Ski and Snowboard Guides
Our first priority is always your safety which is why all of our backcountry ski guides in are all highly trained in avalanche risk management, backcountry travel, and first aid. All of our backcountry ski guides based out of Niseko are involved in ongoing professional training and maintain certifications with their respective associations. Safety always comes first but, it is important to remember that there does exist inherent risks in backcountry travel meaning that anytime we leave the ski area boundary we require all of our clients to be equipped with a full kit of avalanche safety equipment (transceiver, shovel, & probe), and ask that any instructions given by our guides are explicitly followed to mitigate risk and ensure an epic powder day.
Each of our backcountry ski guides brings something a little different to the crew. But one thing is for sure, they all share a passion for the mountains and have an intimate knowledge of Hokkaido’s best powder lines. Our Niseko ski guides meet daily to discuss current conditions at each area, monitor the weather, and adjust the schedule to make sure you are headed to the best snow each and every day. If you have a preference on your guide, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
2024-25 Guide Crew:
Peter Leh
Peter’s enthusiastic passion for backcountry skiing is contagious. Through efficiency of motion and utilizing the right technique at the right time, he maximizes the skiing experience. His ski guiding career began over 35 years ago in the Sierra Nevada. He is a AMGA certified ski mountaineering guide and a member of the AMGA instructor team, AIARE Level 2 avalanche course leader, and PSIA Level 3 ski instructor. He can be found ski guiding powder in Japan mid winter, corn skiing in the Sierra in the spring or training ski guides and military personnel through out north America. Come Join him on a ski adventure.
Peter has been working with BDT since 2014 and this will be his 9th season working and we’re excited to have him back for round 9.
Qualifications
AMGA Certified Ski Mountaineering Guide
AIARE Level 3
Member of the AMGA Instructor Team
AIARE Level 2 Avalanche Course Leader
PSIA Level 3 Ski Instructor
Sandy Miller
As someone who was born and raised around the waters and mountains of Alaska, Sandy grew an appreciation and passion for adventure in the outdoors that has led him on world travels, countless days in the mountains, and eventually a career in heli skiing and avalanche forecasting. Sandy has worked at Alaska Powder Descents as a heli ski guide for the past 5 seasons and has been one of the lead instructors of the Mountain Savvy progam at Eaglecrest ski area. Sandy has been working at BDT since 2014 and this will be his 8th season with us.
Qualifications
Avalanche/Helicopter Ski Guide (Alaska) Level 2
American Avalanche Institute Level 3 Forecaster
Wilderness First Responder and OEC Technician
Sam Roche
Sam has been guiding for BDT since 2016, and he’s excited to ride more deep Hokkaido powder with clients. Sam calls Juneau, Alaska home where he guides heli skiing in the spring and fly fishing trips in the summer. Sam is also a Guide Ambassador for Weston Backcountry.
Qualifications
AMGA Splitboard Guide
American Avalanche Association Professional Level 2
Canadian Avalanche Association Operations Level 1
Wilderness First Responder
Will Borg
Will grew up skiing with his four older brothers in Colorado and he was immediately mesmerized with the mountains. His passion for skiing has led him to an exciting career of ski patrolling, avalanche forecasting, and guiding. Will has spent the last 10 years of endless winters in New Zealand, Montana, Chile, and Svalbard. He continues his search for deep snow heli-guiding for Alaska Rendezvous Lodge and now in Japan. When Will is not skiing, you will find him hanging out with family and friends, rafting in the desert, mountain biking, or enjoying a strong IPA. Will has been working at BDT since 2018 and this will be his 4th season guiding with us.
Qualifications
American Avalanche Institute Level 3.
Emergency Medical Technician.
Jamie Weeks
Jamie’s journey into splitboard guiding began in 1999 at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Grand Teton National Park. Since 2000, Jamie has been guiding heli skiing adventures in Alaska. In the past decade, Jamie has shared his vast knowledge by instructing both Recreational and Professional avalanche safety courses for the American Avalanche Institute. He also holds the role of Director of Safety Operations at Teton Gravity Research, where he orchestrates annual training courses for athletes and crew, while also serving as a guide for TGR on location.As a steadfast ambassador for K2 Snowboards, Backcountry Access, and Karakoram, Jamie’s commitment to the sport is unwavering. In April 2016, he reached a significant milestone by successfully completing the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Ski Guide Exam on a splitboard, placing him in an exclusive group of splitboarders with this distinguished certification.
Qualifications
AMGA Splitboard Guide
AAA Certified Professional Course Leader
Wilderness First Responder
Paul Koubek
Paul grew up skiing on the icy hills of Maine in the Northeastern United States and went to a ski academy for high school. He is a lifelong guide who started leading outdoor trips in 1995. Paul is currently an IFMGA certified guide who lives in Yosemite National Park, California and has extensive work experience ski guiding Europe and Antarctica as well as Alaska, the North Cascades of Washington State and the Sierra Nevada of California. Paul is currently a member of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Board of Directors and teaches for the AMGA as a member of their National Instructor Team in the Rock, Alpine and Ski disciplines.
Qualifications
IFMGA Mountain Guide
AMGA Ski Guide
AAI Level 3
Emergency Medical Technician.
Norie Kizaki
Born in rural, western Japan, Norie Kizaki was raised in the Buddhist monastery her family has administered for generations. Norie moved to Colorado in 1996 and earned a masters degree in International Intercultural Communications from Denver University. Leaving behind a successful consulting career, Norie turned her passion for skiing into her profession. She has been ski guiding in Hokkaido for the last decade and she now returns to Japan each winter with her young son.
Norie is the first mother to complete the Mountain Guide Program, the first Japanese woman to achieve IFMGA status through an examination process, and the first woman of color to become AMGA/IFMGA guide. She is an AIARE Instructor and Certified Wilderness First Responder. Norie has been working at BDT since 2022 and this will be her 2nd season guiding with us.
Qualifications
IFMGA Mountain Guide
AMGA Ski Guide
AIARE Course Leader
Wilderness First Responder
Paul Schmidt
Paul started his skiing career as a ski patroller in Colorado and New Zealand. He started down the guiding path in 2016 and has worked as a guide and avalanche forecaster in Colorado, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and Alaska. He spends his summers managing a Via Ferrata near his home in Colorado and enjoys mountain biking, climbing, and rafting on his days off. His passion for skiing and guiding runs deep and is happiest when he can help clients achieve their goals.
Qualifications
AMGA Ski Guide
AIARE Level 3 & Course Leader
Nationally Registered EMT
David Bumgarner
Dave brings with him a variety of skills and experience, he has ski guided all over Colorado, Wyoming and throughout Europe. When not in Japan he calls Crested Butte, Colorado home. He is a certified AMGA ski guide, AIARE avalanche course leader, and a PSIA ski instructor. Dave loves sharing his passion for the backcountry with his clients. Dave has been working at HBC since 2020.
Qualifications
AMGA Ski Guide
AIARE Level 3/Pro 2
Wilderness First Responder
Takehiro "Mattias" Hosogai
Mattias was born to Japanese and Swedish parents. Growing up in a few different countries and educated in English, he is as multicultural as one can be. Mattias‘ days outdoors began before he could even walk. He has been skiing, hiking and camping for as long as he can remember and has been working at BDT since 2010 and will be his 10th season working with us. Mattias considers Japan’s mountains to be its greatest treasure and he cannot wait to share good times with you in Hokkaido!
Qualifications
JAN Level 1
Wilderness First Responder (80 hour course)
Masa Ogata
Originally from Tokyo, Masa made a move for the powder in Hokkaido. He has experience as a ski patroller at Hirafu Ski Resort, rafting guide in Niseko, hiking guiding at Mt. Fuji, and canyoning guide in Honshu. Masa has been working at BDT since 2018 and this will be his 5th season with us.
Qualifications
JAN Operations Level 1
Wilderness First Responder
Takashi Yoshimura
After retiring as a middle school teacher, Takashi became passionate about snowboarding, seeking snow not only in Japan but also in Canada, the United States, and Australia. He dedicated himself to snowboarding year-round, both domestically and internationally, and in the process, he also acquired English skills. With high skill levels in both backcountry and freestyle snowboarding, and extensive experience, Takashi can offer advice on powder snowboarding techniques and tips. This will be his 5th season working with HBC.
Qualifications
AAA Professional Level 1
Wilderness First Responder
Matt Standal
Matt started with HBC in 2014 and slept in the attic of Black Diamond Lodge while catching the Japan powder bug. He worked as a photographer, car rental agent, van driver, and marketing assistant for the company, but then took a break to earn his guide credentials. Matt has now trained and worked as a ski guide in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Big Sky, Montana and Yellowstone National Park. He’s excited to return for his 3rd year as a guide with HBC.
Qualifications
AMGA Apprentice Ski Guide
NOLS Wilderness EMT
Canadian Avalanche Association Operations Level 1
Pro Member, American Avalanche Association
Tony Jenner
Tony lives for the outdoors and his love for the mountains is infectious. Hailing from New Zealand, he spent his younger years playing and working in the club fields and peaks of the Southern Alps where he developed a solid understanding of the alpine environment, 30 years on and his knowledge and passion for the mountains is unmistakable. His low-key but effective guiding style teamed with a classic kiwi sense of humour ensures anyone he guides has an epic day out in the mountains, On his days off you’ll find him pawing over maps and hunting down hidden lines in his backyard. Tony has been working at HBC since 2022.
Qualifications
NZOIA Alpine 1
NZSIA Ski/Snowboard Instructor
NZ ARM 5 Avalanche
WEMT
Michelle Leonard
Meesh has nearly a decade of experience working in the Alaskan heli ski industry. When she is away from Japan, she works for NOLS in their mountaineering and backcountry ski program. She has instructed/guided in Alaska, Wyoming, Utah, Canada, and Chile and has ski patrolled in both Wyoming and New Zealand. Michelle spends her summers in Alaska guiding on Denali. Michelle has been working at BDT since 2022 and this will be her 2nd season with us.
Qualifications
AAI Professional Level 1
Wilderness First Responder
Manuel Olivares
Manuel “Manu” Olivares is a passionate skier and mountaineer from the Andes of Chile, Manu has been skiing since childhood at his home ski area, Termas de Chillán, in the volcanic region of south central Chile. Manu has more than 15 years of experience ski mountaineering in the Andes, and has been formally trained in glacier travel, crevasse rescue and advanced ski mountaineering techniques in the Canadian Rockies. Manu spends his winters ski guiding around home with his own company, Backchillan Backcountry Guides, and other guiding outfits. Internationally, he has skied the peaks of Canada’s Rogers Pass, the high peaks of the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, and the deep powder of Hokkaido, Japan. When he can’t ski, Manu enjoys rock climbing, hiking, playing music with friends or planning his next adventure along with a good cup of coffee.
Qualifications
Canadian Ski Guide Association (Level 1)
Asociación Nacional de Guías de Montaña (ANGM Chile): Mountain & App Ski Guide
CAA Operations Level 1
Wilderness First Responder
Carl Wernhoff
Carl is a 34year old Swede whom has spent many years in the Alps, U.S, and Norway. Currently based in Norway, he works as a ski guide and avalanche field observer and is also under qualification as an IFMGA mountain guide with Nortind (Norwegian Mountain Guide Association).
Qualifications
SVELAV Pro 2 Avalanche technician
NF Avalanche Instructor
IFMGA Candidate
Shin Doi
Shin is a Tokyo native, originally from Australia by way of Kelowna, BC, Canada. He‘s a fluent Japanese speaker with the best Canadian accent you’ve ever heard. When not splitboarding, you can find Shin taking reservations and working with guests at BDT. Shin is a grad from UBC Okanagan.
Qualifications
CAA Operations Level 1
Wilderness First Responder (80 hour course)
Clayton Kernaghan
Clayton grew up skiing and snowboarding on the river banks of Edmonton, Alberta and the Rocky Mountain resorts of Jasper and Banff. Working at the local ski hill from the age of 15, he knew he wanted to be part of the ski and snowboard industry for the rest of his life.
In 1996, Clayton had the opportunity to visit Japan for the summer. After seeing firsthand the incredible popularity of snowboarding, his original plan was to bring Japanese snowboarders to Canada for multiple resort tours and backcountry experiences. With very little Japanese ability, no money, and no connections, he failed big time!
After studying Japanese and graduating with a degree in international business from the Universty of Alberta, he headed back to Japan in 1998 to make those connections, and immediately fell in love with the food, culture, and ridiculously deep powder.
While teaching English and gaining a foothold in Japan, Clayton finally had an opportunity to put his 7 years of exploring the resorts and mountains of Hokkaido to use. The rest is history!
Qualifications
Wilderness First Responder (80 hour course)
Avalanche Operations Level 1 (Japan Avalanche Association)
