Chitokaniushi-yama Ski Touring (Hokkaido, Japan)

The ski touring route up Chitokaniushi-yama (チトカニウシ山, 1446m) starts high up on the Kitami Pass (北見峠, 857m) in northern Hokkaido. This gives relatively easy access to good snow and amazing views of the surrounding northern Daisetsu mountains. The basic up-and-back route along the southwestern ridge allows some good skiing, but experienced backcountry skiers will enjoy sampling the various faces and bowls from the summit. If conditions are stable, the south-southwest bowl or the steep western face just below the summit are good candidates for laps.

  On a clear day, you can’t miss Chitokaniushi-yama if anywhere near Kitami Pass. Its rounded summit and thick ridge leading up from Kitami Pass is unmistakable. As such, it’s one of the very popular peaks for backcountry skiers and boarders in the Kitami Pass area. It’s worth noting that from the carpark it’s about 2.5km of only very gently ascending terrain before climbing starts in earnest. In order to make this route more of a ski than a walk, skiers will need to make the most of their time at altitude above 1000m by lapping the steep western face just below the summit, or skiing the south-southwest bowl and drainage (note that both of these options will require very stable snowpack conditions).