Something I have never done
For one reason or another, there are a few things I have never been able to pull off here in Niseko. Hiking Mt. Yotei and then snowboarding into the crater was top of my list.
On previous ascents to the peak I have been preoccupied by the amazing views, taking photos and slowing down the group. Normally by the time I had finished my ascent, I was exhausted or my fellow hikers had frozen whilst waiting for me. Either way, the thought of hitting the crater and hiking out was never very appealing – but not this time.
And it begins
Last weekend I set of with Ned from the Makkari side determined not to get too fixated on photography and to summit in good time.
Makkari start point, 10 March 2012
Frozen trees and Ned hiking, 10 March 2012
Frozen trees, 10 March 2012
Mt. Yotei boot packing around 1300m, 10 March 2012
Ned had a few issues with his skins, but we both made it to the peak in four and a half hours.
The final 200m, 10 March 2012
Mt. Yotei crater panorama, 10 March 2012
From the peak I could see tracks from the previous day leading to the bottom of Mt. Yotei’s crater, and that was enough for me; I wanted in. I looked for an untracked line and, after some discussion with Ned, I decided on a nice little chute and Ned offered to get some shots of me.
Game on
Looking for a line, 10 March 2012
Closer inspection, 10 March 2012
About to drop, 10 March 2012
After a bit of scrambling, I was in position…
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 1, 10 March 2012
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 2, 10 March 2012
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 3, 10 March 2012
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 4, 10 March 2012
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 5, 10 March 2012
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 6, 10 March 2012
Snowboarding into the crater of Mt. Yotei shot 7, 10 March 2012
Dr. Ned’s drop
Ned's crater run, 10 March 2012
Ned dominating, 10 March 2012
Ned all smiles with his line in the background, 10 March 2012
My line from the bottom of the crater, 10 March 2012
Final look at the line, 10 March 2012
A happy hike out of the crater, 10 March 2012
Ned's crater run, 10 March 2012
Ned dominating, 10 March 2012
Ned all smiles with his line in the background, 10 March 2012
My line from the bottom of the crater, 10 March 2012
Final look at the line, 10 March 2012
A happy hike out of the crater, 10 March 2012
