A reminder of the dangers of back country skiing

Some not so great news from out here in rural Niigata, with six foreign skiiers getting stuck in the backcountry outside Hakkaisan Ski Resort yesterday. The group are all in their 30s and 40s, and got lost while skiing off the resort's marked courses. A report reached the police just before 3pm when one of the snowboarders contacted them through an acquaintance.

Authorities tracked their location via cell phones, and thankfully, so far no one has been injured. One of the snowboarders is reportedly waiting for rescue in a snow hole (a common method to protect against cold while stranded), and there are rescuers out there looking for them today.

From my experience living here, my advice is to stay on the marked trails. Even if you're confident on skis or a snowboard, venturing off-course is super risky and often not worth it. If you do want to explore, PLEASE make sure you're extremely prepared with GPS, avalanche beacons, and emergency gear, and even then, it's better to go with a guided tour.