WHILE summers and winters come and go, one thing that remains constant in Niseko is the mountain. Coupled with amazing powder snow in winter, Mt Annupuri provides an extraordinary range of terrain for skiers and snowboarders to challenge themselves on.
Fast forward to summer, and you can understand why there is such a strong and growing crew of foreign and local mountain bikers. For the past four summers they’ve been working on an ever-expanding trail network. Cross-country trails cover the length and breadth of Mt Annupuri and there are currently two official downhill courses.
They meet regularly, once mid-week for their Wednesday Night Jam, and inevitably over the weekend to build trails and ride them. Martin Tse, New Zealand-born mountain biker, trail designer (including the Hirafu downhill course), and 2007 Hokkaido Downhill MTB Champion, says the future of mountain biking in Niseko looks bright.
“The grand vision for Niseko is to follow in the footsteps of Whistler, where the summer mountain biking scene rivals skiing in winter,” Martin says.
Mountain biking is just one of a range of outdoor activities you can enjoy in Niseko in summer.
Mountain bikes can be rented from Groove Cycles which is based at Niseko 343 in Hirafu. For more information check out the Niseko MTB Facebook page and www.groovecycles.com.