Niseko Night Skiing

Usually when we think of the ultimate days skiing or snowboarding we imagine waking to a crisp, sunny winters morning, getting the first chair on a 40cm powder day and riding first lift till last. Sounds perfect doesn’t it, but what if I told you the best time to enjoy Niseko powder begins around 5 pm when it’s dark and snowing harder than you could ever imagine possible.

No we’re not off to the bar after the ultimate day on the hill at least not yet anyway, we’re back up there for more. Night Skiing in Niseko Hirafu is second to none in the world. It’s hard to describe how amazing this experience is, just imagine enjoying bottomless squeakily dry powder at 8 o’clock in the evening.

Niseko is obviously not the only place in world to enjoy night skiing or snowboarding, but it maybe the best. Hundreds of resorts around the globe offer night skiing, from Coronet Peak in Queenstown to Squaw Valley USA, there are a heap of different mountains offering everything from lit up Parks and Pipes to kilometres of groomers. However Hirafu has not only both these things it also has wicked off Piste riding and a seemingly endless supply of powder to furnish it with. It is even possible to ride in the trees!

The Night Skiing experience Niseko offers is nothing less than surreal, the whole mountain is bathed in an airy yellow light that emanates from the powerful flood lights that illuminate the skiable areas. Couple this with the seemingly constant flow of fresh falling snow and you’ve got a pretty amazing sensory experience.

The best part about night skiing in Niseko is that often the visibility is actually better at night than during the day. On a heavy storm day the visibility is variable and your often “limited” to perfect tree skiing. However at night the light comes from below the clouds so visibility is amazingly good everywhere even when it’s absolutely dumping!

The lifts that access the lit terrain are all covered bubble type chairs or Gondolas so riding in the middle of a storm is no problem. It is colder than during the day though so wear an extra layer and a neck warmer is essential. Another good idea is to come prepared with a clear or lightly tinted goggle lense. If you are a true fan, connoisseur, buff or lover of powder the Niseko “nighter” must be experienced, it is an experience all of its own and one you’ll ever forget.