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 ABS 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.