Something like a blog;
half the bloat
half the bloat
· Study time: Avalanches
Back from a week studying for JAN/CAA Level certification
Back from a week studying for JAN/CAA Level certification
· Wild grape raisins?
Amazing what you find on a ski down the mountains
Amazing what you find on a ski down the mountains
· Supporting K2 at the new Niigata b.c. map
It's never tough taking a day out to promote your favorite sponsor.
It's never tough taking a day out to promote your favorite sponsor.
· Featured in The Australian
Dancing Snow received a nice feature in Australia's biggest newspaper
Dancing Snow received a nice feature in Australia's biggest newspaper
· Safe in Myoko/Japan?
Come in, the water's fine....
Come in, the water's fine....
Brought to you by....
One-day Myoko area tours
We tour regularly to peaks accessible from all the major ski areas in Myoko. We'll take the area lift as high as we can, then hike up to the summit—usually at about 2,000 meters. This means a climb of about two to three hours, depending on the group and the destination.
Some courses are easier than others; if you think you're ready to try moving off the groomed courses, we have a plan for you (let's talk!). And if you're experienced and want something longer, steeper and (hopefully) deeper, we have that, too. Take a closer look at the courses here.You can also see the courses we're thinking about each week here.
We feature small groups and a high ratio of guides to guests. Normally one guide will be with up to five people maximum, and we often add a second guide with five. No groups will be more than about ten in total.
We start the day around 8 to 8:30 a.m. at our center, with a pre-departure meeting in which we'll go over the course, talk about snow and weather conditions, and make sure everybody's fully equipped and ready to go. We have everything ready for you: transport, lunch and lift tickets are all included in the price. You will need some equipment (rentals are available) and proper clothing—see this list for more information. Ready to go into the Myoko backcountry? Just make your reservation right here, or email us at info@dancingsnow.com Private tours
We are always ready to create special tours for an individual or group, to meet your specific needs and interests. Just let us know what you'd like to do, and special requests for terrain, activities, or even food, and we'll be very happy to develop a package for you.
Schedule
We'll pick you up between 8 and 8:15 a.m., so that we can get to our center by 8:30. Those coming by car may park in our lot. There we'll go over the day's tour, weather and snow, talk a bit about safety, make sure everyone has everything they need, and answer any questions you have. We'll hand out lunches at this time as well. We'll go by car to the departure point, usually one of local lifts.
Your day tour includes:
• InsuranceFor some tours we may need to depart early; we'll let you know ahead of time in this case.
• Lift tickets
• Lunch
• Transportation
| Fees | |
|---|---|
| One-day tours | ¥15,000 per person. Group and repeat discounts available. |
| Includes everything: guide fee, insurance, lift tickets, lunch*, and transportation. Group discounts are available; please talk to us! (Rentals extra) | |
| Private tours | From ¥40,000/day if your group is hiring a guide for your exclusive use(but let us quote a fee!) |
| Based on two persons; additional guests at reduced rate. Includes guide fee, insurance, lift tickets, lunch, transportation and more. |
|
| *Lunch is a simple Japanese-style bento; alternatives are available. | |
What you'll need
If you don't have a lot of backcountry equipment, rentals are available at Dancing Snow for many basic items—backpacks, snowshoes, avalanche gear, folding poles, etc. There are some things, though, that you'll need to prepare:
Required Tour Equipment
Musts: ski equipment (skis, board, boots, poles; some rentals available); skins/snowshoes (for skiers, please use skins for your own skis, and ones which you have tested prior to taking part in the tour); a waterproof/breathable jacket and pants; full layered wear: under and middle layers of wool or synthetic material (for all your wear, NO COTTON please!), gloves (with spare pair highly suggested), hat(s), goggles, sunglass; lunch (normally we will provide); water or other drinks; emergency food; shovel, avalanche beacon and probe (rental avilable). Suggested: thermos with warm drink/water; compass; 1/25,000 scale map (ask for a copy—you'll learn a lot). Rental is available for some items, including avalanche gear. When in doubt, just ask!
The peaks
 Maeyama (1932m) |
Our home course, accessed from the top of the Akakura Kanko Ski Area. A 400-meter hike up, lunch at the top, then more than 1,000 meters down through spectacular beech forest. |
 Mt. Mitahara(2300m) |
The longest course in the area; a descent of more than 11km, through fantastically varied terrain including open slopes, beech, birch and pine forests, and a winding mountain road. |
 Akakura-yama (2141m) |
A great tree run, above Ikenotaira Ski Area. We usually approach from the Suginohara Ski Area on a beautiful hike through the woods, or from Ikenotaira for newer climbers. This is also a safe alternative when snow conditions elsewhere are questionable. Depending on the snow, we may ski all the way back to Dancing Snow. |
 Kanna-san (1909m) | A totally natural tour—no lifts and no crowds. Challenging for the approach, the hard work is rewarded by a big view, open slopes at the top and great tree runs all the way down. |
 Kurohime-yama (2053m) |
Another solid climb on this course; 900 meters from the top of Kurohime Ski Area. The slopes can be moderately steep, but often with some of the finest powder that falls in the area. Tours to Sadoyama continue to the secondary peak within Kurohime. |
| Other destinations: |
For complete beginners—even those with no ski experience—we use light telemark gear and head off into the woods nearby for snow hiking. Other courses include Sasagamine, a vast, open area behind Myoko-san surrounded by mountains; the famous shrine and spectacular peaks of Togakushi. |
Risks
Please read and understand the following before taking part in a tour:
1. Depending on weather and snow conditions, tour destinations may be changed, or the tour cancelled.
2. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding involves the risk of injury or death. For that reason, we require all guests to sign a waiver before taking part in backcountry activities (a pdf version can be found here). At the same time, our guides have training in first aid, avalanche forecasting and rescue, and are dedicated to providing the most enjoyable, well-planned experience possible
3. Every Dancing Snow client is automatically included in our group insurance policy at no additional charge (please contact us if you would like more details on coverage). We also strongly suggest that all those taking part in backcountry tours have their own active insurance policy which covers outdoor activities.
4. If you do have a chronic health condition, we appreciate your letting us know. We know that many people can take part in outdoor activities despite some conditions, and we respect your ability to judge if a tour will be within your abilities. Your information will be kept strictly secret, but will be very useful in helping us respond should anything happen during the day. Note on personal information
To ensure the safety of our guests, we do ask for personal information including telephone numbers, emergency contacts, etc., as part of registration for lessons and tours. We will not use this information for anything other than this purpose, nor will we release any personal information to any third parties.
1. Depending on weather and snow conditions, tour destinations may be changed, or the tour cancelled.
2. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding involves the risk of injury or death. For that reason, we require all guests to sign a waiver before taking part in backcountry activities (a pdf version can be found here). At the same time, our guides have training in first aid, avalanche forecasting and rescue, and are dedicated to providing the most enjoyable, well-planned experience possible
3. Every Dancing Snow client is automatically included in our group insurance policy at no additional charge (please contact us if you would like more details on coverage). We also strongly suggest that all those taking part in backcountry tours have their own active insurance policy which covers outdoor activities.
4. If you do have a chronic health condition, we appreciate your letting us know. We know that many people can take part in outdoor activities despite some conditions, and we respect your ability to judge if a tour will be within your abilities. Your information will be kept strictly secret, but will be very useful in helping us respond should anything happen during the day. Note on personal information
To ensure the safety of our guests, we do ask for personal information including telephone numbers, emergency contacts, etc., as part of registration for lessons and tours. We will not use this information for anything other than this purpose, nor will we release any personal information to any third parties.