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

Ski mountaineer on snowy mountain side, Via Ferrata, Alpspitze, Alps, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

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

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

Ski mountaineer below an icefall, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Chamonix, Mont-Blanc, France

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

miniature chapell at summit of Hochgern with view to Geigelstein and Kampenwand, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

young woman ascending Hoellritzereck and Bleicherhorn through powder snow with hoar frost, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Schwabia, Bavaria, Germany

panorama of Wilder Kaiser south faces seen from hut Gruttenhuette: Vordere Goinger Halt, Goinger Scharte, Noerdliche Toerlspitze, Goinger Turm, Goinger Toerlspitze, Westliches and Oestliches Toerleck, Toerltuerme, Toerlwand and Regalmwand, Wilder Kaiser range, Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, 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

sunrise at Wilder Kaiser range, south faces with farm house, Wilder Kaiser range, Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, Austria

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

Mountaineers pitching base camp, View towards Mont Blanc du Tacul, Chamonix, Mont-Blanc, France

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

Ski mountaineers in a crevasse, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Chamonix, Mont-Blanc, France

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

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

Young woman and young man descending with crosscountry skis from Corno d'Angolo, Tre Cime di Lavaredo in background, Corno d'Angolo, Cortina, Veneto, Dolomites, Italy, Europe

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

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

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

young woman ascending Hoellritzereck and Bleicherhorn through powder snow with hoar frost, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Schwabia, Bavaria, Germany

alpine hut Preusshuette in Rosengarten range, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Alta Badia, Italy

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

moonrise above pinnacles of Toerltuerme, Wilder Kaiser range, Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, Austria

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

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

young woman powdering Bleicherhorn, Gruenten in background, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Schwabia, Bavaria, Germany

panorama of Allgaeu range with young woman ascending Sedererstuiben, Nagelfluhkette, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Schwabia, Bavaria, Germany

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

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

Mountaineer in front of a tent under Mont Blanc du Tacul, Chamonix, Mont-Blanc, France

Young woman and young man ascending with crosscountry skis to Corno d'Angolo, rock faces in background, Corno d'Angolo, Cortina, Veneto, Dolomites, Italy, Europe

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

young woman ascending Haglertal, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Tyrol, Austria

young woman ascending summit ridge of Sebenspitze, lake Forggensee, Schlicke and Gehrenspitze in background, Tannheim range, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Tyrol, Austria

Woman ascending on skies through a winter forest, Hochries, Chiemgau range, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

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

Snow-covered mountain scene, Riedberger Horn, ski resort Grasgehrenlifte, Obermaiselstein, Oberstdorf, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany

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

young woman powdering in Noppenkar, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Tyrol, Austria

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

young woman ascending summit ridge of Guentlespitze, Kleinwalsertal, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Vorarlberg, Austria

skiers arriving at snow-covered alpine hut, Schwarzwassertal, Kleinwalsertal, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Vorarlberg, Austria

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

Female skier, downhill skiing in snow-covered mountain scenery, Koppachstein, valley of Balderschwang, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany

young woman beneath Hehlekopf (Haehlekopf), Schwarzwassertal, Kleinwalsertal, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Vorarlberg, Austria

Young woman and young man ascending with crosscountry skis to Corno d'Angolo, Tre Cime di Lavaredo in background, Corno d'Angolo, Cortina, Veneto, Dolomites, Italy, Europe

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

Woman with crosscountry skis ascending to Rofanspitze, Seekarlspitze, Hochiss and Karwendel range in the background, Rofanspitze, Rofan, Tyrol, Austria, Europe

Ski mountaineers in a crevasse, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Chamonix, Mont-Blanc, France

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

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

panorama of Allgaeu range in bad weather seen from Sulzspitze, Lechtaler Alpen range, Tyrol, Austria

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

Woman with crosscountry skis ascending to Rofanspitze, Karwendel range in the background, Rofanspitze, Rofan, Tyrol, Austria, Europe

young woman powdering Woleggleskarspitze, Allgaeu range, Allgaeu, Tyrol, Austria

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

Three backcountry skiers ascending, Tajatoerl, Mieminger range, Tyrol, 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 ascending notch Kogelseescharte, Lechtal range, Vorarlberg, Austria

Karwendel range with dramatic cloud formation at sunset from Guffert, Rofan range, Tyrol, Austria

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

moonrise above pinnacles of Toerltuerme, Wilder Kaiser range, Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, Austria

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

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.

Lance McDonald backcountry skiing on unknow peak near town of Sherman in the San Juan mountains, Colorado

Female skier (Sarah Oakden) skiing at Mica Helisking near Mica Creek, BC, Canada

Andrew Fodor, Sheri Kashman, Senja Palonen, Tony Chan and Daisy skinning up to a powdery descent from Table Mountain. Mt. Baker backcountry. Glacier, Washington, USA, United States of America

Three ski mountaineers ascending Denali, with sunset over Mount Hunter in the background. Denali National Park is a great location for backcountry skiing and mountain climbing tours.

Jack Igelman explores on his telemark skis some of the winter backcountry in the high country north of Asheville, NC

Backcountry adventurer gets his wings flying the Nano on the south side of Mt Hood, United States of America

Young girl putting on skis, Red Mountain Pass, San Juan National Forest, Silverton, Colorado, USA

Backcountry skiing to McNamara Hut, Aspen, Colorado.

Backcountry skier crosses glacier under late day stormy sky.

A man skiing powder snow on a rock on Donner Summit in California.

A professional big mountain skier, catches his breath after falling in fresh powder in the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort backcountry, Wyoming.

Telemark skier descends steep mountain in backcountry of southeast Alaska.

A man does a backflip off a jump in the Brighton Utah backcountry.

A lone skier enjoys a powder run in the Teton moutnains, Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

A male skier makes a big powder turn in the Kirkwood backcountry, CA.

Telemark skier descends steep mountain in backcountry of southeast Alaska.

Jeff Annetts getting air on his skis in the Jackson Hole Backcountry on December 15, 2003.

A father and his two sons skinning through the backcountry of California.

A woman skier smiles as she skis the powder in the backcountry of the Selkirk Mountains, Canada.

A male skier makes a big powder turn in the Kirkwood backcountry, CA.

A photographer photographs a skier.