The fun of strategizing against nature

Mr. Iwabuchi is the chief instructor and mountaineering guide for backcountry skiing in the winter and tree climbing in the summer. Although they are completely different activities, they have one thing in common: “It’s fun to face nature and think about what steps to take.” How to draw a line on the pristine terrain, which branch to hang a rope on to aim for the destination, and what route to take to challenge the mountain? Before moving your body, develop a strategy. When I woke up to that fun, I felt that I was closer to the true charm of activities in the great outdoors.

The fun of backcountry skiing based on safety

As a boy, he belonged to the prestigious Asahikawa Junior Alpine Team and devoted himself to competitive skiing. From high school, I became obsessed with snowboarding, which was a big boom at the time. Most of the ski wear for competition was a slender type, but snowboard wear is characterized by its high fashion that can be used as street wear. He recalls that he longed for snowboarding, which is connected to hip-hop culture, because he was attracted to cool things (laughs).

After that, there was a time when I got a job and took a break from winter sports for a while, but when I entered the backcountry of Mt. Asahidake with full equipment for the first time at the age of 30, the scene I saw in the past suddenly came back. “I know this place.” Mr. Iwabuchi had entered the backcountry of Mt. Asahidake when he was a boy. At first, I was like, “Let’s go exploring” with my friends. It is a very dangerous adventure with no safety equipment and no knowledge of where avalanches are likely to occur. “When I become a guide and look back on that time, I want to tell you how to enjoy backcountry skiing safely,” he emphasizes.

The trigger was the “freedom” I felt in nature

There is also an opportunity to give ski lessons for beginners to customers in Honshu. “If you are a child in Asahikawa, at first, it is usually a place where you can make your ski debut, such as a citizen’s ski resort, a gentle place at Santa Present Park, or a place where you make your ski debut. It will take about four hours to come down.”

Whether it’s backcountry skiing or a beginner’s course, Mr. Iwabuchi says that he is happy that all the participants who have finished the guide are smiling. Even if I don’t have words, I feel the satisfaction of working as a guide in that smile.

Backcountry skiing involves skiing in places without lifts, so more than 90% of the time you climb on your own feet. “But I can enjoy the scenery and enjoy the great outdoors more than skiing. It’s like a bonus to skate.”

The same goes for climbing summer mountains. “I want to see the scenery behind Mt. Asahidake.” Once you set a goal, the rugged road will be fun.

I quit my job and started aiming to become a guide when my boss invited me to climb mountains. When I was in agony at my workplace, where I often sat at my desk as an office worker, I was shocked by the sight of the mountains with nothing to obstruct my view, and I felt “freedom” in nature. After that, he decided to change jobs to an outdoor goods shop. It was a stable workplace, but I didn’t feel like waiting until retirement to do what I loved.

Treeing, an activity developed from the skills of arborists

Many people may have loved climbing trees when they were children. The excitement of grabbing a branch, putting your feet on it, and climbing up. “Treeing” is an evolution of such tree climbing.

Treeing is a means for arborists to safely perform tree work, which has been used in the forestry industry and has become even more enjoyable as an activity. In forestry, you only need to think about your own safety, but when it comes to activities, that is not enough. At the event, we not only manage the safety of the customers, but also consider the safety of the instructors themselves who climb together. Conifers use a single rope and hardwoods use a double rope, and the tools used vary depending on the tree you climb. It is the instructor’s job to determine the condition of the tree and make the best choice. Hokkaido is home to a variety of tree species such as Japanese pine, birch, elm, dronoki, and willow. “Since I started treeing, my view of the forest has changed a lot, such as that tree that I can climb like this.”

I would like to make efforts to spread it to improve the treatment of instructors.

At the event, you will climb nearly 20 meters above the ground. Since you only support your arms and mainly use the strength of your legs to climb, treeing can be enjoyed by women and children. Bird enthusiasts sometimes use treeing to set up bird boxes, and it is widely used in outdoor areas. “When you climb up, you can see the path of birds between the trees, which is a view that you will never notice unless you are from a high vantage point.”

Mr. Iwabuchi says that as long as you have a forest and a rope, there are many ways to enjoy it. In addition to treeing, you can also enjoy swings and zip lines that swing large. If you learn how to tie a rope, you can also apply it, so you may prepare various attractions at events. Mr. Iwabuchi, who recently obtained the qualification of chief instructor, is focusing on how to organize events and as a leader in instructors, he is working to spread treeing.

“I heard from a colleague that I was asked to plan an event at a very low cost at an event in a certain area. In order to raise the level of the industry as a whole and improve the treatment of instructors, I would like to focus on activities to spread treeing.”

I want to develop my observation and decision-making skills and grow as a guide.

Mr. Iwabuchi has a senior guide he admires. When I accompanied him on a tour, I learned everything from the hotel to the trailhead, including the story of nature and mountains, the history of the region, and how to get closer to the customers. On the way up the mountain, Mr. Iwabuchi’s shoelaces were untied by a senior guide who was ahead of me pointed out with his back to me. This is the moment when I felt that the guide’s observation skills are amazing. Both backcountry skiing and treeing are jobs where the safety of customers is essential. Fun is based on safety. Therefore, the work of a guide begins by assessing the weather, snow surface, and tree conditions of the day and selecting a route. “I want to hone my observation and decision-making skills for that purpose, and grow more and more as a guide.”