Details
Trip Duration
1+ day
Mountain Range
Japan Alps
People per Guide
4 people
Trip Level
Intermediate
Offer Period
Apr, May, Jun
Type of Trip
Not specified
Tateyama is a famous spring backcountry skiing destination at the heart of the Japanese Alps and above the clouds. Discover it on this exciting trip!
This area includes two of the most iconic peaks in the North Japan Alps: Tateyama (3,015 m) and Tsurugi (2,999 m). The ski descent surrounded by peaks and the ridges of the Japanese Alps is just invaluable.
There are many backcountry ski routes in this area. I know it extremely well, so I can pick one that suit your needs for different skill sets, fitness levels and descent preferences!
I’m also very well connected to the mountain huts and mountain rescue there, so we’ll be able to obtain the most fresh firsthand info available.
You will arrive from Tokyo to Toyama station on Hokuriku shinkansen (bullet train). It would be better if you could arrive the day before so we can get up to Murodo (base) in the morning, but if not, you can take the first shinkansen and I will pick you up at 8:40 am. We will then drive to the mountain entrance and get on a bus to Murodo. We will do some backcountry skiing and stay at Murodo hut, which is more like a hotel than a hut.
For this trip, you must be able to or have the experience of skiing / snowboarding off piste. It is also better if you are capable of hiking up a couple of hours a day since there are no lifts here.
Because it takes time to get up there and down, I recommend to take a 2-day+ trip. The best time of the year is between the end of April and beginning of June, but make sure to avoid ‘Golden Week holidays’ (last week of Apr, first week of May) which is usually very crowded.
Reach out to me to explore this spring backcountry paradise in Japan. Send a request so we can start planning this together!
I also offer ski experiences in other Japanese regions, like this ski touring trip in Hakuba.
Price per person per day
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Mountain guide's expenses
What happens if I need to cancel the trip?
If you decide to cancel, you’ll get a 100% refund (minus fees) if the cancellation is notified up to 60 days before the start of the tour, a 75% refund (minus fees) if you cancel between 59 and 30 days before the start of the tour, and a 50% refund if you cancel between 29 and 21 days before the start of the tour. If you cancel less than 21 days before the first day of the tour, you won’t receive a refund.Take into account, however, that if accommodation, flights or transfers were included in the trip you booked, then a different policy may apply as the guide will be bound by the provider’s cancellation policy.
What happens if the guide cancels the trip because of bad weather/unsuitable conditions?
If bad weather or unsuitable conditions force the guide to cancel the trip, he or she will: a) propose a similar activity at a different place where conditions are better, or b) propose to postpone the activity until a later date, or c) cancel. If you refuse option a), our cancellation policy will apply. Please note, however, that the call to cancel a trip due to bad weather can only be made by the guide (not the client).
What happens if the guide doesn’t show up or cancels for personal reasons?
If the guide cancels for reason of injury or other, you will get a 100% refund on your trip.
Other details
Murodo Hut http://www.murodou.co.jp.e.bb.hpdemo.transer.com/tozan/tozan.htm
You can rent skis, skins, touring boots, ski crampons, crampons, ice axe.
Gear List:
- Touring skis / splitboard / snow board
- Skins / snowshoes
- Touring boots
- Poles
- Avalanche Safety Gears (beacon, probe, shovel)
- Ski crampons
- Crampons
- Ice Axe
- Helmet
- Goggles
- Gloves
- Ski wear etc.
You need to purchase your own mountain rescue insurance prior to joining the tour.
About the Guide
To become a mountain guide had been my dream since I first started climbing mountains, and I have been a mountain guide since 2001 as well as an IFMGA guide since July 2014. I am very happy with the opportunity I have as a guide to share my experience, knowledge and skills with everyone that I go guiding with. I still remember the mix of fear, excitement and nervousness the first time I traversed the Daikiretto (a long knife edge ridge in the Northern Japanese Alps) during my first big climbing trip in the Northern Japanese Alps. I felt as if my heart was going to jump out of my mouth! But at the same time I felt so vividly alive and felt the kind of happiness that I had never felt before. It was a life changing experience and want to share this kind of feeling with my clients. My favourite mountain areas are vicinities of Mt Hotaka and Mt Tsurugi in the summer and Yatsugatake in the winter. I have guided backcountry skiing in Nagano areas (Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen) as well. I have also climbed extensively around the world, from Ultar Star in Pakistan to routes in Yosemite in the USA and several peaks in Chamonix in France.
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