NAGANO—An English-language video and online article were released here, urging tourists to take proper safety procedures if they are tempted to go backcountry skiing on the mountains of Nagano Prefecture.

The Nagano prefectural government and the Nagano prefectural mountain disaster prevention association created the video and article following a skiing disaster on 2,100-meter-tall Mount Hakuba-Norikuradake in the Northern Alps.

On Jan. 29, an avalanche hit an unpatrolled area near the Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari in the prefecture, killing two backcountry skiers from abroad.

Backcountry, or off-piste, skiing involves descending untouched mountain slopes covered in fresh snow.

These areas, however, are not part of a ski resort and are thus not patrolled. Injured or lost backcountry skiers can find themselves stranded with little hope for rescue.

And there is also the risk of avalanches.

Mountains in the Shinshu region in the prefecture are known for quality snow and have attracted many winter sport enthusiasts from overseas, including backcountry skiers.

The video and the article call on people who intend to do backcountry skiing to submit a mountaineering plan to authorities in case of an accident and to hire a professional guide.

A representative from the prefectural government’s mountain and highlands tourism division said that backcountry skiing “remains one’s own responsibility.”

“But in Japan, it is necessary to submit a mountaineering plan because the police and other authorities must go to the aid of those who become lost in the mountains,” the representative said.

“Even if you are Japanese, if you are not familiar with the geography and topography of the site, you must be accompanied by a qualified guide who knows the area well,” the representative said.

The January fatal accident, in which no mountaineering plan had been submitted, was the catalyst for the creation of the five-minute video targeting foreign visitors.

It is titled, “Staying Safe in the Backcountry,” and features a professional backcountry skiing guide who warns that avalanches and other disasters can happen at any time in the harsh and frigid environment.

The video asks visitors to stay on official courses of ski resorts and to keep away from restricted areas.

The accompanying article touches on the risk of getting lost or suffocating in fresh snow. It also explains how to submit a mountaineering plan and what equipment should be brought for backcountry skiing.

In addition, the article calls on skiers to check for signs of potential avalanches in the two days before the trip. It says special care should be taken after an overnight snowfall of more than 30 centimeters.

The video and the article can be seen on the prefecture’s official tourism website here: (https://db.go-nagano.net/en/staying-safe-in-the-backcountry/)

FOREIGNERS ACCOUNT HALF OF VICTIMS

The Nagano prefectural police’s mountain safety division, whose area of jurisdiction includes the Northern Alps and the mountain ranges of Yatsugatake, have strengthened measures to prevent accidents during the winter mountaineering season, which runs from December through March.

Between December 2022 and March 2023, there were 58 alpine accidents in those areas.

Nine people died and 68 became stranded in the mountains, both the highest numbers over the past five years. The previous season’s toll was six dead and 51 stranded.

“Looking at the number of incidents, we are back to the situation before the COVID-19 pandemic,” a police official said.

“Even if it’s not snowing, the trails are icy and slippery due to low temperatures,” a police representative said. “In the winter, many people get lost, and the cold temperatures can make it impossible for them to act. If you get lost in the valley while descending, you could die.”

Over the latest season, 22 skiers got lost in backcountry areas, and 11 were foreigners.

The 50-percent rate was the largest over the past five years and came after Japan eased its COVID-19 border restrictions.

According to preliminary figures, the overall number of alpine accidents in Japan was 298 from January to Dec. 14 this year. The annual record is 300 mountain accidents, set in 2013.

Nagano prefectural police are using X (formerly Twitter) to provide information for winter mountain climbers and will open 20 mountaineering consultation centers in the prefecture at the end of the year.

They also plan to offer online safety courses for general climbers on weekday evenings in late December.