Niseko — Bulletin d'avalanche

Mountain base: +2°C, cloudy. Moiwa 800m: +2.0°C, NW 3.8m/s. Annupuri 1100m: +0.1°C, WNW 4.3m/s. Village 1000m: +1.1°C, WNW 1.9m/s. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: +0.7°C, N 2.1m/s. Hanazono 800m: +3.5°C, N 1.3m/s. Sea of Japan Benkei Cape: light winds. Kamui Cape: SSW 8m/s, 1016hPa, wave height unknown. Both the sea and the mountain range are calm. Based on observations and data evaluation, the risk of full-depth avalanches remains high at the 1000m Kozan-no-sawa (Backbowl) sidewalls and the Annupuri Osawa cornice face. Skiing in the gully bottoms should be avoided. The snow is not bad. Gate status is TBD; follow the instructions of the ski patrol. This information is issued with the goal of preventing out-of-bounds avalanche accidents. However, while avalanche accidents have decreased, other incidents show no sign of waning. This season, we have continued to see fatalities due to people getting lost, collisions, and medical emergencies. With the increase in visitors, perhaps this is unavoidable. We continue our efforts to communicate the expected risks of the day and reduce the possibility of accidents as much as possible. At the risk of being blunt, perhaps it is time for a radical departure from the status quo. Should we not finally free ourselves from the obsession with “weak layers”? Has the weak-layer theory, born in Europe and spread through Japan, truly served to prevent avalanche accidents here? For 40 years, avalanche accidents have continued unabated, and many victims are those who had already acquired avalanche knowledge. I believe something is fundamentally wrong. Identifying the cause after a tragedy cannot restore the lost lives. Subjective pit checks and shovel tests simply do not seem to be effective tools for accident prevention. Are facets and depth hoar the only justification for avalanches? People seek knowledge, which is why avalanche seminars remain popular. What is needed now is practical, effective education—the kind that actually prevents accidents. We must stop confusing academic research with safety education. These are the views of the Niseko Avalanche Institute.  With that, we conclude the Niseko Avalanche Information for the season.