Foiled again. Mt. Fuji has entered the Witness Protection Program and is nowhere to be seen.

Greetings cave creatures.  Welcome to my cave.  Pull up a rock.

We just had the second of two three-day weekends in a row which were affected by typhoons.  I didn't think I'd be able to dodge the raindrops long enough to do it, but I was able to run down to Yamanashi for a day hike on Sunday.  I didn't get blown away, but fog and clouds were the order of the day.

I hesitate to post this because I really like to make blog posts with stunning pictures showing the beauty of nature.  That's the main reason I started this blog.  In pointing through the beauty of nature, I hope ultimately to point the viewer to the artist who made it.

The beauty in this post is more of the rain/fog/spider/snake kind than the usual beauty of the breathtaking vistas of distant mountain peaks.  

Even if I can't show that many beautiful pictures, I at least want to post this information in hopes it can help someone plan a hike.

Let me get the details out of the way.

Location:  North side of Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi.

Starting and stopping point:  Parking spot

Mountains climbed: 13, in total.  The main ones are Kurodake, Misaka and Mitsutoge.

Getting there/getting around:  I took my bike but you can get to the area by bus.

Map:  Yama to Kogen Chizu #32 富士山

Weather Information:  Mitsutoge's weather.

Distance:  12.5km

Elevation:  Lowest: about 1,030 meters. Highest about 1,793 meters. Total up and down 1,825~1,830 meters.

Technical considerations/difficulty: It was not a super-challenging hike technically.  There are some ropes in places but very little exposure.  It is a long hike if not scary.  I'm not sure if it is the trail or the fact that I was not wearing my favorite boots but the going was slow.  It took me more than eight-and-a-half hours and my ankles were stiff by the time I finished. 

Facilities:  Between my starting point on Route 137 and Mt. Mitsutoge, there is nothing commercial.  There is a fresh stream for water for the first hour or so but then no water again until the huts around Mt. Mitsutoge.  The first public toilets you'll encounter are the top of Mitsutoge.  On east side of Route 137, not far from Mitsutoge, there is the Tenkachaya (Teahouse Below Heaven) which seems to be a happening place to grab a bowl of Houtou or a can of beer--if either of those is your thing.  Actually, climbing to Mitsutoge from the Tenkachaya is one of the more popular routes.  It's a very short hike so it's the type of place I would feel like I had cheated were I to take it. 

Thoughts/observations/recommendations: This is my third time to Mitsutoge and it is the third time that inclement weather has denied me any kind of view worth looking at.  😆  I'm told it is one of the best places to view Mt. Fuji, but I have to take everyone's word for that.  

I chose this route basically to connect the dots on my map.  The main mountain on the west side of this hike, Mt. Kurodake (黒岳), and the main one on the east side, Mt. Mitsutoge (三ツ峠山), are both worthwhile hikes in their own right.  I spent a night on Kurodake and I recall that spot had one of the most wonderful views of Fuji.  Mitsutoge, with the vantage point it has facing Mt. Fuji over Lake Kawaguchi, also is great.  The stretch of trail between them could be skipped--unless you have O.C.D. like I do and feel compelled to hike every trail around all 5 of the lakes of the Fuji Five Lakes Region.  😜  

Here are some pictures.  

One of the weapons I carry at this time of year is a stick.  The stick is to wave in front of me to wipe out all the cobwebs across the trail. 

Speaking of wildlife . . .

I did see and hear several deer, too.  I couldn't get any pictures, though.

I like walking by water.  Since it's been such a rainy September, these little streams have really swollen.

I got this glimpse of the lake during the approximately 5 minutes that the sun came out.

I took these next ones at the top of Mitsutoge.

These antennae are on the north peak of Mt. Mitsutoge.  They are great landmarks because you can spot them from dozens of miles away.

This is looking toward the south peak from the north.

The south peak.

Looking toward Mt. Fuji from the south peak.

Use your imagination for what it must be like on a clear day.

This is just below the peak.  I've walked along the trail below the rock climbers.  That is not a small wall.  Mad respect.

This is the Mitsutoge Sanso (Villa/Lodge).  

This Sanso is serviced by a rough and rocky road.  The sanso has a bunch of jeeps and some tracked vehicles that drive on it.  The last part of my trek started along this road.  After a few miles on that, I met a paved road for the last few miles down to my bike.

That's all for now.  Have a nice week!