After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, I was just a week away from fulfilling my dream of snowboarding in Japan. But the forecast looked grim. A centimeter here, a few more there. It didn’t make sense. Hokkaido is where the snow is—it’s where it always is, every January. They call it Japanuary for a reason.
After some reassuring words from participants of years past, I ignored the forecasts, packed my bags, fired off some last minute emails before setting my OOO message live, and tried to mentally prepare for the 27 hours of travel it would take to get me from New York City to Sapporo.
Fast forward and I’m driving north from Sapporo to Central Hokkaido in a van with my cousin—award winning photojournalist and Field Mag contributor David Ryder—and two strangers, one being our guide via Stealth Backcountry Tours.