In Episode 14 of Only Friends on a Pow Day, Austin sits down with Clayton Kernaghan - Canadian shredder, founder of Black Diamond Lodge, and one of Hokkaido’s most respected guides.

Clayton shares:

• His early days arriving in Japan during the snowboard boom 🌊
• Building Black Diamond Lodge and guiding the world’s best pros 🎿
• The rise of heli & cat skiing in Niseko 🚁
• Why Japan’s real estate market feels more like crypto 💰
• How Niseko shifted from powder chasers to status seekers 📸
• The future of ski culture in Japan and beyond 🌏

Clayton takes us deep into the history of Niseko, starting with his first trip in the mid-90s when snowboarding exploded in Japan. He shares how he built Black Diamond Lodge, grew a guiding business that attracted the world’s best pros, and eventually pioneered heli and cat-skiing operations in Hokkaido.

But Clayton isn’t just here for nostalgia. He’s brutally honest about the real estate chaos gripping Niseko - where agents legally flip properties within a day, driving prices through the roof and reshaping local culture. From wild bubble years to today’s luxury-focused scene, Clayton explains how Niseko has changed and what that means for staff, locals, and visiting riders.

This is an episode about snow, business, culture, and the fine line between progress and profiteering. Whether you’re a powder hound, a snow industry insider, or just curious about Japan’s ski boom, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms
 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment & subscribe for more ski stories!

Support the show

Thanks for listening, stay frothy and have fun!