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Daisetsuzan National Park

The Hokkaido High Country can be found only one hour’s drive time from Furano.
From the highest point of Hokkaido in the north at Asahidake (2290m) to the volcano of Mt Tokachidake and the peak of Furanodake (1912m) in the south, this mountain range is breathtaking in terrain and scenery.
When boarding at Furano on a clear day you can see this amazing mountain range tantalizing you with it’s bowls and ridgelines. The knowledge that sitting and relaxing in the thermal baths at Ryounkaku Onsens at 1280m and taking in the vistas of the Daisetsuzn, after a days riding and hiking is simply to good to refuse.

I was extremely lucky to be able to experience the backcountry on my final day in Furano.
Waking to the perfect bluebird after days of overcast skies and snowstorms, we headed off to tackle the Furanodake Course.
The Starting point is a short ways down the road from the Ryounkaku Onsen.
Packing all our gear and throwing on the snowshoes we made our way into the forest. Beginning our trek upwards, the snow was deep and without the snowshoes and the retractable ski poles we would not be going anywhere.
The hiking time is approx 5 hours to the peak taking in about 600m of vertical. A long hard day ahead!
Being a snowshoe novice I found the going tough, I had to constantly push myself forward step after step. The views behind us were unreal, I love being in the mountains as views like this bring that feeling home.
My pack weighed down by my board seemed to be getting heavier and heavier as we cut fresh tracks through the trees.
Stopping after what seemed like ages at a whole in the trees that allowed us to view the smoke rising from the Tokachidake Volcano and take a break.
Looking up the mountain we still had a long way to go, head down and setting off again, all I think of was how good it was going to be strapping on my board and getting it off my back.
Clearing the trees finally we broke onto the ridgeline and were able to take in the majesty of the peaks and the bowls of the national park. The peak of Furanodake was big and beautiful and my legs were shaking from the effort to get to where we were. Was I going to be able to make it?
Just as we were discussing options, we saw that a small group of 4 had reached the peak! Bastards, one by one they dropped in from the peak and laid down first tracks.
Very nice indeed if only we had kicked off our hike an hour earlier!
Struggling and breathing hard I didn’t think I was going to be able to make the peak as it was still easily an hour or so away. Paul Ellis our guide for the day decided that we would lay down fresh tracks in the bowl over so we only had to hike up a little more.
Okay a bit disappointed we didn’t reach the peak but hey a pretty good bloody first up effort, we had been hiking for a good 3 hours plus and making good time.
Taking off the pack was a relief, swapping snowshoes for my Hammer Broadline was as good as taking of your boots after a long day at work.
Sitting up high and packing snowshoes and poles to the pack. It was time for a snack. A snickers at 1700m and with a truly spectacular view in front of me life was good!

Time to ride, watching Paul drop in first way off to the left rooster tails flowing behind him I followed him down the to the right and sped fast and cranked hard turns with light snow billowing behind my Hammer. Shooting down into the gully far below in what seemed like only seconds we watched Lee ride down the guts of the bowl and join us at the bottom with a silly grin.
All that work for a couple of minutes of snowboarding, what’s with that?
Taking lunch shaded by the trees sushi rolls and chocolate bars and tasty water we replenished before starting up the through the tree and up to the ridgeline again.
I was thinking the break did me good, that feel good feeling turned rapidly into pain and heavy legs as we continued up, swearing at myself to keep going. Paul was streaking off in front of us, fit through hiking this route down times or so this season.
Lee and I were never going to make it up the peak, so we settled for reaching our previous position and dropping into the Furanodake bowl proper from the ridgeline. Paul had made it to a somewhat higher position and we watched him strap in and fire down, linking some sweet powder turns, without further ado Lee and I dropped in and cranked turns through the light fresh powder again meeting at the bottom of the gully. Exhausted we ruled out another large hike and settled off on a short boot pack through the trees and to reach the ridgeline at the bottom of the bowl. A short ride out through nice steep tree lined deep powder stash and we were home!
Exhausted and relieved as we stepped onto the road and a short walk back to the car.

The Ryounkaku Onsen is looking good. Retrieving the beers we stashed in the snow bank, we drove the short distance to the Onsen and we were introduced to Keiji the manager of the Ryounkaku and slip into the soothing waters with cold beer in hand. Sitting in the outside baths soaking in the thermal waters gazing out at a bluebird day and snow covered mountain terrain at 1280meters one must say ‘life doesn’t get much better’!  

The Ryounkaku is the start off point for most of the hikes in the area. The Sandanyama course ascent opens up to incredible alpine terrain with Furanodake on one side and the volcano of Tokachidake on the other.
The Onsen course starts off behind the Ryounkaku and takes in some of the lightest driest powder in the park.

The best bet to take in all the national park area is to spend a week at the Ryounkaku Onsen and spend each day hiking in this brilliant part of the earth.

The Onsen experience doesn’t stop there a short few minutes back down the mountain is the Fukiage Natural Onsen. A secret spot for the locals surrounded by Christmas trees, you watch the sunset and the moonrise drinking great local beers and soaking in really really hot thermal waters.

Contacts

Backcountry Powder Tracks can take you on fully guided tours of the Daisetsuzan High Country.

To stay at the Ryounkaka Onsen email Keiji at Keiji@ryounkaku.com

Thanks

Thank to Paul Ellis for a great day in the backcountry and to Keiji at Ryonnkaku for providing snowshoes for the hike and time in the onsens.

Last updated on 22 March 2006.

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Daisetsuzan National Park

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