100 Famous Mountain, Mt. Kisokoma in Nagano

Yesterday I climbed one of the 100 Famous Mountains, Mt. Kisokomagatake, Kisokoma for short.  Kisokoma is the tallest of the Kiso Mountains which are located in the Chubu region in the prefecture of Nagano.

Location: 

Central Alps (Kiso Mountains)

Starting and stopping point:  

Chuo Alps Kisokomagatake Ropeway

Peaks bagged: 

Mt. Hoken (宝剣岳) ~~ Mt. Naka (中岳) ~~ Mt. Kisokoma (木曽駒ヶ岳) ~~ Mt. Kisomae (木曽前岳)

(First-time-climbed) peaks 

#801, 802, 803 and 804

Getting there/getting around:  

See the website for the ropeway.  They have comprehensive information about transportation and lodging.  Info on the Alps

Map: 

山と高原地図４１CENTRAL ALPS KISOKOMA・UTSUGI-DAKE　中央アルプス木曽駒・空木岳　Link If that link goes bad, try searching for the updated map on Mapple's website

Weather Information: 

(English site)

(Japanese site)

Time

Total Time:  4:24 Break time: :32  Distance: 6.5km (just over 4 miles)  

Elevation  

Lowest: 2,612m Highest: 2,956m Total Ascent: 812m  Total Descent: 812m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

From the ropeway to the main attraction, Mt. Kisokoma, the hike is do-able by people of all shapes and sizes in a couple of hours.  Deviating from that well-trodden path to the peaks on the side is where it gets exciting.  

Facilities:  

There are a lot.  Around the area where the bus departs for the ropeway, there are hotels, gift shops, onsens . . . At the top of the ropeway, there is a hotel and restaurant.  On the mountains, there are about 5 mountain lodges.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

I have to go back.  I was robbed of long views again because of the weather.  

For a few reasons, I took the most popular route to the top, via the ropeway.  Doing that cost nearly ¥5,000 (about $50) and ensured that I was hiking around a lot of people.  Actually, on the most heavily trafficked parts of the trail I was reminded of pictures of Mt. Everest with the long lines of people waiting to summit.  It wasn't actually that bad.  It wasn't even as bad as Mt. Fuji looks this year.  (It's super-crowded!)  Next time I will definitely skip the ropeway and start at a lower elevation.  Doing so, I'm sure I'll avoid the crowds.  After all, this is my mancave.  I go there to get away from people!  

There are a few reasons I don't like using ropeways.  1.  I'm a cheapskate.  2.  I feel like I'm cheating.  3.  This is similar to the second point, I don't think you can appreciate how high you are when you are just deposited there from a little capsule that was transported via a metal thread.  The change in temperature, vegetation and fauna is less sensible.  

Today's listening: 

Bible in a Year

A Short History of . . . the French Resistance

From the ropeway

This is on the way to Mt. Hoken (宝剣岳).  That peak is much spicier than Kisokoma.  宝剣 means "treasure" "sword" 岳 means "peak."

The top of Kisokomagatake

I cut the crowd out of the next picture . . . but around here the line was a bit like Disneyland.  There must have been about 30~40 slow-moving people.

That's the Senjokiki Hotel and ropeway station below.

These two chicks must be "influencers" of some sort.  They were obstructing the whole trail while swinging a smartphone around on a selfie stick.  They were absolutely oblivious to the other hikers who were trying to get around them.

Well, that's it for today.  Subscribe, etc.  If you like.

Want to see another of the 100 Famous Mountains?  Try Kobushigatake or the second and fourth highest mountains in Japan.

Try another Komagatake, Kaikomagatake

Caveman out.