Description

Rausu-dake (羅臼岳, 1661m), is in the heart of the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido, a World Heritage site.

The mountain happens to have a prominent couloir on its southwestern flanks.

In Japanese it is called the Rausu-dake Nansei Runze (羅臼岳南西ルンゼ), and it has somewhat of a cult fame to it.

With an average slope angle of just under 50 degrees over a distance of just over 1km (600m vertical), it is well and truly the antidote to everyone's "there's no steeps in Hokkaido" woes.

Expect massive views across both the Pacific Ocean and the Okhosk Sea, with vast quantities of mobile sea ice.

Favourable weather conditions are relatively rare in the deep winter months, so we recommend the more stable March and April for attempts on Rausu-dake.

We also recommend splitting the long approach up the closed Shiretoko Pass road by staying at the basic but comfortable Aizanso Hut.

This route will require the use of boot crampons and ice-axe. from https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rausu-dake-southwest-couloir-ski-tour