After seeing a photo on I posted on Instagram I was contacted by Ben who lived in the area and was planning a hut mission and asked if I wanted to join him, and friends Leif and Owen. The next morning I met up with Ben at the Illyama train station and after an hour drive we were back to Suginahara on Myoko Kogen. We would once again traverse the crater rim before riding down the north side in near whiteout conditions. A storm had come in warm but we were touring at 2100 meters compared to a 1500 foot freezing level. It was nuking and conditions were quickly improving as we made our way over 2 small ridges and with a quick skin we made our way to the open attic of a massive summer hut that left the top floor open for winter use. That afternoon we stayed in the hut and dried out are gear in preparation of the our main objective Hiuchi, a 2400 meter peak than stands out above the surround peaks. That night we set our alarms for 5 and got moving at sunrise.
The next morning we broke trail to the ridge in 30 cms of new snow making our way to the ridge and switching to crampons for the mellow climb to the summit. Owen making his way to the ridge after traversing the basin behind.
Looking back into the basin and Myoko Kogen in the distance
As we climbed a maritime cloud layer was covering the summit of Hiuchi but as we kept moving it burned away.
The climb was a pleasant mellow pitch all the way to the top as we enjoyed views of the sea and the surrounding mountains. Leif on the final summit slopes
Looking back we had traveled quite a distance starting behind the summit crater of Myoko and were about to ride this line in such good conditions.
Owen makes it up to the summit
Leif on the summit
Soon enough we were all standing on the summit and taking in the views and endless amounts of potential snowboarding lines with both mountains and volcanoes surrounding us.
Looking off to the Northwest side of Yakayama
When we stood on top of our line we communicated about the potentials for avalanches and what area we would descend. In the end we decided to traverse our way over to a high ridge and minimize our exposure.
The snow was incredible…we made sure to leave early as it was a south facing slope and would get cooked throughout the day but we timed it perfectly riding 1,500 feet of uninterrupted fall line.
Leif riding the 1,900 foot open south facing slope at 10:00 to get it before the sun does.
Soon enough we rode into a drainage where it was decided that we would skin back to the hut for lunch before heading out for an afternoon mission.
Heading back to the hut you could feel the sun cooking the snow as I broke trail in 30cms of semi-gloppy with our line in the background.
With the chance of unstable snow we made a decision not to drop in on the big faces and in the end I feel was the right decision.
Back at the hut we made lunch and came up with an afternoon tour on the north facing slopes of a close peak.
The next morning we broke trail to the ridge in 30 cms of new snow making our way to the ridge and switching to crampons for the mellow climb to the summit. Owen making his way to the ridge after traversing the basin behind.
Looking back into the basin and Myoko Kogen in the distance
As we climbed a maritime cloud layer was covering the summit of Hiuchi but as we kept moving it burned away.
The climb was a pleasant mellow pitch all the way to the top as we enjoyed views of the sea and the surrounding mountains. Leif on the final summit slopes
Looking back we had traveled quite a distance starting behind the summit crater of Myoko and were about to ride this line in such good conditions.
Owen makes it up to the summit
Leif on the summit
Soon enough we were all standing on the summit and taking in the views and endless amounts of potential snowboarding lines with both mountains and volcanoes surrounding us.
Looking off to the Northwest side of Yakayama
When we stood on top of our line we communicated about the potentials for avalanches and what area we would descend. In the end we decided to traverse our way over to a high ridge and minimize our exposure.
The snow was incredible…we made sure to leave early as it was a south facing slope and would get cooked throughout the day but we timed it perfectly riding 1,500 feet of uninterrupted fall line.
Leif riding the 1,900 foot open south facing slope at 10:00 to get it before the sun does.
Soon enough we rode into a drainage where it was decided that we would skin back to the hut for lunch before heading out for an afternoon mission.
Heading back to the hut you could feel the sun cooking the snow as I broke trail in 30cms of semi-gloppy with our line in the background.
With the chance of unstable snow we made a decision not to drop in on the big faces and in the end I feel was the right decision.
Back at the hut we made lunch and came up with an afternoon tour on the north facing slopes of a close peak.
It was cool looking at the hut as well as the line we had just snowboarded in the distance.
We broke trail with the mindset of using it multiple times skinning 500 feet to a ridge while enjoying the surrounding views and scenery.
Ben and Leif skinning by with Hiuchi in the background
After a 30 minute skin we had made our way up to the ridge and take in our exit descent the next day.
Leif and Ben transitioning with Myoko in the background
As we transitioned we could see our snowboard tracks across the valley from earlier in the morning and getting ready to ride another powder run.
We had set ourselves up to ride the one spot on the ridge that had wide open slopes and found more than enough room for 4 people to put our tracks in an open canvas.
With conditions being so good we decided to link back up with our skin track for a final afternoon lap before heading back to the hut.
Leif and Owen transitioning
We had a small fire outside the hut as the sunset watching the weather slowly change. It would be are last night at the hut a storm was about to hit the next afternoon.
We watched the sunrise before heading out and back to Suginhara ski resort where the car was. With two transitions we would be riding back to the car.
Owen snowshoeing up the skintrack
As we started climbing the skin track we put in the day before we could tell that the weather was changing.
Ben making his way the skin track
From the ridge we descend the South slopes in compacted powder conditions on wide open slopes before transitioning for our final skin up to the Myoko Crater.
Leif dropping in
Ben next
Then Owen
Owen and Leif transitioning with Ben in the distance
As we climbed Myoko it was cool to take in views of Hiuchi in the distance.
Some of the surrounding terrain an options for touring was endless with super unique and steep terrain everywhere.
Looking back at Hiuchi and Yakiyama as we reach the summit crater of Myoko.
Leif making it to the top with Hiuchi and Yakayama in the distance.
Looking back at the campsite Andre and I was staying at a few days prior.
The summit of Myoko San.
There was talk of riding into the crater but with someone having knee issues it was decided that we would ride the west face all the way down to a summer road and connect back to the ski resort.
Ben and Leif planning a route
We were excited and hopeful about the conditions but found it to be breakable crust as we rode down over 2000 feet in semi open tree skiing.
Ben
Owen
Leif
After survival skiing down to the road than traversing back to the resort we were back on the groomers riding far better conditions than the backcountry with our heavy backpacks.
We stopped by a local Ramen shop on the ski hill and celebrated with food and beer for less than 1000 yen (10 USD)
It was awesome exploring deeper in the backcountry of the Myoko area and learning more about this awesome and beautiful place. If there is one place on Honshu that gets more snow than most it is Myoko. Thanks to Ben, Leif and —- for a great trip!!!!!!
