"You can be here"
The snow switch is turned on in mid December and we see consistant falls from then through to the end of February. Mid January to mid February is the best time to come to Japan to ski and snowboard as the base is set and we receive constant top ups. Being a weather based sport can bring it’s frustrations and every slider has heard the cries of you should have been here last week. With the lack of crowds this season and an abundance of accommodation options the decision to come to Hakuba can be made on a whim. Cheap flights from many carriers can mean you can look at the forecast and say, “ok lets go”. For those living in Japan it’s even easier. A weekend trip leaving work on Friday and heading straight for the mountains is so easy to do. It’s only 2.5 hours from central Tokyo to Hakuba. The next couple of weeks is looking amazingly good for Japan so if you are following the powder around the world then I would get to Hakuba now. It’s been a while since I have seen such a good line up of cold systems. I may be wrong but the consequences are not so bad. It’s a great place to be anytime of winter. Come and shred Japow.
Thanks Mika Selroos for another great pic.
I reckon March is also an unbelievable time to be in Hakuba, With increasing sunny days and a more consolidated snowpack the backcountry lines are almost endless. Im also just starting to get a grasp on quite how easily accessed most of it is. Hakuba truly is a freeriding Mecca not to missed out on!
I love March too Joe. My life gets back to normal and I have much more time to explore these mountains. Throwing in a couple of powder days amongst the sunny ones means it has something for everyone. I’ll catch up with you on the hill then Joe.
I am coming to Hakuba in a couple of weeks 10th-14th Feb
can’t wait to escape the 40C heat here in Perth!
Great blog btw
Thanks Kanni.
40 degrees is not fun. I am sure you will love the change.