Overall Rating

Shiribetsu-Dake Day Heliskiing

Shiribetsu-Dake Day Heliskiing5/55
Shiribetsu-Dake Day Heliskiing5 out of 5 based on 5 reviews
  • Recommend
    100%
  • Would Revisit
    100%
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Shiribetsu-Dake Day Heliskiing Enquire
Price p/p From price based on 6-run heli ski day 2023 rates.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY in taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
CAD 1,666

DAY HELI SKIING RUSUTSU - 6 RUN PACKAGE
Includes Niseko pickup & lunch

Location: Japan | Tour Focus: Guided | Terrain Focus: Backcountry
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Price p/p From price based on 6-run heli ski day 2023 rates.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY in taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
CAD 1,666
A heli skiing operation near Rusutsu & Niseko. Make this one of the best days of your life skiing Hokkaido's deep dry powder on a dormant volcano (adjacent to Rusutsu and not far from Niseko).
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Niseko Heli Skiing

Niseko Heli Skiing is ichi-ban because it offers the perfect combination of the best powder in the world and a helicopter, the ultimate lift! Actually it's more aptly described as Rusutsu heli skiing as it occurs on a mountain adjacent to the Rusutsu Resort. Unlike other Japan heli skiing outfits that offer very lame helicopter accessed skiing, Hokkaido Backcountry Club offers “proper” heli skiing that includes qualified backcountry guides and some fabulously steep terrain and long runs. The Hokkaido Backcountry Club helicopter is your ticket to the Shiribetsu-Dake volcano.

All Hokkaido Backcountry Club heli skiing packages include professional guiding and safety instruction, along with all required snow safety equipment, including backpack, avalanche beacon and probe. The package also includes guided resort or backcountry skiing in case of inclement weather, plus a nice lunch.

Ideally you will have a group of 4, 8 or 12, however you can enquire if your group consists of other group sizes (including solos) and they will do their best to combine you with another group.

The 6-run package includes 6 heli runs on your booked day and you can purchase additional runs if others in your group are also up for more powder. Any unused runs due to inclement weather are refunded.

Where is the Hokkaido Backcountry Club Heli Skiing?

The heli skiing is on Shiribetsu-dake, which is just north of the Rusutsu Resort and only half an hour drive from Niseko in Hokkaido Japan. Mt Shiribetsu is just southeast of the very imposing Mount Yotei.

The heli skiing package includes complimentary transport services between Rusutsu, Niseko or other local accommodations, and the heli hangar.

See our Rusutsu travel and transport to Niseko pages for information on getting to these resorts.

Heli Skiing Terrain

There is one helicopter landing zone on top of the Shiribetsu-Dake volcano, from where there are nearly 360 degrees of lines available. The terrain is pretty impressive with steep ridges, bowls and a few cliff drops, and there is a mixture of open powder lines and tree skiing amongst widely spaced birch trees.

The gradient pattern is fairly typical for a volcano, with steep pitches of 30-40 degrees (and up to 46 degrees) at the top, that taper down to very mellow slopes that terminate at the road surrounding Mt Shiribetsu.

Hokkaido Backcountry Club claim that the average vertical per run is 650 metres (2,130 metres), although when the Powderhounds reviewed HBC heli skiing the runs were an average of 800 metres of vertical bliss!

The minimum ability level for the heli skiing is that of upper advanced (off-piste and powder ability, not on groomers). You need to be able to ride or ski tight steep trees. Refunds are not issued for unskied runs due to exhaustion or inability to ride the terrain.

Snow

Well by now you’ve probably heard the Powderhounds raving about Hokkaido having the best powder in the world, and Shiribetsu-dake is no exception. And in addition to quality powder, there’s certainly quantity with frequent powder resets. The nearby snow factories of Rusutsu and Niseko score about 14 and 15 to 18 metres of snow per season on average respectively, which gives you an indication of the huge volumes of snowfall for heli skiing! 

You can see our Hokkaido Backcountry Club heli skiing review for more information.

Itinerary

You will be picked up from your accommodation in a private mini-van around 7am in Niseko or 7:30 am from Rusutsu, and driven to the helicopter hangar near Mt Shiribetsu or you can make your own way there.

Over a coffee, you’ll sign a waiver, be weighed, be given a briefing of what to expect during the day, and get truly psyched for an amazing experience! You’ll be given instruction on the use of your avalanche safety gear (provided by HBC) and a helicopter safety briefing.

The weather can be quite fickle in Hokkaido (because all that abundant powder doesn’t fall from blue skies) so the aim is to get in as many runs as possible as quickly as possible, so lunch time might ultimately be determined by the weather conditions on the day.

In the event of no-fly hours, guided resort, slack-country or backcountry tours are provided as a back up activity.

At the end of the day you can have a few beers whilst you high-five your ski and snowboard buddies, and then you will be driven back to your accommodation in Niseko or Rusutsu. Drop off time will be about 6pm for the group heli skiing and 5pm for private heli skiing.


The ultimate ski lift...

..Shiribetsu terrain...

..safety briefings included.

Rates & Inclusions

2024 Rates

  • Single seat/group heli skiing
    • 184,000 per person per day
  • Private group heli skiing
    • 1,645,000 yen in total
    • includes 2 heli Hobbs hours 
    • up to 10 people
    • if you would like to buy extra minutes, this will cost an additional 5,750yen per minute (one run is roughly 9-12mins hobbs/group of 4)

Heli Skiing Japan
Dry Hokkaido powder...
Heli Skiing Japan
..amazing terrain...
Heli Skiing Japan
..let's hit that powder.
Inclusions
  • 6 guided heli ski runs
  • backup guided skiing/snowboarding options
  • Avo safety gear rental inc ABC airbag
  • transfers to/from Niseko / Rusutsu
  • lunch
Add-ons
No optional extras to display
Not Included
  • personal items and services (alcoholic beverages, tips etc)
  • expenses incurred in case of evacuation or rescue
  • ski / snowboard rentals - available for rent (prior booking)
  • lodging

Cancellation Policy

6 Run Package

Full day: If HBC need to cancel the full trip due to weather, snow stability, mechanical issue, or unforeseen emergency, HBC offer a guided lift-assisted day trip to Rusutsu and refund the difference in price (144,000yen per person). If you decide not to take any options, 150,000yen will be refunded.

Partial Day: If a cancellation due to weather or mechanical issue occurs part way through the day, we will refund you for the runs not skiied (25,300yen per run/ person) .

Private Heli Skiing

If you only use partial hours due to weather, 5750 yen per minute will be refunded. On the other hand, if you would like to buy extra minutes, this will cost an additional 5750yen per minute (one run is roughly 8mins flight time for a group of 5).

If HBC cannot fly at all on your private charter heli day due to weather, guided skiing at Rusutsu will be offered. In this case, the following amount will be refunded:
For group sizes of 1 - 5: 80% (1,316,000yen)
For group sizes of 1 - 10: 75% (1,233,750yen)