I had been looking forward to this trip with Rob and Buzz. They were already at the Sky bar in Asahikawa when I turned up. Over a beer, we soon established the theme of the coming week – Maximum RER (Reward to Effort Ratio). With the idea that we ski different locations to where Buzz had skied … More 3 is the Majik #

We were still waiting for snow, but it wouldn’t come for another three days. Our crew of four high calibre skiers and a solo snowboarder gathered in Asahikawa for the start of our trip. A welcomed mix of urbanism, restaurants and sky bar. Without any refreshment of the snow cover compounded with the recent wind event, expectation of … More The Great Expectation

Foreword: This is a true story, but don’t expect this when you come calling. It was fair to say blue bird Asahidake days were rare in mid winter, and to have 3 out of 4 days in the sun was definitely a rarity. With low snowfall and low wind forecasted, we turned back to HQ … More The Top Of Hokkaido – Asahidake 2291m

The season’s first full mission with Alpine Backcountry Guides started on 8JAN. I have had plenty of time to warm up since Christmas. It was always nice to feel somewhat ski fit before hammering out some mileage on the mountain. Skiing with youngsters almost half my age was always going to ask the best of … More The Father, The Son & The Ski Guide