Getting there/getting around: Car. There are 5 free spaces near the Miharashidai. There are a few paid parking lots also. Many people go to the area by taxi.
Elevation:Lowest: 1,189 m Highest: 1,655 m Total Ascent: 1,106 m Total Descent: 1,106 m
Technical considerations/difficulty: The trail has a fair amount of ups and downs but isn't terribly difficult. There are no ropes, chains or ladders. The trail isn't marked very well but isn't too difficult to follow as most of it is on a ridge.
Facilities: Nothing on the trail to Hanamagari. The trail that passes the Miharashidai is popular with trail runners. There are a public restroom, a few (seasonal) restaurants, vending machines and parking lots in that area.
Thoughts/observations/recommendations: The hike to Hanamagari is not the main attraction around here. The shrine and the Miharashidai are more popular.
S'up, cavers?
I got to connect the dots on my map a bit the other day. About 4 months ago I first hiked in this area--to Mt. Asama Kakushi. This most recent trek was my 3rd one and enabled me to connect the dots from that mountain in the north to the Miharashidai of Usui Pass in the south. In a straight line, that's only about 9km.
On my last hike, I realized there was something scandalous going on in the naming of these mountains. On that trek, I climbed Mt. Hizuma--"Frozen Wife" and Mt. Hanamagari--"Nose Bent". It gave me pause for thought. What could those names mean? This time, the mystery deepened. As I was heading back to Hanamagari, this time from the other direction, I realized the mountain next to it on the other side from the frozen wife was Mt. Tomebu. That name that means something about a husband. I haven't found a definitive answer for what exactly the compound of the characters in the name means but it is something like "at home" or "faithful" "husband."
Poor guy. He's got a frigid wife who's nose is bent out of shape but he seems to be hanging on. I hope he gets a break some time in life.
I didn't think I would get much in the way of scenery today. It was a bit hazy and there are not many unobstructed views on the way. I was pleasantly surprised to see two kamoshika ("serow" in English.)
This is obviously kamoshika area. I saw one just a few kilometers away on Asama Kakushi when I was there in December.
Anyway, here are some pictures and videos.
First is some wildlife.
This video contains an amusing anecdote. Don't miss it.
Peaks bagged: Kengamine (剣ヶ峰) ~ Hotaka (武尊山) ~ Nakanodake (中ノ岳)
(First-time) peaks # 888, 889 + 890
Getting there/getting around: I drove. There are many bus tour/train options. Check out the Kawaba Ski Area's information (in Japanese.) Tour Information
Map: 山と高原地図16TANIGAWA-DAKE 谷川岳 苗場山・武尊山
Weather Information:Mt. Hotaka Weather The Kawaba Ski area also has weather information about the suitability for climbing each day. Unfortunately, they post this only on the Japanese side of their website. Click on the bottom right of the screen to the right of "Kawaba Life" where you see "天気情報".
Total Time: 3:56 Break time: :36 Distance: 6.6 km
Elevation:Lowest: 1,847 m Highest: 2,158 m Total Ascent: 670 m Total Descent: 670 m
Technical considerations/difficulty: During the winter, you need spikes, and depending on the conditions, an ice axe or poles and maybe snow shoes. I wore just crampons yesterday and was fine. I did kind of wish I had an axe but not that often.
Facilities: There is nothing on the trail. The ski area, of course, has a lot of restaurants and shops. The ski lift starts operating at 8:30 and the last chair down leaves at 3:30. The ski area is open from December to April. For hikers, the lift (in 2024) is ¥1,200 each way.
The lift opens at 8:30, but if you want to get on it right at that time, be a little early. The ski area requires you to fill out and submit a paper hiking plan and to rent a Cocoheri, if you don't have one already.
What is Cocoheri you ask? It's a portable safety beacon in case you get in a jam. The name is a play on the words for "here" (coco) and "helicopter" (heri). It's provided by a outdoors insurance company called JRO. cocoheri link When I was on the mountain and saw the potential for avalanches, I understood why the ski area demanded that you have a cocoheri with you.
I've carried JRO insurance for years. Unfortunately, all of their paperwork is in Japanese. Legalize is bad enough in English. Seeing as it's Japanese legalize, I really hope I never have to put in a claim!
Thoughts/observations/recommendations: I'm not usually a fan of using ski lifts or the like when hiking. It feels like cheating and makes what I want to be a cheap hobby cost money. Time available and weather conditions determined that the ski lift was the only possibility to knock this mountain off the list during this season.
Enjoy the pictures. Do check out the videos, too.
I'd love your feedback on what I'm doing. I do this blog primarily for
myself so I can remember all these places I've been. If I can make something
interesting for you, though, I'll be even more happy.
Look!
Two lifts to get to the trailhead.
Just off the lift!
That peak over there is called Kengamine, (Kenga Peak). It is a little confusing because I took this picture from beside another peak of the same name. There are so many Japanese mountains with the same name.
There is actually another mountain called Hotaka on the list of 100 Famous Mountains. They usually call this one Joshu Hotaka as a way to distinguish it from its taller brother in Kamikochi. "Joshu" refers to this area.
That is Mt. Hotaka
Looking west toward Niigata.
The top of Hokata
These cracks give one pause for thought. If an avalanche started, hoo boy.
Have you ever contemplated the power of snow (ie, water) and gravity? A cubic meter of water is a metric ton. Can you imagine the volume of wet, heavy snow on the sides of these ridges?
The contours of the snow surface were also concerning in spots. I'm told that when the snow surface is wrinkled, wavy or dimpled and when you can't guess the topography below the snow, the likelihood of avalanche is higher.
This filled the bill at the end of a beautiful day. 🤓
That's all for today.
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Starting and stopping point: Kannari Trailhead Parking Lot (神成登山口駐車場) by the Shinbori Shrine (新堀神社) in Tomioka, Gunma.
Peaks bagged: Mt. Azuma 吾妻山 ~ Mt. Ryuou 竜王山
(First-time) peaks # 876 and 877
Getting there/getting around: I drove. The nearest train station is Nanjaieki (南蛇井駅) (19 min. walk). Alternatively, you could get off at Kanohara (神農原駅) and start the hike from the other end, by the Miyazaki Park (宮崎公園).
Weather Information: Look for a weather report for Tomioka City. These hills aren't high enough to rate a mountain forecast.
Total Time: 2:22 Break time: :19 Distance: 5.9
Elevation:Lowest: 204 m Highest: 320 m Total Ascent: 477 m Total Descent: 477 m
Technical considerations/difficulty: None
Facilities: Benches here and there at nice viewpoints. One spot has picture books with pics of the area in each season. There is also a display case of some bits of nature--snail shells, a stuffed martin. That was neat.
Thoughts/observations/recommendations: This was just a quick walk. I wanted to get in a little more time in the woods before I go back to work in a few days. It was quite a difference from my slog through the snow the day before. This place is very low in elevation and it was really warm. I saw butterflies and bees and all the flowers seemed to have bloomed overnight. I was hiking in a t-shirt.
I'm not going to put up many pictures, dear cavedweller. This was pretty minor as treks go. I am making this post merely for my own memory. ☺
