For those that have been wondering, yes I have snuck in a couple of snow treks. Here at Kiroro Peak there are several trails and Club Med run one hour guided walks twice a day.
It isn’t the most popular activity…… I have done two treks and both times ended up with a private guide. Perfect! The first, was on a day where the sun was peaking out between snow showers. It was stunning and so peaceful as we wandered along the Asari river. The sound of water trickling is always a sure way to relax my mind (which at the time was full of ski tips, fear and self doubt).
The scenery was breathtaking….. as was the walk itself (I got a bit puffed)! My guide for the afternoon, Boyan (he told me after) had never been snow trekking at Kiroro. It turns out he enjoyed it as much as I did and we almost lost track of time as we wandered through the powdery snow. With a significant uphill section, he conceded it was the biggest sweat he had mustered in his two months at Kiroro! By the end, he was thanking me instead of the other way around!!
My second trek was after a 90cm overnight dump of snow. The conditions high on the mountain were treacherous and several ski lifts were closed. For trekking, we were restricted to walking along the path between Kiroro Peak and Kiroro Grand resorts but this was enjoyable nonetheless.
There is something different about the snow here. It is so fluffy, perfectly white and doesn’t seem wet…. it’s hard to explain. As you walk it squeaks underfoot and reminds me very much of the way the sand squeaks at Lucky Bay in Esperance! One thing is for sure, there is no shortage of it on Hokkaido. This year there have been several blizzards that have shut highways, airports and evidently ski lifts!
I think snow trekking is still my happy place on the mountain but I can report a significant breakthrough in my skiing. For my final day at Kiroro Peak, I diligently attended the Club 3 lesson. Steve the instructor (from London) was awesome and deserves a medal, because somehow he managed to help me overcome my fears, let go and enjoy the ride. Unbelievably……. I passed Club 3!!!!
Sadly that is it for Kiroro this time around, we now have four days to sightsee and recover before hitting the slopes again in Myoko!
TTB
The Travel Bee 