This report is from Tuesday, January 21
Within the coronary heart of Hokkaido, only a 40-minute drive from its well-known neighbor Niseko, Rusutsu Resort is certainly one of Japan’s hidden gems. The resort contains three distinct mountains—West Mountain, East Mountain, and Mt. Isola—every with its distinctive character and terrain.
Rusutsu handled us to a bluebird day with heat temperatures and sunny skies. Whereas the groomers have been agency underfoot, the true magic lay hidden among the many timber, the place pockets of untracked powder have been nonetheless out there days after the final storm.
Rusutsu’s declare to fame is undoubtedly its tree snowboarding, which is extensively thought to be one of the best in Japan. From extensively spaced deciduous forests to steeper and tighter traces by evergreens, Rusutsu caters to all ranges of tree-skiing fanatics. Our favourite of the day was round Heavenly Ridge. This space was steep and tight in areas and had sufficient unskied powder to place smiles on our faces.
Talking of Heavenly Ridge, Mt. Isola has two distinct areas, Heavenly and Steamboat, a nod to 2 of North America’s best resorts. The cafeteria on the base additionally had the Steamboat emblem (and served a superb beef curry!)
We hit all three mountains right now, and the dearth of elevate traces was a welcome shock. The resort has 37 trails, and its 18 lifts–virtually one elevate for each two trails–saved issues shifting easily.
Being Winter Park, Colorado, locals, we now have a nostril for sniffing out moguls. And Rusutsu didn’t disappoint. The bump runs (single and double black scores) supplied a leg-burning exercise for these searching for a problem. Our favorites have been Tremendous East, Isola-A, Isola-B, and Dynamic. They held first rate snow, with a lot to push round and make the moguls fairly forgiving. We will likely be in Winter Park subsequent week, so this gave our legs a very good warm-up earlier than leaping straight into Mary Jane.
What units Rusutsu aside from its extra well-known neighbor is the sense of house and solitude. With 26 miles of trails unfold throughout 524 acres, there’s loads of room to unfold out and discover your individual slice of powder paradise. Sadly, we visited after a few-day dry spell. Although we nonetheless discovered untracked powder within the timber, I can solely think about how good this place is after certainly one of Hokkaido’s well-known storms. Mt. Isola has already seen 261″ of snow this season, greater than all however a few North America’s resorts, and has a 77″ base.
With its good mix of groomed runs, difficult terrain, and world-class tree snowboarding, Rusutsu gives an entire package deal for skiers and riders of all talents. The vibe of the resort reminded us of Loveland, Colorado. What Loveland is to Vail, Rusutsu is to Niseko. Extra duct tape than Armani; extra 2004 Subaru than Tesla. It’s a ski bum’s mountain. It’s the place you may push your limits within the timber, cruise wide-open groomers, or soak within the beautiful views of Mt. Yotei and the encircling Hokkaido panorama.
For these planning a visit to Hokkaido’s powder mecca, don’t overlook Rusutsu. Whereas Niseko could seize the headlines, Rusutsu quietly delivers a few of Japan’s best snowboarding. Belief us; your powder desires will thanks.
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