Central Hokkaido Day Guiding

If you're staying in the city of Asahikawa or Furano, day guiding for one day or more is available for your private group (of up to 5 people) at the Central Hokkaido ski areas plus the Northern Hokkaido ski areas if you're staying in Asahikawa. These ski and snowboard guided day trips from Hokkaido Drift have a focus on the lift-accessed terrain, whether that be in the trees in the off-piste areas, or in the lift-accessed backcountry of the ski resorts.

By now you already know about the legendary Central Hokkaido powder that is light and falls in abundance, particularly at the ski areas around Furano that score well out of the northwesterly storms which are associated with the cold air masses from Siberia. Ski areas a little further south such as Tomamu and Sahoro, also have the fluffy powder, and tend to get more snow volumes out of storms that come up from the south. Your guide knows the weather patterns intimately and will be able to work with you to pick the best conditions for the day, and work around the nuances of wind that can impact on ropeway operations when the snowstorms are in full force. From Furano, you can get guided at Furano Ski Resort itself, or ski areas within easy hopping distance including Asahidake, Kamui, Sahoro and Tomamu. There are also a few small gems that are good ski areas when the conditions are prime.

Asahikawa offers easy access to most of the Central Hokkaido ski areas and is also the gateway to the Northern Hokkaido ski areas. Northern Hokkaido is known for its cold temperatures and very snowy conditions, especially when the common storms come in across the Sea of Japan from the northwest. From Asahikawa, you can get day guiding at Kamui or Asahidake, or Furano is an option, and there are various little ski areas that can serve up some fresh powder. Staying in Asahikawa has some advantages including genuine Japanese culture, affordable accommodation, and a raft of options for evening dining.

If you want to check availability or have any other questions, please get in touch.

Group

Day guiding is for private groups only to ensure there is good cohesion and a higher likelihood of meeting objectives ie solos and duos can't join others for a mixed group. The per diem rate is for the group, and there are slight differences in the rates if you have 1 to 3 people in your group versus 4 to 5 - see the Rates and Inclusions tab for rates.

Terrain

The main focus of your guided day will be to get off the piste at the ski resort and explore the nooks and crannies of the off-piste zones as well as the sidecountry (lift-accessed backcountry). Terrain is likely to include well spaced trees, tighter trees, some small open areas, a mix of gradients, and some traversing for ingress and egress from the powder lines.

Equipment
It is mandatory to have avalanche safety equipment which should include a backpack that has the ability to carry your skis or snowboard, and a beacon, probe, and shovel.

Ability

It's your group, so ability level is really up to you, but in order to get the most out of the guiding, it is recommended that all skiers and snowboarders in your group are a minimum of strong intermediate in off-piste snow conditions. All participants should be comfortable in powder in treed terrain, and snowboarders should be able to hold a traverse well and maintain speed to enable egress without holding the rest of your group up.

Accommodation

With day guiding it is assumed that you have already arranged your Furano accommodation or Asahikawa accommodation. Alternatively Hokkaido Drift offer multi-day tours based in Asahikawa that include lodging.