Caveman hikes Kurumazaka Pass to Mt. Kurofu. Spies a volcano.




Location:  Asama, Komoro City, Nagano

Starting and stopping point:  Takamine Kogen Visitor's Center

Peaks bagged: Kurumazaka Yarigasaya Tominokashira Kurofu

Getting there/getting around:  There is a large parking lot behind the visitor's center.  There is also bus service to Komoro, Sakudaira, and even Shinjuku.  JRBusKanto runs a bus from the Shinjuku Bus Terminal.  It takes 4 hours and costs ¥3,400.  I think there is one departing Shinjuku around 10:30 and a return bus at 16:20.

Map:  Yama to Kogen Chizu 19 浅間山軽井沢・長野原の山々ASAMA-YAMA KARUIZAWA-NAGANOHARA-MOUNTAINS

Weather Information: Asama Weather

Total Time: 2:16  Break time: 11  Distance:  5.3km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,966m  Highest: 2,404m Total Ascent: 493  Total Descent: 493

Technical considerations/difficulty:  This is a fairly straightforward hike.  It's not very long.  The trailhead is at a mountain pass so you're already as high up as a car can take you.  Most of the hike is below the treeline but when you pop out onto the peaks on the edge of the valley facing Mt. Asama it is a bit dizzying.  There are no chains or ladders, but you do need to scramble over some boulders.  I really wouldn't want to slip off of one of those rocks.  Alltrails calls this hike "hard".  YAMAP gives it 3 out of 5 for "strength".  I don't know if I'd call it hard...Perhaps if you only put on your hiking boots once in a while.  

At the visitor's center, there are the ubiquitous warnings about bears.  I'm starting to pay a little more attention to them because there do seem to be more bear encounters in  this corner or Nagano and Gunma than I'm accustomed to in other areas.  That said, I am still not getting a bear bell.  Wow, I find them obnoxious.

Facilities:  The visitor's center is remarkably clean and large.  There's a snack bar, rental helmets, poles, gaiters, brochures, some items of clothing for sale, vending machines, and restrooms.  It's a happening place.  Next to that is the Takamine Kogen Hotel which has a commanding view of the valley below and Yatsugatake beyond.  Behind the hotel, there are more restrooms open 24 hours a day.  There is no water on the trail.  There is a very rudimentary emergency shelter on the trail.  It's basically just a big tube open on both ends.  I assume this is purposed more for protection from eruption than for anything else.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  This hike was a bit of daytime reconnaissance for doing the same trail in the dark later this summer.  When I was doing some trail research the other day, I came across an ad for a tour to see "Diamond Asama" at sunrise:  Diamond Asama tour .  That sounds like fun!  I learned about the diamond effect from Mt. Fuji.  As the sun sets or rises directly behind the mountain, rays of light get super bright.  Now, I think it's nice that these people are giving a tour to see the effect--but they are charging money.  One of the things the caveman dislikes--almost as much as he dislikes pretentious jerks who refer to themselves in the third person--is spending money.  Armed with the date and place when the diamond effect is likely to occur, I decided to check out the trail in daylight ahead of time.  It was a great excuse to go for a short hike after work on a Thursday afternoon!  

Thankfully, there was another brief window of nice weather in this rainy season so that I could do it!  We have had a few days of real torrential downpours recently so yesterday's clear weather was just the bees knees.  It was almost as good as sliced bread.

And, hiking at that time of day, on a weekday no less, meant that I had the trail and peaks all to myself.

Today's listening:  Bible in a Year


There's another trek around Asama here Kurofu, etc.

The actual sunrise hike is here.

Here are the stats and some pictures:




I saw this guy on my way up the road to the trailhead.  I call him Fred.  Fred the animal.





Inside the visitor's center










Looking down toward Komoro and Saku cities.








Much of the trail is like this.  At spots, there are rhododendrons, too.



The Shelter.  This is not your usual mountain shelter.  I assume it's to shelter during an eruption.  I've seen similar ones on the other side of Mt. Asama, too.












That is Mt. Asama.  The air quality level is still such that we can't go near the crater.  I can't wait until we can.  




























































I live down there.  Can't you see my house?


Heading back down


The hotel is on the left side.





The Bus Stop



Looking west

That's all for today.  Thanks for dropping by my cave.  Come back again.  Subscribe if you feel like it.  Leave a comment if you are of a mind to.


Caveman out

2 comments:

  1. Thanks Pat for the report. I didn`t know they also have a diamond Asama.
    But I did see a glorious sunrise at the ridgeline a few summers back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Naresh,
      I'm sure the sunrise was awesome. That is a great ridgeline.
      I hope the diamone effect works out. I've tried to catch a good diamond effect off of Fuji a few times but have never had good luck with weather.

      There is another event in the area that same night that I wondered whether or not I should post. There's an overnight walk to look at the milky way. It looks interesting, but I don't think you can get away from the entry fee. ;-) https://npo-asama.jp/lp/asw2023/

      I've discovered that this area is really into space. There are observatories and deep space-exploring satellite dishes. One of my school's alums is a famous astronaut.

      Have a great summer.

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