100 Meizan, Mt. Kirigamine (Mt. Kuruma)

Greetings, cave dwellers.  What a great day this was!  My last two treks were characterized by bad weather and poor visibility but today made up for all that.  It was an absolutely beautiful day to attack one of the 100 Famous Mountains--Mt. Kuruma--and all of the other peaks around it.  

I had planned on only hiking 2 peaks but it was so beautiful and I was making such good time that I hiked each one in the area and didn't even feel like I broke a sweat.

Location:  Mt. Kuruma Suwa, Nagano

Starting and stopping point:  西白樺湖駐車場 Nishi Shirakabako Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Mt. Kuruma (車山) ~~ Mt. Chochomi (蝶々深山) ~~ Mt. Minaminomimi (南の耳山) ~~ Mt. Kitanomimi (北耳) ~~ Mt. Oozasayama (大笹山) ~~ Mt. Denjo (殿城山)

Getting there/getting around:  I drove.  There is bus service to the area by the Alpico Bus Company, the same bus company that services Kamikochi.  There are numerous bus stops in the area.  If you go to their site, there is an automatic English translation available by clicking a button at the top right side of their page.

Map:  Yama to Kogen Chizu 33 YATSUGA-TAKE TATESHINA・UTSUKUSHIGAHARA・KIRIGAMINE 八ヶ岳蓼科・美ヶ原・霧ヶ峰

Weather Information: 

(Japanese site): Mt. Kuruma area weather   

(English Site):  Mt. Denjo weather 

Total Time:  6:18 Break time: :10  Distance:  19.4

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,416m Highest:  1,925m Total Ascent:  1,040m Total Descent: 1,040m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  This is an extremely pleasant walk.   Except for the trail that I took down from the last mountain to the car, the trails are all relatively level stone paths.  The last trail that I chose was a bit strenuous, but not too bad.  I wouldn't take that trail if you don't have a GPS device and a good sense for finding unmarked trails.  There are no ropes, ladders or chains.  

Facilities:  The parking lot was free.  Here and there are public restrooms.  

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  What a great set of trails.  There are spectacular views of Mt. Fuji, all of the Alps, Mt. Asama and Yatsugatake.  I want to get back there in other seasons.  Snowshoeing must be fun up there.  There are a lot of ski areas there.  I'm sure that leaf-peeping from the chairlifts and gondolas must be great.

The parking lot is free but I got the last open space.  And that was at 6:30 am!

Today's listening:  Bible in a Year 

Here's what it looked like.

From the parking lot.

Much of the trail was like this.  It was pretty mellow.

Mt. Kitanomimi ("North Ear Mountain")

Lake Shirakaba

This is a hopping place now that summer vacation is here.  Many schools have camps nearby and their sports clubs come up here to train.  There are also several hotels and amusements around the lake.

That's all for today.  See you again, soon.

Caveman out.

100 Meizan, Mt. Azuma Gunma/Nagano

Greetings cave dwellers of all ages.

I was blessed to get into the woods today.  the weather isn't cooperating too much these days but--if it's true that a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work, it must be doubly true about days in the mountains.

I had all sorts of mountain plans for this summer vacation but the weather and schedules aren't making the longer treks feasible.  I gave up on a planned 3-day trip to the Alps this week.   Today I only drove about an hour away and did a not-so-long hike in case the weather went bad.  It did go bad, so I guess I did the right thing.

The main mountain I climbed was Mt. Azuma (四阿山) in Gunma.  It's one of the 100 Famous Mountains so I assume it's beautiful.  I can't really say though.  Because of the weather, I really didn't get a good look at it.  Nor from it, either.  I'll have to go back on a clear day sometime.  

Here are the details:

Location:  Mt. Azuma Gunma/Nagano

Starting and stopping point:  Sugadaira Bokujo (菅平牧場)

Peaks bagged: Neko (根子岳) ~~ Koneko (小根子岳) ~~ Azuma (四阿山) ~~ Nishiazuma (西四阿山)　~~ Nakaazuma (中四阿山)

Getting there/getting around:  I drove.  There is a parking lot (200 yen) near the trailhead at Sugadaira Farm.  A bus from Ueda Station will go as far as the Tengu Bus Stop, which is a 37-minute walk from the trailhead.

Map: 山と高原地図１７志賀高原草津白根山・四阿山

Weather Information: 

Mountain Weather (English)    

Mt. Azuma Weather Japanese 

***I checked 3 different weather reports.  As usual, they all conflicted.  One forecast lightning, thunderstorms, the four horsemen, of the apocolypse, sharknadoes .  .  .   Another forecast partly sunny skies.  The other predicted a perfect day.  Of the forecasts I checked, the first link I posted above was the best.  There were thunderstorms.  

Total Time:  5:52 Break time: :43  Distance:  11.3km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,580m Highest: 2,354m Total Ascent:  1,094m Total Descent: 1,094m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  Fairly straightforward hike.  There is a lot of bamboo grass.  I encountered one snake on the trail.

Facilities:  Public restroom, cafe, gift shop at the trailhead.  Nothing on the trail.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  I'll have to do this again on a clear day.  I was robbed of any views because of the weather.  It really poured a few times and there were thunder and lightning.  Thankfully, not when I was near the top.

Today's listening: Bible in a Year

Without further ado, here are some pictures.

Snake!  This guy did not care that I was there.  I threw a lot of rocks and sticks at him but he wouldn't budge.  I finally took my life in my hands and hurdled over him.

There is a lot of this bamboo grass (sasa) on these mountains.  Bears like it.  Apparently there was a bear sighted on this trail last month.

I didn't take many pictures of the rain because it was coming down too fast and furious.  I do wish I'd taken a few when it was really coming down because it had really turned the trail into a stream.  

This is the second hike in a row that my feet have turned into hamburger from getting wet.

That's all for today.  Subscribe (or not).  Tell your friends (or not).  

See you again soon.

The Caveman

Kosajiki Sajiki Mtns, Gunma

Location:  Near Yunomaru Ranch, Tsumagoi, Agatsuma, Gunma

Starting and stopping point:   Sajiki Trailhead

Peaks bagged:      Kosajiki (小桟敷山)  〜〜  Sajiki (桟敷山)

Getting there/getting around:  I drove.

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: Mt. Yunomaru Weather

Total Time: 1:23  Break time: 5  Distance:  4.4km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,601 Highest: 1,931m Total Ascent:  476m Total Descent: 476m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  A little steep in places, but mostly runnable.

Facilities:  Nothing

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:

Very excited about the opportunities for hiking with the long summer days.  I can escape work with enough sunlight to get in a nice, short hike before the sun goes down.  

Today's listening:  Bible in a Year

Not much to say.  Just a quick trip over the prefectural border into Gunma for a run after work.  

This gave me pause for concern.

As Apu said before he got canceled, "Thank you.  Come again."