Revenge on the boat. Second time to Arafune. Peak #751

 

S'up, cave dwellers?  It's a glorious spring here in Nagano.  Last month I got to Mt. Arafune for the first time.  This week I dropped by again from a different trail.  It was great.  

Location:  Straddling the prefectural boundary between Gunma and Nagano.  Saku City, Nagano and Shimonita, Gunma.

Starting and stopping point:  Minaminomaki Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Mt. Kumakura (熊倉峰)

Getting there/getting around:  There is a parking lot for 4 or 5 cars at Minaminomaki.  There is also a large lot at the Arafune Trailhead.

Map:  Yama to Kogen Chizu #21 西上州　妙義山・荒船山

Weather Information: Arafune Weather

Total Time: 3:49  Break time:  30 Distance:  9.4km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,063m Highest: 1,342m Total Ascent: 956m  Total Descent: 956m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  Much of this hike is below the treeline and on a gentle trail.  There are some steep spots with chains or ropes, but not too much exposure.  The viewpoint at Tomoiwa is not somewhere I would like to fall from--but you'd have to be pretty dumb to get close enough to the edge to fall off!

Facilities:  There are portapotties at the Uchiyama Pass Parking lot.  There is a waterhole not far from the top.  It looks a bit dangerous to access, though.  There is an emergency hut at the Tomoiwa.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  This was my second time to the area.  The last time I went from the south, this time from the north.  I had hoped to obtain some better views looking up at the Tomoiwa from this side.  In fact, I did, but I do wish that there was more to see along the way.  The Tomoiwa (the big rock) was only visible from the trail once or twice.  The view looking out from that point is spectacular, though.  The trail was fairly pleasant but for most of the hike, trees obscured any views.

Here are some pictures:

One of the precious few views of the Tomoiwa (Tomo Boulder) from the trail.

Much of the trail was like this.  Pleasant.

The Arafune trailhead at Uchiyama Pass.  Large parking lot.  Portapotties.

Arafune Trailhead

More gentle trails

It was heavy.

Better call Brother Maynard!

Tomoiwa 艫岩

Today's listening:  

Bible in a Year  "In The Bible in a Year podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz walks you through the entire Bible in 365 episodes, providing commentary, reflection, and prayer along the way."  Very listenable.

For You The War is Over  True WWII POW escape stories.

BBC The People Against J Edgar Hoover  15 minute episodes about Hoover's history.

Well Cave Critters, that's all for today.  Have a great spring or summer or winter or fall--whenever it is you happen to be reading this.  Subscribe, leave a comment, tell your friends, buy me a coffee, etc.  More soon.

I finally got my boots on! Arafune, the floating carrier.

Greetings cave dwellers.

I've been living in Nagano for a few weeks now and have really been loving it but between the move and starting a new job, I haven't had much time to spend in the mountains beyond a few trail runs.  I finally got out about a week ago to a really nice mountain called Arafune.

The name Arafune (荒船) has the meaning of boat in it.  The flat shape of the mountain seems to make it look like an aircraft carrier navigating the rough "seas" of the clouds below it.

Cool, huh?

Location:  Mt. Arafune straddles the boundary between Nagano and Gunma.

Starting and stopping point:  Arafune Fudoson Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Mitake (御岳)　Kabutoiwa　(兜岩) Tomoiwa (艫岩)　Kaminashi (神無)　Kyozuka　(経塚) 

Getting there/getting around:  There is free parking.  I don't think there's any public transportation in the area.

Map:  Yama to Kogen Chizu　#21 西上州　妙義山・荒船山

Weather Information: Arafune weather

Total Time:   4:07  Break time:   :11 Distance:  11km

Elevation:  Lowest:  1,074m Highest:  1,423m Total Ascent: 970m  Total Descent: 970m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  I didn't find it that challenging but other people on the internet are saying it is difficult.  There are some steep parts, but nothing too hairy as I recall.  Maybe my impression is psychological.  I was just so happy to be in the mountains that it felt like I was walking on air.  There are a few spots where people can rock climb.  Candle Rock (Rosoku Iwa) is one spot.  I didn't do any of that, though.  The trail between the highest peak, Kyozuka, and the most scenic spot, Tomoiwa, is especially flat.

Facilities:  Moldy emergency hut at Tomoiwa.  A picnic bench or two there.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  There are good reasons this mountain is on the list of Japan's 200 famous mountains.  The boulder formations are really cool and there are some great views.  

I think the hunters in this area must be particularly bad marksmen.  I have never before seen so many live deer at one time!  I'm sure I saw more than 20 in the span of less than an hour.  Check out the pictures and video in the post.

Highly recommend this if you get some time in this area.

I'm sure this rock has a name but I can't remember it.

I came up from that valley.

The biggest mountain near the middle of the picture is Mt. Asama, the volcano that erupted in 2019.  I can see it from my house.  

It must be climbed.  Soon.

These two surely have names, too.

I wonder if one of them is Shirley.

On the flat stretch from Kozuka to Tomoiwa, I kept running into deer.  I had to stop myself from stopping and taking pictures because I would never have made any progress if I'd continued doing that.

After passing all the deer, I came to Tomoiwa which has a great panoramic view.

BTW, Tomoiwa means "Stern" "Boulder."  Neat name.

Mts. Tateshina and Yokodake are both part of the 100 Famous Mountains.  I can see them from home, too.  I'm scheming about when to climb them now.

I took this from the street on my way home.  These hills are the ones on the eastern side of my route.

That's all for this post.

I got back from a camping trip last night and want to start working on that post.

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment.  Then again, it's ok if you don't.  I get enough endorphins from hiking.  I don't need to be an influencer.  🤓  Have a spectacular day.  Or not.  It's your choice.