Everything You Need To Know About Touring Niseko's Backcountry
Ready To Try Guiding in Niseko?
If you think about the best beach you’ve ever been to, the best hiking trail you’ve ever trekked, or the funnest time you’ve ever had visiting a skatepark, there was probably one thing in common about all of those experiences – they were all at secluded spots that you found yourself.
We don’t know what it is (we’re shredders, not scientists), but there’s just something about carving out your own path off the beaten track that us here at Rhythm Japan absolutely love.
It’s also what appeals to so many about backcountry touring. Untracked powder, self-found trails, extensive mountainous hiking, it’s skiing and snowboarding in its most primitive and naturalistic form. But yet, it’s not a hobby that is as easy as finding a skate spot – you can’t just drive around the mountains and go ‘yep, that’s the one’.
Navigating The Terrain Safely
There’s many safety considerations, equipment and knowledge that goes into venturing out far into the unknown – into the spots that ski patrol can’t reach you if you do fall.
So if you’re new to the backcountry but want to give it a shot, rest easy knowing that there’s many different ways you can approach the backcountry depending on your individual skill set, with Niseko offering guiding, touring and lift-accessed backcountry options suitable for all kinds of riders, whether you fall asleep and dream of trail maps or its your first time ever stepping outside the confides of the resort.
Resort Guiding – Explore Like A Local
What is resort guiding?
It’s all in the name – resort guiding is guiding within the confines of the resorts!
“Resort guiding focuses on showing people the best places within the resort boundaries and provides more of a focus on improving their skiing and snowboarding technique.” Stefan Boers, Rhythm Rides, Lead Backcountry Guide
Who’s It For?
All levels of riders! No matter how experienced you are back home, Japan offers up completely different conditions than what you’re used to riding. Resort guiding aims to combat that, giving you the leg up by showing you how to find the best pow stashes – and most importantly – how to ride them.
What to expect from a guided session
An awesome day out on-snow exploring the best of Niseko United and honing in your skills riding in powder (most likely followed by a few cheeky après).
Lift-Accessed Backcountry Guiding – Beyond the Resort
“With Lift-Accessed Backcountry, we actually do go into the backcountry but with lift support. We use the lift to get higher up the mountain, and then use the gate systems in Niseko, Moiwa, or Kiroro to venture out into the backcountry.” – Stefan Boers, Rhythm Rides Lead Backcountry Guide
Understanding Niseko’s backcountry gate system
If this is your first time hearing of Niseko’s gate system, don’t stress, it doesn’t mean you’re lining up to battle it out in a downhill race with every lap (although, that doesn’t sound bad). The gate system found in Niseko offers riders a chance to access ungroomed, side and backcountry runs similar to what you’d find in the backcountry, all from the comfort and convenient access of a chairlift.
Who is lift-accessed backcountry guiding for?
Intermediate riders (equipped with avi gear) keen on dipping their toes into riding off-piste, un-groomed powder stashes without requiring too much of a hike.
Why riding with a guide is the best choice
Going lift-accessed backcountry with a guide allows you to shred with the local knowledge.
Whether it’s tackling the best pow pockets, finding the backcountry lines, or knowing the safest terrain to ride depending on the conditions and without ever needing to pull out your trail map, a guide will always help you find the best pow, and ensure you don’t get greedy and following a creek gully for too long, resulting in a 2hr hike out out to get back to the nearest lift.. Yes, quite a few of us have made that mistake over the years.
Touring – The Ultimate Backcountry Adventure
What is touring?
Touring is the whole shebang. Split-boards, avi packs, beacons, probes, multi-hour hikes, avalanche safety warnings – the full backcountry experience.
“With backcountry touring, we’re not using any lift support. In a nutshell, we drive to any mountains in the backcountry area around Niseko, we park the car at the bottom of the trailhead, and then with touring gear like tour skis or split-boards, we venture out into the backcountry. It’s all human powered, every turn you ski or snowboard down the hill means you have to hike back up yourself. There is no lift support or ski resort involved.” – Stefan Boers, Rhythm Rides Lead Backcountry Guide
Who is it for?
Backcountry isn’t for the faint-hearted. Depending on where you’re touring, the hike can be quite short, or it can be 6 hours… As such, when backcountry touring you really need to be confident with your own physical fitness, in particular, your cardiovascular fitness. On top of that, you’re not going to find a ‘Family Run’ out while touring, so we only recommend touring adventures for advanced riders comfortable riding through trees in deep powder.
The reward
Untouched snow, no lift lines, complete freedom to ride big alpine terrain anyway you want…the list goes on.
Which Guiding Option is Right for You?
| Feature | Resort Guiding | Lift-Accessed BC Guiding | Touring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skill Level | All levels | Intermediate to advanced | Advanced |
| Terrain Type | On-piste & sidecountry | Untracked backcountry | Remote alpine & backcountry |
| Safety Equipment Needed | No | Yes (beacon, probe, shovel) | Yes (beacon, probe, shovel) |
| Fitness Level Required | Low | Moderate | High |
| Best For | Maximizing resort experience | Venturing beyond resort boundaries | Exploring untouched terrain away from crowds |
| Guide Benefits | Find the best runs, no wasted time | Safe and efficient backcountry access | Route planning, avalanche safety, and best snow conditions |
Keen on trying out the backcountry this winter? Book before July 31st, 2026 to score 20% off as part of our epic early bird deals!