
One of the questions we get asked the most during the surf season at Telo Island Lodge (our Indonesian surf operation) is “What do you guys do in the off season”? The answer has been simple because we do the same thing we have been doing for the best part of the last decade .... we go to Japan, specifically the northernmost island Hokkaido, to ride the worlds best powder snow.
For those of you that ski or snowboard, you have no doubt heard about Japan's legendary powder snow. Receiving in excess of 15 meters of dry, light powder snow each year, the northern island of Hokkaido is without an equal on the powder snow stakes. Endless days running waist to neck-deep lines through perfect snow has been the ultimate foil to our time in the tropics and the perfect primer for us to create another passion-driven business.
During the epic season of 2005, we discovered the sleepy little resort of Annupuri, buried under a mountain of blower in the far corner of the maze of runs that make up the Niseko United resort. Annupuri is part of the giant multi-resort mountain Niseko United and in stark contrast to the other resorts in the area it is yet to be discovered by the masses of Australians who flock to Japan each season seeking the powder snow it’s famous for.
Annupuri is like a step back in time compared to its over-developed cousins nearby. This is a quiet secluded mountain of almost exclusively Japanese owned lodges and home stays. For the past few years if you were looking for the staff from Telo Island Lodge during the months December-February they were all at one place … Annupuri Lodge. All of the owners and management at Annupuri lodge are snow enthusiast’s and this is reflected in the way we run the business.
Our pain in the early years finding out exactly how things run will become your gain.
For the latest Annupuri Lodge snow report click here!
Check out the latest image and video gallieries from the resort click here!