Rusutsu
Rusutsu Ski Resort
The Rusutsu ski resort in Hokkaido is absolute heaven for experienced powderhounds or powderhounds on their "L" plates. With an average annual snowfall of over 14 metres, Rusutsu has some of the most incredible powder and tree skiing to be found anywhere in the world.
One night we had about a metre of fresh snow and affectionately named the following day “Big Wednesday”. It was the powder day that you always dream of being there for. As Warren Miller would say “you should have been here yesterday”, only we were there “yesterday”. The powder is so incredibly dry in Rusutsu, you blast right through it with virtually no resistance. It's absolute bliss!
Ski and Snowboard Terrain
The
Rusutsu ski terrain includes great groomed pistes for beginners and intermediates, but the highlight for powderhounds is the fantastic fall line tree skiing that can be easily accessed straight off the lifts and with minimal traversing (joy for snowboarding). The great powder runs don't have steep pitches or drop-offs, so it's a great place to learn to ski powder, improve your powder skiing, or just revel in the joys of moving effortlessly through the abundant dry powder. You don't have to share the fresh lines with many others as the resort is generally uncrowded and even on the weekends it's rare to see a lift line.
The lift infrastructure is very well developed so it's possible to stay warm whilst getting in plenty of vertical. Of the 18 lifts, four are gondolas and seven are fast quads with hoods - very decadent!
Where is Rusutsu ski resort?
Rusutsu is located 90 minutes west of Sapporo and it's only a 90 minute drive from the New Chitose International Airport.
Niseko ski resort is only 45 minutes away from Rusutsu.
Facilities and Accommodation
The Rusutsu Resort is quite a bazaar place that displays classically Japanese kitsch. As you enter the resort you are faced with a gigantic merry-go-round and many other features that would make you believe you had just entered Disney Land. The resort also comes complete with a fun park with roller-coasters and a ferris wheel (only open during summer for the golfers), gymnasium, wave pool, hot springs, a games area for kids and even musical fountains!
Rusutsu has a couple of large glitzy resort hotels at the base of the mountain, but
Rusutsu accommodation options also include apartments and pensions.
Food and Nightlife
There are a number of small traditional Japanese
restaurants at Rusutsu near the base of the mountain as well as resort restaurants, so there is no shortage of food options. Conversely, the nightlife options are somewhat lacking. This is certainly nothing like
Niseko, Hirafu! There is a sports bar in the resort although it's not open during apres. The best fun you might have is whatever you can make yourself with your duty free alcohol.
Why Ski or Snowboard at Rusutsu?
A ski holiday to Rusutsu is suitable for skiers and snowboarders of most abilities, and anyone who adores powder. The only rider Rusutsu doesn't cater well for is those who want cliffs and white-knuckle steeps. Rusutsu is also well suited to families as there are plenty of activities on offer at the resort.
If staying at
Niseko,
Deep Powder Tours and a couple of other tour operators run day-trips to Rusutsu. However do yourself a favour and book a week at Rusutsu; you won’t regret it!