FATMAP by Strava

Gate 7

Niseko

Playful, mellow tree skiing with lots of features

Freeride Skiing Moderate

Distance
1.7 km
Ascent
0 m
Descent
383 m
Low Point
406 m
High Point
790 m
Gradient
27˚
Gate 7 Map

A super fun and playful tree skiing zone that is perfect on storm days when the upper mountain is closed.

Description

Access to this zone is through Gate 7, on the riders left of the Shirakaba R Piste. From the Jumbo Pair Lift 2, ski down and to the left no more than 50m. The gate will be just below the loading station for Jumbo Pair Lift 3.

After exiting Gate 7, riders will pop in and out of mellow trees without significant landmarks as the terrain rolls along. It is useful here to use the rope line to the riders left as a landmark. This rope indicates the Yuno Sawa zone, an area that skiing into is prohibited, and getting out of requires a difficult hike through private property. If in doubt, note that this rope line will continue all the way back to the resort, and can be used when visibility is limited. Many other skiers do this too, so staying to the riders right of the rope line by about 50m can put you just far enough from other people's tracks to find some fresh snow at any time of the day.

Work the playful terrain slowly around the the riders right, and enjoy the steep dips into the natural halfpipe that will bring you back to the Annupuri Gondola. Be wary in early season as this gully can have exposed water, though it is usually filled in by mid January.

Unfortunately there are very few landmarks in this zone aside from the rope line and the natural halfpipe, which more or less make up the left and right hand perimeters of this zone. Both are very useful as they will take you back to the resort.

Difficulty

Moderate

Slopes become slightly steeper at around 25-30 degrees.

Low Exposure (E1)

1 out of 4

Exposure is limited to that of the slope itself. Getting hurt is still likely if the slope is steep and/or the snow is hard.

Remoteness

2 out of 4

Away from help but easily accessed.

Best time to visit

between December and March

Features

  • Trees

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area