The Caveman is back in a New Year. Mt. Masuo, Mt. Wakuma and Kotomiki in Ueda City.

 

Don't pay the ransom.  I am back.

. . . about Mt. Masuo, Wakuma and Kotomiki

These are three minor peaks in Ueda City.  They are on a ridgeline to the west of the collection of mountains leading to Mt. Asama.  To the north, across a valley, is Mt. Azuma.

Area: Ueda City, Sanadamachiosa

If you are an otaku or a history buff, the "Sanada" part of the area's name may jump out at you.  The Sanada Clan were active in the Sengoku (Warring) Period in Japanese history.  The main Sanada Castle was just down the street from these mountains.  The top picture on this post is the crest of the Sanada Clan.  It's also found on the sign of the parking lot where I left my cavemobile.  Sanada Clan on Wikipedia

Location: 

Map:    This link is to a printable topo map.  *The names of the mountains aren't on the map.  Mt. Masuo is 1,440 meters, Mt. Wakuma North is 1,610 m and Mt. Wakuma South/Kotomiki is 1,643 m.

Starting and stopping point: Matsuokojo Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Mt. Masuo (増尾山) ~~ Mt. Wakuma North (和熊岳北) ~~ Mt. Wakuma South/Kotomiki (和熊岳南/コトミキ山)

(First-time) peaks # 991-993

Getting there/getting around:  I drove.  There are buses to the area by the Ueda Bus Co.  It doesn't run every day.  You'll need to understand Japanese to puzzle out their calendar and time schedule.  Good luck with that.

Helpful Info

Weather Information: Nearby Eboshigatake

Time and distance

Total Time:  5:10 Break time: :55  Distance:  7.6 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 831 m Highest: 1,643 m Total Ascent: 1,095 m  Total Descent: 1,095 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

It's not terrifically difficult.  There are not ropes, chains or ladders.  Much of it is steep, but that is to be expected.  The trail is not characterized by great views so it gets little traffic.  It doesn't even appear as a trail on most maps.  I wouldn't have known about it but for previous hikers leaving their reports online.  The trail has some marking tape along it but it's not that necessary as the trail stays right on top of or just off the top of a very distinct ridge line.

Facilities:  

No water.  No restrooms.  Nothing.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  I was glad to get out for my first hike of the year on a clear day.  This hike fit the bill well for my needs.  These aren't famous or spectacular mountains.  After nearly a month (unbelievable!) of Christmas revelry away from the mountains, I didn't want to overtax myself.  Still, I wanted to bag a few peaks.  I am hoping to bag peak number 1,000 in February and I left off at 990 when I last hiked in December.

If you are in the area, these mountains are nice.  You won't encounter any crowds.  If you're coming from far away to the area, I'd recommend Eboshi, Yunomaru or Azuma.  They are more challenging but the views are better.

Here are some pics:

The Sanada Crest is on the sign to the left of my Flintmobile

Celsius

Fahrenheit

Starting out at the Kakuma River

The first peak of 2025.

There isn't even a marker on it.

These chain spikes have stood up really well.  I have had them 4 or 5 years and they've been very reliable and are easy to use.  I think they cost me about ¥5,000 ~ ¥6,000 at the Montbel store.

Mt. Eboshi

Annotated versions of these pictures are at the end of the post if you're curious about the mountains' names.

That's all for now.

Caveman out.

  

Caveman closes 2024 in the snow. Jinbatorigoe to Yagoromine in Ueda City

 

End of year greetings to all you spelunkers.  

This marks my last report of the year.  I went for my 86th hike yesterday and knocked off my 161st peak of 2024.  It's been a great year in the mountains.  I haven't had any injuries and I'm very grateful for that.

I hope and pray that you all have a Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy year in 2025.

. . . about these mountains

There isn't much to say.  These are not famous or particularly spectacular.  They just happen to be a few mountains I hadn't yet hiked on.  They overlook the Chikuma River's valley, Ueda City and Sakaki Town.  There are views of Utsukushigahara, Yatsugatake and Arafune.

Area:  Ueda City/Sakaki, Nagano

Location:

Map:  ***If you want a link to the latest Yama to Kogen map, comment and I'll get you a link.  This link is to a printable topo map

Starting and stopping point: 和合城跡登山口　Wagojoato Trailhead

Peaks bagged: (神場鳥越) Jinbatorigoe ~ (高津屋山) Takatsuya ~  (虚空蔵山) Kokuzo  ~ (弥五郎峰)　Yagoromine ~ (兎峰) Usagimine 

(First-time) peaks # 984~989

Getting there/getting around: 

I drove.  I borrowed the parking lot at Besia, not too far from the trailhead.  It was empty.

The nearest train station is Nishi Ueda on the Shinano Tetsudo.  That's easily within walking distance of one of the trailheads.  Ueda Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line isn't too far either.  If you wanted to come to the area by train, I'd change from shinkansen at Ueda and take a local train to Nishi Ueda.

Helpful Info

Weather Information: Nearby Mt. Taro's forecast

Time and distance

Total Time: 4:45  Break time: :20  Distance:  9.17 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 413 m Highest: 1,077 m  Total Ascent: 866 m  Total Descent: 868 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

This isn't terribly high but it's steep.  It's a challenge to keep your feet under you in slippery conditions like I had today.  Thankfully, there are long sections with ropes.  There could be more, though!  I slipped twice.

Facilities:  

There's nothing on the trail except for a few benches here and there.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

These are some minor peaks sandwiched between two valleys in Ueda City.  I wouldn't make them a destination for a trip from far away.  It is a good place for a local to hike, though.  The views of the valley below and some of the distant mountains was nice.  It would be nice to go there on a really clear day. 

The trail starts at a cemetery.  I think these are the graves of all the unsuccessful climbers.

(That's a joke.)

It was steep.  The way these hills pop up so drastically from the flat valley reminds me of a whack a mole game. 

This is the only picture I took of any ropes.  I should have taken more to be representative.  There are a LOT of ropes on these trails.  I wish there were even more!  They are a huge help because there are so many steep slopes with nothing to hold onto.  Yesterday was a particularly difficult day for walking because the ground isn't quite frozen.  Although there was an inch or two of snow cover, below that the ground surface was fallen leaves on top of mud.  It was more slippery than it would be with frozen ground and/or a lot of snow.

This is the top of Usagimine (Rabbit Peak).  This was a bit dizzying.

If you're curious about what is visible . . .

This is the Yanagi Yu (Willow Onsen) in Ueda.  I really was looking forward to this after the hike.  

This place more like an old-fashioned sento than a resort-type onsen.  Before it became common for every house or apartment to have a bath, people would take a bath at the local sento.  Sentos are communal baths and don't have all the amenities, such as restaurants and massage chairs that onsens do.

  

When I arrived, the obaachan (old lady) running the place started cautioning me about the hot temps and telling me not to get burned.  I figured she was just assuming that I wouldn't be used to hot baths because I'm a foreigner.  I asked what temperature the water is and she said 45 ℃ (113 ℉)!  (A hot tub is typically about 100~104℉.)  

I keep the bath at home at 42 ℃--and that's hotter than a lot of people can stand it.

That's all for this year.

Caveman out