Imagine being able to look at a mountain face, choose a line at random, and ride it however you want – that’s the true experience of freeriding in Hakuba.
It’s also one of the main reasons that powder enthusiasts continue to flock to the mainland ski resort in growing numbers each and every season.
It’s all about the backcountry. The Hakuba Valley famously boasts 10 different ski resorts, offering visitors ample options of diverse terrain friendly for all skill sets, yet it’s the region’s extensive backcountry and freeriding terrain that keeps both the powderhounds and one the world’s largest freeriding competition coming back so frequently.
We wanted to find out why, so we did a deep dive into freeriding in Hakuba and why we think its such a special experience for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy.
What is Freeriding?
First things first, what is freeriding? In its simplest form, freeriding is a form of freestyle skiing or snowboarding that involves riding freely down ungroomed sections of the mountain, exploring natural features and terrain and not the manmade stuff you’d find in the terrain park.
Due to the fluidity of freeriding, it’s a style of riding that typically has no set course, guideline or objective, allowing each rider to tackle the mountain however they see fit.
Why is Hakuba such a good freeriding destination?
We know, for backcountry enthusiasts and freeride connoisseurs, any mountain is a playground. So what is it about Hakuba that makes it such a premier freeriding destination in Japan?
Science, my dudes, science. A quick glance at the stats for each of Japan’s main resorts shows that Hakuba sits as one of the highest resorts in Japan’s alpine ranges, with its highest peaks sitting at just over 3,000 metres high (nearly as tall as Mt Fuji). As such, riders are offered steeper slopes, taller mountains, higher starting points and bigger drops than other popular Japanese skiing destinations. It also offers more options for back and side country touring thanks to it’s easily accessible gate system.
And before you ask – yes, Hakuba also receives pow like in Niseko, averaging around 11 metres of snow each snow season. Why else would they have chosen it to be the location of the 1998 Winter Olympics?
Hakuba’s Best Freeriding Spots
Happo-One
Happo is one of the hosts of the Freeride World Tour, of course we were always going to put it first on our list of the ‘best freeride destinations in Hakuba’. How could we not? As the largest resort in the valley, Happo offers riders all the freeriding terrain they could ever ask for: steep runs, huge vertical drops, some of the best powder runs worldwide, and some of Japan’s biggest terrain parks for when the backcountry gets too tracked out.
Hakuba 47
Compared to Happo, 47 is a slightly more challenging resort, offering some of the steepest runs and most expansive off-piste terrain in the area. 47’s steepest run sits at 32 degrees and offers riders a 900 metres of vertical drop – as you can imagine it’s a freeriders dream.
If you are planning on riding off-piste at Hakuba 47 MUST sign up to the Double Black Diamond Club upon arrival to the resort. It is free to sign up, only takes about 10 minutes, and after signing up, you will get a bib which permits you to ski in off-piste zones.
If you don’t sign up, you’ll still be able to enjoy ONE of the best freeride laps of your life, after that, you’ll most likely have lift-pass revoked by mountain staff.
Cortina
Don’t tell anyone, but Cortina is probably the best powder in the Hakuba Valley, and unlike other resorts in the region, ski patrol is totally cool with riders exploring the backcountry there.
So while its minimal lift lines make it one of the smallest resorts in the valley, it’s by far the resort that offers riders some of the most accessible freeriding terrain. On top of that, Cortina tends to get the most powder out of all the resorts in the region…but let’s just keep that between us.
Tsugaike Kogen
Tsugaike is also one of Hakuba’s best kept secrets, but it has a Burger King in the resort, so we figure it’s already established enough to let you in on a few of our local secrets.
Not only does Tsugaike offer some of the best backcountry and freeriding conditions within the whole valley, it’s one of the only resorts where backcountry touring isn’t just permitted, it’s encouraged, with designated practice areas available for newcomers to practise using snowshoes and other touring equipment. Making it a pretty good choice for riders wanting to experience off-piste freeriding for the first time.
The Best Time to Freeride in Hakuba
If you’re wanting to come over and experience some of the best sidecountry accessed freeriding that Japan has to offer, we recommend visiting Hakuba between late December to mid Feb. Around then, you’ll find the deepest pow and most overall coverage around the resort.
If backcountry is more your steeze, we recommend visiting around March when the snowpack melts and avalanche risk is minimised.
Freeride World Tour
Sold on how great freeriding in Hakuba’s backcountry is? So was the Freeride World Tour. That’s why the world renowned competition sets up shop in Hakuba every year for their Japan Series World Tour qualifiers.
With the Freeride World Tour, only two things are set in stone: the starting point and the finish line, everything else is completely up to the riders individual style. As you can imagine, it makes for a pretty exciting watch, attracting visitors from all over the world to come and watch hundreds of the worlds best professional freeriders descend upon Hakuba for a one week competition in the Happo-One backcountry.
If you’re like us and are currently feeling so hyped that you’re looking into flights to Hakuba, save a few dollars on baggage fees by packing light and renting with us. We have everything you could ever need to get the full Hakuba freeriding experience!
Annnnnndddddddd if you book now, you’ll score 20% off your rentals!
