Yotei-zan Ski Touring - Kyogoku Route (Hokkaido, Japan)

  The Yotei-zan (羊蹄山, 1898m) Kyogoku Route (京極コース), situated within the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, is home to a plethora of tight spurs and gullies, which will please experienced backcountry skiers seeking variation and excitement on the descent. Down low, however, it's also the most tightly wooded route of the more popular Yotei-zan routes, so we'd only attempt this route again in February, once there is a reliable covering of snow. This would be a very direct route to the good southwest aspect crater ski slope when the weather is good. Like all routes on Yotei-zan, the most consistent skiing on this route is to be had from below 1300m.  

This route generally follows the summer Kyogoku Route hiking trail, but the trail markers are not visible in winter. From the parking space, head due west across a broad snowfield to the trailhead proper of the summer Kyogoku Route Hiking Trail, in about 20 minutes. Passing the trailhead sign, you’ll enter a tall forest of larch. Just follow the summer trail uphill for about 40 minutes before crossing a forestry road for the second time. From there, continue following the summer trail uphill.

At around 600m a prominent creek-like feature will appear. Either take the left or right spur – either way they’ll join again further up. By the time you arrive at the narrow spur at 970m, you’ll have dramatic views down to the Shiribetsu River valley and Kyogoku Town. By now the trees should have thinned out considerably, but as you climb further up towards the 1350m mark – often on more than a 30 degree uphill slope – the downhill potential only gets better.

You’ll know you’re at around 1350m once you arrive just below a prominent knob. By now, you’ve scaled 1000m. Beyond the 1350m mark is usually crusty and icy, so anyone heading further up needs to be well equipped to handle serious ski-mountaineering conditions. On the descent from 1350m, skiers will get a good long run before joining up with the narrow spur. Either side of the spur are deep gullies, so keep the turns tight.

As you’ll see in our detailed trip notes, this route really needs a good amount of snow to make it work. Probably one for spring or a really big snow year.