Snow kite at Niseko Annupuri

Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating Niseko tourism. Although in a sunny Friday and with plenty of snow, there are few people on the ski area.

I decided to go to Gran Hirafu ski resort for the last time this season. Only the Center Four and King 3rd Lift and the Top King 4th Lift are moving. the more go up, the better the snow.

There is no guilt even while I ride the quad alone. No one can line up for the King 4th Lift. As soon as I get off the fourth lift, there is the Summit Gate (G3). That is the gate where the largest number of people go though among the 11 backcountry exits. There are no one to go out through the Gate, even if it is G3 where climbers line up like a pilgrimage to the Holy Land at its peak time.

While looking at the scenery at the summit gate, I noticed that there was a wind climbing the slope. It’s usually a place where you can’t kite because there are so many people, but today you’re going to be forgiven.

Then I went back to to my car to bring the kite gear.

Actualy, this is the first time to go out of the gate of The Hillaf. I climbed the slope where I always only looked up from below and reached col connecting the two peaks of Annepuri.

This kite is FLYSURFER PEAK. It is 9m of the first generation. I have used that not only for snow kites but also skateboards on asphalt and mountain boards on grass, and its life has been exohsted. However, I had to use the old one because it was too big for the 12m that I replaced.

It was a fantastic end of the winter.