Myoko Backcountry Ski School

Lessons are all on a private basis; take as many or as few 40-minute sessions as you like, with levels from complete beginners to advanced. For parties of two or more, at least two sessions are requested to ensure proper attention to every student. Our goal is to respond to your needs and interests at your level of skiing, to help you bring your telemark skiing to the next level.

Tours are run throughout the season; we welcome not only telemarkers but also AT skiers and boarders. A general schedule can be found at the MBSS website (www.myokokogen.org/mbss), although the destinations may change due to snow and weather conditions. All our guides have extensive mountain and guiding experience and certification; we know the peaks and the best places for a safe and exciting tour.

Telemark ski equipment rentals are available, including powder skis from K2. For tours, avalanche beacons, snowshoes, collapsible poles, and other equipment is available for rent; please let us know in advance what equipment is required. Skiers should have their own climbing skins (and please test them out before joining a group tour!).

All lessons are held at the Akakura Kanko Ski Area.

Tours:

Regularly scheduled tours are held every weekend to local peaks. Most leave from the top lifts of local ski areas to peaks including Maeyama, Akakura-yama, Mitahara and Kanna-san (normally about two hours climbing). After lunch, we ski down and return to the ski areas. Private or group tours can be arranged at any time, with the destination to be decided after discussion and review of weather and snow conditions.

Regularly scheduled tours:
¥15,000 per person for one person, ¥12,000 for two, and sliding to ¥9,000 per person for parties of three or more (individuals joining separately also receive this discount).

Private guiding:
¥25,000 per guide per day; ¥40,000 for two days. Please contact us for more information on longer tours, large groups, etc.

Beginners to experienced skiers alike enjoy the fun of hiking up through gentle forest terrain on light telemark skis and leather or light plastic boots. After a few hours hiking, we have a cheese fondue and wine lunch on a snow table. Then it’s time to try some classic-style telemark on the slide back down through the trees (usually accompanied by a lot of laughter).

Fee: ¥8,000 per person; please reserve in advance.

Myoko is a great place to learn to telemark ski, and an ideal place for backcountry touring in the deep, deep snow. Interested in something we don’t have listed here? Just email us at mbss@Myokokogen.org.

We look forward to skiing with you!