Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in Cwm Pennant backed by the Nantlle Ridge, Cwm Pennant, Snowdonia National Park (Eryri), Gwynedd, North Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Hiking in Adamello park in Winter season, Vallecamonica, Brescia province, Lombardy district, Italy, Europe

Checkerboard Mesa, a sandstone peak standing 900 feet high, Kane County, Zion National Park, Utah, United States of America

Sewell Mining Town, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chile, South America

Hiker at the foot of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks of Lavaredo), Three Peaks Nature Park, Dolomites, UNESCO, South Tyrol, Italy

A hiker in the backcountry near El Chalten, Argentine Patagonia, Argentina, South America

A climber in the backcountry below Monte Fitz Roy, El Chalten, Argentine Patagonia, Argentina, South America

The backcountry beyond El Chalten, Argentine Patagonia, Argentina, South America

Jackson's backcountry bar and Austin car, South Island, New Zealand, Pacific

?Drive Slowly and Enjoy? sign on dirt road in Leslie Gulch, southeast Oregon.

Sahara Desert, Tunisia

Great Ocean Load, Australia

Hoh Rain Forest Olympic Peninsula WA

Two backcountry skiers ascending to Wildspitze, Oetztal Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Two backcountry skiers resting during ascent to Wildspitze, Oetztal Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Two backcountry skiers ascending to Wildspitze, Oetztal Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Two backcountry skiers ascending to Wildspitze, Oetztal Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Two backcountry skiers ascending to Wildspitze, Oetztal Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Snow-covered winter forest near hut Vorderkaiserfeldenhuette and fog bank in the valley of Inn, Poelven and Pendling above fog, Zahmer Kaiser, Kaiser range, Kufstein, Tyrol, Austria

Deeply snow-covered scene with fir trees at Schildenstein with backcountry skier in backlight, Bavarian alps, Tegernsee, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

Backcountry skiers, riffl in the Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Cyclist on his way to Bothmer Castle, Feston Alley, Bothmer Castle, biggest Baroque Style castle in Mecklenburg, Kluetzer Winkel, backcountry, coast of the Baltic Sea, Kluetz, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany

Snow-covered winter forest with hoar frost, rime ice on snow, Wilder Kaiser range in background, Zahmer Kaiser, Kaiser range, Kufstein, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiers with headlamps at dawn, Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Young man removing skins from backcountry ski, summit of Pyramidenspitze, Kaiser-Express, Zahmer Kaiser, Kaiser mountain range, Tyrol, Austria

Cross on summit of Schlenken with rime ice, view to Berchtesgaden range, Salzkammergut, Salzburg, Austria

A backcountry skier with a DSLR camera taking a picture in a storm caused by Foehn winds, summit of the Mattjisch Horn, high valley called Fondei, Grison Alps, canton of Grison, Switzerland

Backcountry skiers at sunrise in the Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Backcountry skiers on Sonntagskogel peak, Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Two backcountry skiers ascending to hut Gruttenhuette, Kaiser-Express, Rote-Rinn-Scharte, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser mountain range, Tyrol, Austria

Cornices and snow-covered fir trees with backcountry skiier at Schildenstein, Bavarian alps, Tegernsee, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

Snow-covered mountain scene, panorama from summit of Riedberger Horn, Obermaiselstein, Oberstdorf, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany

Backcountry skier ascending Riedberger Horn, ski resort Grasgehrenlifte, Obermaiselstein, Oberstdorf, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany

Backcountry skier ascending Sonntagskogel peak, Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Backcountry skier on glacier, Chamonix Mont Blanc, France, Europe

Group of people backcountry skiing, ascending to Pallspitze, Pallspitze, Langer Grund, Kitzbuehel Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing, ascending, Dolomite summits in the background, Fanes-Sennes natural park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy

Backcountry skiers on glacier, Chamonix Mont Blanc, France, Europe

Female backcountry skier ascending, Cadini range, Dolomites, Trentino-Alto Adige/Suedtirol, Italy

Female backcountry skier ascending, Cadini range, Dolomites, Trentino-Alto Adige/Suedtirol, Italy

Two backcountry skiers ascending to Brechhorn, Grosser Rettenstein in background, Kitzbuehel Alps, Tyrol, Austria

View towards Kleine Sulzfluh, backcountry ski tour Sulzfluh, Raetikon, Montafon, Vorarlberg, Austria

View to Treffauer, Sonneck and Ellmauer Halt, Kaiser express backcountry ski tour, Ellmauer Halt, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser mountain range, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiing in powder, Hochfuegen, Range of Zillertaler Alpen, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiers with headlamps at dawn, Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing crossing a snowface, Nadernachjoch Skitour, Neue Bamberger hut, Kitzbuehel Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skier at ridge of Grosser Weitschartenkopf with view to range of Reiteralm and Loferer Steinberge, Reiteralm range, Berchtesgaden, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

Backcountry snowboarder and snowshoe hikers at dusk in the Tennengebirge mountains, Bischofsmuetze in the background, Salzburg, Austria

snow-covered mountain scene, panorama from summit of Naunspitze, Zahmer Kaiser, Kaiser range, Kufstein, Tyrol, Austria

snow structure with backcountry skier in backlight, Laschadurella, Grisons, Switzerland

backcountry skiier on ridge with cornices and ski tracks, Kuehgundkopf, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Tyrol, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing, ascending towards Kleine Sulzfluh, backcountry ski tour Sulzfluh, Rachen, Raetikon, Montafon, Vorarlberg, Austria

Woman descending from Schildenstein on backcountry skis, Schildenstein, Tegernseer range, Bavarian Prealps, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

Group of people backcountry skiing, ascending to Pallspitze, Pallspitze, Langer Grund, Kitzbuehel Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Female backcountry skier ascending to Kreuzeck, Radstaedter Tauern, Niedere Tauern, Salzburg, Austria

Female backcountry skier ascending, Pyramidenspitze, Eggersgrinn, Zahmer Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiers in the Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing, standing in notch Schweizer Tor, view towards Drusenfluh, St. Antoenien, Praettigau, Grisons, Switzerland

Woman backcountry skiing, descending on snow face, Schesaplana, Raetikon, Montafon, Vorarlberg, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing, ascending through a winter forest to Schildenstein, Schildenstein, Tegernseer range, Bavarian Prealps, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

Female backcountry skiier ascending, Kampenwand, Chiemgau range, Chiemgau, Bavaria, Germany

Two backcountry skiers ascending, Griesner Kar, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiers and snowboaders ascending Sonntagskogel peak, Tennengebirge mountains, Salzburg, Austria

Two backcountry skiers ascending to Brechhorn, Grosser Rettenstein in background, Kitzbuehel Alps, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiers ascending, Griesner Kar, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing, ascending Hirschberg mountain, Hirschberg, Bavarian Pre-Alps, Bavarian Alps mountain range, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

panorama with Kitzbuehel range, Hohe Tauern and Zillertal range and backcountry skiers ascending Herrenstein, Wilder Kaiser range, Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, Austria

Female backcountry skier ascending, Griesner Kar, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

Female backcountry skier near alpine huts, Hoher Sonnblick and Hocharn in background, Rauris valley, Goldberg mountain range, Hohe Tauern, Salzburg, Austria

Backcountry skiers reaching snow-covered alpine hut, Marchkopf, Hochfuegen, Zillertal, Tyrol, Austria

two backcountry skiers on summit of Sebenspitze, Forggensee in background, Tannheim range, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Tyrol, Austria

Chamomile buds, Kluetzer Winkel, backcountry, coast of the Baltic Sea, Stellshagen, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany

Woman ascending on backcountry-skies to Breiteck, Breiteck, Wildschoenau, Kitzbueheler range, Tyrol, Austria

Backcountry skiers ascending, Tajatoerl, Mieminger range, Ehrwald, Tyrol, Austria

Three backcountry skiers ascending, Tajatoerl, Mieminger range, Tyrol, Austria

Groups of backcountry skiers resting near Fritz-Pflaum lodge, Griesner Kar, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

Female backcountry skier at Kreuzeck enjoying view, Radstaedter Tauern, Niedere Tauern, Salzburg, Austria

Woman backcountry skiing ascending in a track in front of summit cross and alpine huts, Hochries, Chiemgau range, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Backcountry skier resting at alpine lodge, Grosser Gabler, Valle Isarco, Dolomites, Trentino-Alto Adige/Suedtirol, Italy

Groups of backcountry skiers resting near Fritz-Pflaum lodge, Griesner Kar, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

Female backcountry skier ascenting, Griesner Kar, Wilder Kaiser, Kaiser range, Tyrol, Austria

backcountry skier ascending notch Kogelseescharte, Lechtal range, Vorarlberg, Austria

Female backcountry skier ascending, Hochfelln, Chiemgau range, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

Woman backcountry skiing, looking towards Gamsfreiheit, Grosser Turm and Drusenfluh, Drei Tuerme, Raetikon, Montafon, Vorarlberg, Austria

Backcountry skier ascending summit, Plattkofel, Langkofel range, Dolomites, Trentino-Alto Adige/Suedtirol, Italy

Three backcountry skiers ascending, Tajatoerl, Mieminger range, Tyrol, Austria

Road sign of a National Backcountry Scenic Byway, Idaho, USA

Morning fog covering the backcountry, outback of Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Backcountry skier on the way up to the top of Cima Bocche mountain above Passo Valles mountain pass, Dolomites, province of Trentino, Italy, Europe

With Mount Yotei in the background, a team of backcountry skiers, led by a woman, are hiking to the summit of mount Annupuri, near ski resort Niseko United on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The skis they carry are big and wide allowing the winter enthusiasts to fully enjoy skiing down the waist deep powder slopes Niseko United is known for. Niseko United is comprised of four resorts on the one mountain, Annupuri (1,308m). 100km south of Sapporo, Niseko Annupuri is a part of the Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park and is the most eastern park of the Niseko Volcanic Group. Hokkaido, the north island of Japan, is geographically ideally located in the path of consistent weather systems that bring the cold air across the Sea of Japan from Siberia. This results in many of the resorts being absolutely dumped with powder that is renowned for being incredibly dry. Some of the Hokkaido ski resorts receive an amazing average of 14-18 meters of snowfall annually. Niseko is the powder capital of the world and as such is the most popular international ski destination in Japan. It offers an unforgettable experience for all levels of skier and snowboarder.

Roberta Nunes climbing Mathes Crest above Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, California.

Justin Bastien climbing Anticipation 5.11b on Arch Rock in Yosemite National Park, California.

Rikke Ishoy bouldering in Norway.

Miles Smart climbing Zodiac on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California.

Timmy O'Neill free climbing East Buttress on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California.

Justin Bastien climbing on an overhang in Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Mountain biking at sunset in California.

Chris McNamara climbing The Shield on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California.

Tim O'Neil free climbing East Buttress on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California.

Roberta Nunes climbing Mathes Crest above Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, California.