiful lines that are truly world class. The reward is even sweeter when you’ve had to wait and watch through all the big storms and wild weather. When a weather window does come your way, it’s important to take full advantage of it, because you never know when one will come again.

With that in mind, we decided to follow up our Shakushi day with Shirouma’s Southeast Face. Shirouma is Hakuba’s highest peak, and it’s Southeast Face is a huge, smooth ramp that can offer fantastic corn skiing, if your timing is right.

For more from spring in the Hida Mountains, read about Shiradake Diagonal Couloir and Shakushidake’s Southeast Face.