Photo/Illutration People hit the slopes in a backcountry area of Mount Hakkodasan in Aomori Prefecture. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Mount Hakuba-Norikuradake is just one of several Japanese mountains that provide ideal conditions for backcountry skiing and snowboarding.

But these scenic and unpatrolled areas, which lure winter sports enthusiasts from around the world, carry potentially fatal risks.

An avalanche occurred on the eastern slope of the Tenguhara area on Mount Hakuba-Norikuradake in Otari, Nagano Prefecture, on Jan. 29.

Five foreign nationals were swept up in the avalanche, which started about 2,100 meters above sea level. Two of them, an American and an Austrian, died.

Some ski resorts have taken measures to prevent such accidents.

On a route from the Tsugaike Mountain Resort to the site of the avalanche, signboards were set up, saying in both Japanese and English: “The area above this point is out-of-bounds. Please be careful.”

Yoshikazu Ito, a mountain guide, said the Hakuba area of Nagano Prefecture attracts backcountry skiers and snowboarders because a lot of snow falls in a short period and covers mountain slopes with especially “deep powder snow.”

However, weather conditions in the area could easily cause a “surface avalanche,” in which a layer of fresh snow slides down the harder snowpack underneath.

“Local guides know (the risk) well, so they do not go out on tours in the same conditions of the day that the avalanche occurred,” Ito said.

In Nozawa-onsen village in Nagano Prefecture, the body of a 38-year-old man from Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, who was swept up in an avalanche on Jan. 28, was found two days later.

Also on Jan. 30, four Finnish men who were reported missing in a backcountry area in Myoko, Niigata Prefecture, descended the hill on their own, prefectural police said on Jan. 31. They were uninjured.

And in Tottori Prefecture on Jan. 31, an avalanche hit three Japanese backcountry skiers on Mount Daisen, prefectural police said. Two were injured but conscious. The other skier escaped injury.

The Japan National Tourism Organization’s English website introduces Hakuba, Niseko in Hokkaido and Mount Hakkodasan in Aomori Prefecture as famous places for backcountry skiing.

The Niseko area, known as a world-class ski resort, has six “Niseko rules” for backcountry areas.

For example, people are allowed to enter backcountry terrain only from 12 gates, which are closed in poor weather conditions or when there is a risk of avalanches. The rules prohibit people from passing under ropes that mark the start of the off-piste terrain.

According to the Kutchan Police Station in the Niseko area, there have been only three backcountry accidents around ski resorts in their jurisdiction this season. In thoise cases, the individuals got lost or crashed into a tree.

“The (low) count is partly because of the rules,” a senior officer said.

However, the Niseko rules do not apply on Mount Yoteizan, where a German national was killed this month after being caught up in an avalanche.

Naoyuki Kato, 50, president of the Association of Japanese Ski Guides, said it is essential for mountain adventurers to submit notices of their plans to local officials and to bring proper equipment, such as a beacon and a trowel.

“People should go with a reliable guide who know the mountain well,” he said.

He recommends guides who are certified by the Japan Mountain Guides Association in Tokyo. They are required to pass several tests, including how to deal with avalanches and set routes in deep snow.

“Guides need not only skiing skills but also expertise to ensure the safety of participants,” Kato said.

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