Rhythm Rides FAQ

While Niseko is known for its never-ending powder, each season can of course vary. Statistically speaking though, we find that the most consistently snowy months occur during Dec, Jan & Feb.

That being said, March can also bring the goods & is known for its clear skies and warmer days bringing magnificent scenery and opportunities to summit mountains otherwise often inaccessible.

Good question! Slackcountry – refers to the terrain which is accessed via a lift however it is out of the resort’s operational boundaries. Typically this means there are no or little avalanche control measures. So it is in actual fact easily accessed Backcountry. 

Backcountry Terrain – This is usually referred to as terrain which is accessed without the use of lifts. This means you will need touring equipment or snowshoes to walk up the mountain and then ski down. There are also no avalanche control measures undertaken, which is why most people choose to hire a qualified Guide when venturing into the wilderness.

• Guiding in the Niseko United areas & accessible terrain for up to 5 guests.
• 3 or 6 hours in duration
• Avalanche safety gear, including beacon, shovel, probe & backpack

This is our most flexible tour, which opens up a range of possibilities with travel to surrounding resorts & accessible slack-country terrain. 

Along with a flexible location your tour includes:

• 5 guests included
• 7 hours duration
• 1 hour additional travel time or onsen time.
• Private Transport for up to 5 guests.
• Avalanche safety gear, including beacon, shovel, probe & backpack

Along with your professional guide, your booking will include premium rental powder equipment & avalanche safety gear (beacon, shovel, probe, backpack)  We also offer unlimited swaps during your booking, in which you can try a range of the latest powder equipment.

Unless you have booked a backcountry experience, lift passes will be required for your Custom Guided Tours. Most tours will access terrain which is accessible by the resort lifts. This is a fantastic way for you to maximise your powder experience with the least amount of effort. Your guide can assist you in recommending the correct pass for your tour based on your goals & the current conditions.

Generally, this will not be a problem. The major concern with mixing a group of skiers/boarders is the ability level of the group. In particular, for snowboarders in slack country terrain, the ability to hold a strong traverse and maintain speed on the flats can be concerning for skiers & if this is not an area of strength then appropriate terrain may need to be chosen which will not put a snowboarder in a tough spot. Please reach out to our Guest Services Team to discuss your group suitability for a mixed tour.

Absolutely! Your guides are also instructors too and can coach you on powder techniques so you can get the most out of your day. As our guides are limited, however, we do require that you have a minimum of high intermediate to advanced skills to reserve this product.

This is completely up to you (with the exception of our Backcountry Tours) Our Guides can fully customise your tour to include the amount of hiking you would like to do, during your day. They can also adjust the plan over the day depending on your energy levels.

Yes, we highly recommend that you bring or hire Premium Powder Equipment to get the most out of your day.  Powder in Japan is often deeper and drier than anywhere in the world. This is amazing but it can also be challenging. powder-specific equipment has really made leaps and bounds in recent years, & having the right equipment can take you from zero to hero in no time! If you are unsure what you should book, please contact our Guest Services Team.

Yes, our backcountry tours all operate out of the resort. If you are a skier, you will need to hire Touring Equipment, if you are a snowboarder you have an option to rent Snowshoes or a Splitboard.

Yes, at the start of every tour, regardless of your experience your guide will run you through an avalanche safety briefing. This will include

• Beacon functions & basic use
• Probe assembly & basic use
• Rescue basics including (search and receive modes) 
• Beacon function & range test.

It is important to understand when venturing into any backcountry or slack-country terrain that conditions can never be 100% safe. Backcountry touring can be a hazardous activity and while all measures are taken to be informed  & make good decisions accidents & avalanches can still occur. 

With this in mind, we take a safety-first approach & have a number of daily procedures in place to be as informed on conditions & hazards as we can be. This information is then used along with your skill level & goals to form a trip plan which is low risk, but high reward.

Our safety procedures include (but are not limited to)

• Daily review of local official forecasts – Niseko Avalanche Bulletin. We operate within the Niseko Rules, and will not Guide you outside the gates when they are closed.
• Daily review of other global weather forecasting models
• Ongoing assessment and recording of weather, temperature & snow conditions
• Ongoing assessment of local hazards & changes in conditions
• Daily Guide briefings to review all conditions and trip plans & create a hazard assessment rating.
• Actively involved in the local guiding community in which we encourage & receive open communication on conditions.

For our backcountry products we would recommend that you start with an Introduction to Backcountry product providing you are comfortable with the following;

• Experienced & comfortable with powder riding
• Minimum Advanced Rider 
• A reasonable level of fitness to allow walking uphill & riding downhill a minimum of one time.

If you would really like to try touring equipment but are not ready to rely solely on uphill travel, we may be able to customize your experience to involve some lift-accessed backcountry with touring equipment. 

If this sounds more like your experience we would recommend booking a Custom Guided Tour. However please note; prior arrangement with our Guest Services Team would be required.

The Niseko Guided Tours are limited to the terrain which is accessible or accessible by the Niseko lift system. But don’t worry, there is a lot of options available.

Our Custom Guided Tours have the opportunity to visit a variety of resorts in the area. Please speak with our Guest Services Team to find out where your tour could take

Our Backcountry Tours operate in a variety of terrain in the Niseko area. The terrain we will go to will depend on the snow safety conditions, your ability level & of course where the best snow is for the day.

We will provide an avalanche backpack which will include a beacon, shovel, and probe in it.  Along with this, we recommend putting in your backpack.

• Spare goggles- (nothing worse than foggy goggles at the top of a run)
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Energy bar
• Change of neck warmer & gloves
• Warm layer
• Light hat to hike in.

It is worth noting that guiding can often be hot work! Walking uphill often requires you to take a layer off. This will stop you from overheating & sweating & then later getting cold when your gear is wet. It is also a great idea to bring some extra layers so you can adjust  your layering during the day