Hokkaido Progression Safari
This tour explores 2 distinctive zones in Hokkaido that are renowned for their abundant powder: the Otaru and Furano areas. This Hokkaido ski tour includes private transportation providing greater flexibility to visit the resort with the best conditions to ride at each day. You will get to explore up to 8 resorts during the 12 day road trip and immerse yourself in the amazing local Japanese culture.
Program Focus:
The main goal is to explore Hokkaido, skiing/riding as many ski areas and as much deep powder as possible. You will also be immersing yourself in local Japanese culture and enjoying the many culinary delights Japanese cuisine has to offer.
Education is the other vital component of the program. The focus is on avalanche safety and education and the guides will constantly reinforce these principles out on the mountain. The program starts with a mandatory, comprehensive avalanche safety training session which includes (but is not limited to): theory; single/multiple burial training; probing; strategic shoveling and snowpack testing and analysis.
Any skiers looking to improve their freeride technique can be given regular feedback on the mountain and we can get out the video camera for some video analysis sessions. All in all, the program is very detailed and potentially rewarding on many different levels. You’ll have fun and probably learn a lot.
If you have any questions, please let us know.
Group Size:
There is a maximum of 6 guests per group, led by 1 guide from The Adventure Project. There is a limit of 2 groups (of up to 4 to 6) per session.
Minimum Ability Level:
This tour is aimed at advanced to expert skiers and boarders. You should be comfortable riding in tighter trees and in deep powder (the powder is nice and light, with an average water content of only 4%). You should be comfortable riding double diamond terrain in variable snow conditions.
Mandatory Equipment:
Guests must have an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe (plus pack) and uphill capability (skis with touring bindings/skins or a splitboard/skins/collapsible touring poles or powder board with snowshoes/collapsible poles). If you’ve not used any of this gear before, then no problem, you will be given comprehensive training in their use.
How To Get There:
Your ultimate destination is to get to Sapporo Chitose for the start of each session. Most international flights will fly to Tokyo Narita International Airport and then you will take a connecting flight from the Tokyo domestic airport at Haneda, to fly to Sapporo New Chitose Airport. Relatively few international carriers outside of Asia fly direct to Sapporo. Your guides will meet & greet you at Chitose airport & transfer you to your accommodation in Furano.
Ski Areas:
You will be exploring some of the best powder zones in Japan for 12 days using private transportation.
The first part of the trip is based in Furano where you can access ski areas including Furano, Kamui & Tomamu, Sahoro, Mt Racey & the Daisetsuzan National Park.
The second part of the trip is based in Otaru where you can access ski areas including Kiroro, Teine, Kokusai, Tengu & Asari.