Japan: Technical Off Piste Camp, Niseko

Learn how to ski Hokkaido’s legendary snow with style and flow

$2,300.00 NZD

Sale Sold out

Coaches: Sam Liggins and Harry McFadden

Learn to ski Hokkaido’s legendary snow with style and flow at Rookie Academy’s Technical Off-Piste Camp in Niseko. Built for skiers with prior off-piste experience, this camp lifts your skills to the next level so you ski with more flow, control, and confidence in powder, trees, and variable snow.

Across the week, you’ll build the technical and tactical tools to ski mixed snowpack with confidence. Through focused coaching and time on varied terrain, you’ll deepen your understanding of how snow type and terrain shape affect performance, and how to adapt your movements for success in all kinds of off-piste environments. You’ll develop key skills and situational awareness—using terrain features for speed control, selecting efficient lines through trees and terrain, and adjusting technique for changing conditions—so you can ski with balance and flow. All coaching is delivered by experienced professionals certified in off-piste instruction and avalanche safety, ensuring a safe, structured, and inspiring environment.

Why this Japan Off Piste camp is unmatched:

Specialty trainers: Harry McFadden and Sam Liggins are NZSIA examiners and Tech Team members with a passion for off-piste skiing and deep knowledge of technique and backcountry environments. They love a ski chat and to explore the whole mountain as a playground. Expect plenty of on-snow time with a low 1:4 coach-to-skier ratio.
Seasoned Hokkaido skiers: Intimate knowledge of Niseko and the surrounding areas puts you on the best terrain and snow available. Think secret tree stashes, pillow lines, and sidecountry bowls that never make the trail map. Safety kit on, radios checked, and you’re skiing the lines locals keep for the special few. (You will be signing a 'no-tell' agreement.)
Structured progression: We tune movement patterns on-piste, apply them in short off-piste sections, then link full top-to-bottom runs. Each day layers tactics, terrain reading, speed control, line selection and snow-condition adaptation so your improvements stick.
Beyond the turns: Video sessions, avalanche-awareness refreshers, ski-tuning workshops, and a sake-tasting welcome dinner, round out a full alpine immersion into the brilliant Japanese culture.
Optional short tour: If conditions, group skills, and energy allow, we'll tour into the Japanese backcountry. Your trainers are qualified and will make a conditions-based call.

What you will leave with:

The ability to ski powder and off-piste effortlessly with flow in trees and variable snow conditions.
Individual personal cues to recognise when you’re moving out of balance, and how to make real-time adjustments to stay in control.
Tactical tools for picking the best lines and using terrain features to manage speed.
A deeper understanding of how snow conditions affect the application of technique, and how to adjust on the fly.
Renewed confidence to explore side-country and backcountry zones anywhere in the world.

We blend on- and off-piste sessions to sharpen technique and build control on variable terrain. The week progresses from groomed-snow drills to sectional off-piste, finishing with top-to-bottom runs on Niseko’s best snow with two of our top trainers.

Price includes:

Training only (lift tickets not included)
Four days on-snow training
Accommodation not included

Non-Refundable Deposit Terms

Full payment is taken at checkout to secure your place; 6.5% of that amount is treated as a non-refundable deposit. If you cancel 60 days or more before departure, we refund the balance after deducting the 6.5% deposit and any bank or currency-conversion fees. Cancellations made 30–59 days out receive a 25% refund (we retain 75% plus fees), and cancellations within 14 days are non-refundable. Only one discount or promotional offer can be applied per booking unless we expressly state otherwise.

Accommodation

Accommodation not included

Prerequisites

This camp is designed for advanced skiers who are confident skiing all groomed terrain, including black runs, with solid parallel technique and good control in variable conditions. You should have some previous off piste experience such as skiing sidecountry, ungroomed resort terrain, or light powder but you don't need to be an expert. This camp is ideal for strong technical skiers who are beginning to explore off piste skiing more seriously and want to build the skills, confidence, and understanding to handle a wider range of terrain and conditions. A reasonable level of fitness is essential, as you'll be skiing full days in varied snow conditions and may be required to hike for up to 30 minutes to access terrain such as Niseko Peak.

All participants must have a transceiver, shovel, probe, and backpack, if you don’t have your own safety equipment, we can assist with organising rental gear.

Additional Information

The camp runs over five (5) days, with four (4) days on snow selected based on the best weather and snow conditions during that window. Group size is limited to a maximum of four skiers per trainer to ensure a high level of safety, individual attention and flexibility in terrain choice.

While the camp is based in Niseko, we may travel to nearby resorts such as Rusutsu or Kiroro if conditions are more favourable, transport will be provided if we do. If conditions and group dynamics allow, we may also include a short ski tour, and touring gear can be arranged if needed.

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Live the experience of riding uncovered.

This intensive certifications, training, and camps will refine your skills, challenge your understanding of high-performance techniques, and move you closer to your goals either personally or in the snowsports industry. A must for anyone looking to take their abilities to the next level.