Gozan Myoko Guiding
Gozan provides multi-day guiding in Myoko and surrounding areas, which are renowned for consistently receiving large snowfalls. Gozan Guiding is named after 5 favourite mountains to backcountry ski in the area. Inspiration was taken from 北信五岳 (hokushin gogaku) which is the 5 famous volcanoes seen from the Nagano/Niigata areas.
This Myoko guiding-only package for 5 days is for PRIVATE GROUPS ONLY of up to 4 people (ie you can't join a group). Pending availability, single day guiding may also be possible.
The focus of the guiding is at
Myoko Kogen's 4 ski areas and the backcountry beyond the ski resort boundaries, and depending on conditions it's also possible to visit
Shiga Kogen,
Madarao/
Tangram,
Nozawa Onsen,
Charmant Huichi,
Arai and other gems.
It's up to you to choose which
Myoko accommodation you want to stay in and where you want to dine each evening, but the guides will have you covered for the skiing and snowboarding, in search of the best powder stashes.
If you have any questions or want to check regarding availability, you can
make a booking request.
Ability & Equipment Required
As the guiding is for private groups only, it's partly up to you what ability levels are required and ideally you want your group to have similar ability, fitness and objectives. As a minimum it is expected that all group members will be a
strong intermediate to advanced level of skier or snowboarder and be capable of navigating through tight trees in deep powder on occasionally steep terrain.
Since this tour takes in the steep and deep sidecountry and backcountry of many of the ski areas, it is mandatory to carry an avalanche safety kit to include (as a minimum) a backpack, avalanche beacon, shovel and probe. You will need to supply your own backpack, however there is an option to rent the beacon, shovel & probe from Gozan.
Ideally your group will bring touring gear if you want to go ski touring/splitboarding, or assistance can be provided to secure rentals for multi-day guiding.
Your Guide(s)
Your lead guide, Ben, has over 10 years of experience in the area and is bilingual in English and Japanese. He holds certifications in CAA Ops 1, Wilderness First Responder, and Search and Rescue. He is frequently accompanied by his tailguide and co-owner, Ruka, who is proficient in first aid, avalanche safety, and ski recovery.