No small feat. Kurodake to Junigatake and Saiko. (May 2022 repost)

  Greetings cavedwellers.  

Thanks for dropping by the cave.  Pull up a rock to the fire.  Get yourself a smore.

I passed a milestone of sorts on this last trip.  According to the smartphone app I use for hiking, I’ve climbed 306,010 meters in elevation.  Meters doesn’t mean that much to me since I’m American.  (I still think it’s cold when I hear the temperature outside is 25 degrees.)  Translated into American, that distance could be expressed as 190 miles.  That seems even less impressive.

Converting it to feet, however, now that is a horse of a different color.  It’s almost like it's a unicorn to consider the elevation in feet.  No, not even a unicorn.  It's a multi-colored fire-breathing pegasus.  On this past excursion, I passed the 1 million feet mark.  (1,003, 969 feet and 9 inches to be a bit more precise.)

Maybe I should delete this app.  It might be giving me O.C.D. with all these stats it tracks.

Anyway, here’s my report on what was a great hike.

h/t to David Lowe for inspiring this route.  I was tossing a few ideas around my head for this overnight when I read this report he'd just posted.

https://ridgelineimages.com/hiking/kurodake/

I've spent a bit of time in this area recently and hiked Kurodake in March but wasn't rewarded with clear weather to see Fuji so his post was a welcome inspiration.

For this hike, I started on the north side of the mountains at the trailhead for Himine Shrine/Otochiyama Trailhead on Route 137.  From there, I hiked up to Mt. Kurodake via the shrine and a few peaks and spent the night in my tent right by the overlook.  On Day 2 I hiked along the ridge over the north shores of Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Sai (西湖 "Saiko" in Japanese) before descending to Lake Sai.  From Kurodake until the end of the hike there are unparalleled views of Fuji.  

Let me get the details and stats out of the way:

Getting there:

There are a few ways to get there from Tokyo.  One way is to go by train to Isawa Onsen Station and take a bus toward Mt. Fujisan Station and get off at the trailhead.  Another route is to get to Kawaguchiko Station either by bus or by train and then take the Kofu-bound bus to the Himine Jinja Mae Stop.  For me, each time I’ve gone to the area, it’s turned out that the most economical and easiest way to get to this area is to take the highway bus to Kawaguchiko Station.  That bus starts at Shinjuku but I can catch it on the way.  This time it wasn't the cheapest or easiest way.  An accident on the highway delayed my highway bus and therefore I could not catch my connecting bus.  This would cost me about 2 hours if I were to wait for the next bus.  Please don’t tell Mrs. Caveman.  (This is a test to if she reads the blog.)  I took a taxi to the trailhead and that taxi cost more than I'd budgeted for the whole trip.  (I love you, Mrs. Caveman.  You're the best.) 

Staying:

I stayed in a tent about 10 meters from the observation point just below the top of Kurodake.  I didn’t know it until a guy I met on the trail told me—but you’re not supposed to stay in a tent except in campgrounds. I’m not telling you that you should follow his advice and do the same thing that I did but his advice was to wait until no one was around before setting up the old homestead.

Huffing and Puffing:

From beginning to end, it was just over 23km (about 15 miles)  with a rise of 2,400m and a drop of 2,138m.  I spent about 11 hours hiking and about 2 or 3 more on the trail taking breaks.  Getting up to Kurodake on Day 1 entails some climbing.  Day 2 is a lot of walking on a ridgeline.  There is still some up and down on that stretch, but most of it is not too extreme.  The last 3~4km was the toughest of the whole trip, though.  Just before Mt. Juni (十二ヶ岳), I started to encounter some pretty hairy boulders and a lot of ropes.  The first boulder I came across was a challenge and I had to really think about how to get around it.  From that point on until getting to the street seemed like it was just one more rope, chain or ladder after another.  I was cursing the route by then but could take comfort in the thought that at least I wasn’t going up.

Looking for a wimpier (smarter?) route?

Going to Kurodake from the Tenkachaya (like the rest of the world does) or other shorter routes are possible.  I met a woman on top of the mountain who started hiking at a parking lot by the 日向坂峠.  She got to the top and back with only 3.2km walking.  She's a local and knows the ins and outs.

Check out her Instagram.  She specializes in taking pictures of Mt. Fuji.  Her instagram is miko0201.  She does have some amazing pictures.

Another idea is to walk up to (or even take a bus!) to the Fujiyama Terraces that the city of Fuefuki has built.  Those viewpoints are spectacular. 

https://www.fuefuki-kanko.jp/scontents/fujiyamatwinterrace/

Here's a play by play of the action

Starting out was pretty boring actually.  It was paved for a while and the theme for the next couple hours was "up."

The Himine Shrine.  Not much to look at.  No commerce.  No vending machines.  There is a water source, though.

Two people were doing maintenance there.  They told me someone had spotted a bear nearby that morning.  David Lowe mentioned seeing one in his blogpost, too.  The guy I mentioned who told me about the no tenting thing told me he saw a big steaming pile of scat.  (He didn't say it was actually steaming, but I thought that way sounds more interesting.)

The first sighting of many.

One of the peaks on day 1 was Shakagatake.  The next two pictures foreshadow the rest of the trip.  Kurodake was day 1's goal.

That's much of the route for Day 2.

This is the last waterhole before getting to Kurodake.  (It's between Suzuran Pass and Kurodake.)  I often drink running water in the mountains here without worrying too much but there were a lot of frogs croaking in this stream.  It sounded like an old Budweiser commercial.

I boiled every drop that I gathered!

From the observation point near the top of Kurodake.  I got there around 4:45pm.

Home, sweet home.

It was absolutely perfect sleeping weather.  Just a very slight breeze.  Temp was between 9~10C (46~50F).

Still, I couldn't sleep.  I sleep horribly in the woods.

I overslept.  Woke up at 4:30.

All along the ridge, there were beautiful views of Fuji.  Fuefuki City recently created two big viewing decks called the Fujiyama Twin Terraces.  When I came in March, this is what the view was.  It amazes me how the largest object in this country can hide so well when it wants to.

This time was much better!

Still plenty of azaleas around.

After the Twin Terraces, I was looking forward to starting to head down.  I still had quite a ways to go, though, and the going was slow.  I hadn't slept much and fatigue was taking its toll.  After a few more miles, I was really ready to start heading down when I encountered this

and then this:

That picture doesn't give that rock the terrifying* respect it deserves.  It's about 4~5 feet high (150cm) and there is no way around it because each side is a sheer drop of 10~20 meters.

*(Maybe "terrifying" is a bit of an overstatement.  Let's say "concerning".)

At this point I was thinking to myself, "Now I have to do this?  This had to wait until I was tired?"

I was reminded of something I learned in the army.  The most dangerous part of a mission often is on the way back, not on the way out.

It took me about 15 minutes to overcome this obstacle.  I was not about to climb over that rock.  Not alone with an overnight-sized pack on my back.  I backed up the trail and detoured around it a bit below the top.  I was lucky I was able to do that.  There were very few handholds and it was mostly loose dirt and leaves.

That obstacle was just before the last mountain of the trip, Mt. Juni (十二ヶ岳"Junigatake").  It was an omen of what was to come for the last mile or two.  The remainder was just about all like that--or at least really steep.  It was characterized by rock walls, ropes and ladders . . .

but of course there were still some spectacular views to be had!

That is Lake Sai down below.

Incidentally, the view from Lake Sai wasn't that great.  Being one of the smaller lakes, its view of Fuji is mostly blocked by the mountains in between.

Not long after hitting the bottom, I rewarded myself with a steaming bowl of Houtou.  That stuff is scrumptious.  I've been craving it since the first time I shared a bowl with Mrs Caveman a few months ago.

https://foodinjapan.org/kanto/yamanashi/houtou/

Come back again!

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Caveman out.

From the elegance of Swans to the fierceness of dragons, Fuji Five Lakes has got it all! Lake Motosuko loop.

Yesterday I headed out to Lake Motosuko, the western-most of the Fuji Five Lakes.  Enroute, I passed by Lake Yamanaka.  That's where I met the swans.  

When I got to Lake Motosu, the first mountain I climbed is called 龍ヶ岳 "Ryugatake"--"Dragon Peak". 　　That mountain is as cool as its name.  I'll put more pictures of the swans at the end of this post.

Location:  Lake Motosu, Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi

Starting and stopping point:  Motosuko Parking Lot

Peaks bagged:  Ryugatake  Nakanokura   Panoramadai   Eboshidake    Shiroyama

Getting there/getting around:  I drove.  There are buses from Kawaguchiko Station in the east and from Fujinomiya Station in the south.  It's not convenient for a day trip from Tokyo by public transportation.  

Map:  Yama to Kogen Chizu 32 FUJI-SAN MISAKA・ASHITAKA-YAMA 富士山　御坂・愛鷹山

Weather Information:  Weather on Mt. Ryugatake

Total Time:  7 h 21 min   Break time:   30 min

Distance:  19.2km

Elevation:  Lowest: 901m Highest: 1,481m Total Ascent: 1,420m Total Descent: 1,422m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  Most of it is straightforward.  The last bit between Eboshidake and Shiroyama has some bouldering on a narrow ridge.  There are ropes in a few spots there.  If you're bringing little kids or are easily scared of heights, I'd skip that area.

Facilities:  Nothing on the trail except for picnic benches on Ryugatake and at the Panoramadai.  There is a great scenic lookout on the northside of the lake.  You can get there from a parking lot below at the Koan Campground (northside) in just a half hour or so of hiking.  Much of the road that goes around the lake is closed off in winter--including the portion passing by the Tent Mura part of the Koan Campground.  On the south side of the lake is the Motosuko Campground.  That campground opens in March.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations: Wow!  What a great time of year to do this.  This is my 3rd time up Ryugatake but the views yesterday were far and away the best.  The first time I climbed it last August was so cloudy that I cut my route short and came home early.  Also, since it is so much the off-season, I had the mountains basically to myself.  

Here is what the hike looked like.  I'll put pictures further down.  Fair warning; it is really hard to pare down the pictures from yesterday to a reasonable number!

In the morning at Lake Motosu.

It was difficult to make time.  Fuji was behind me as I climbed in the morning and each step higher, it got better.  It was hard not to keep stopping. 

The Minami Alps, home of the 2nd-highest peak in the country, got a fresh coat of white last night.

The grass in the foreground is 笹 "sasa"--bamboo grass.  Mt. Ryugatake has a lot of it.  I'm grateful to the volunteers who come up here and maintain the trails by cutting it back.  It makes for very slow-going when sasa is allowed to cover the trail.

Kitadake is the 2nd highest.  I climbed that and Ainodake last year.  That was a great trip.

After I climbed Ryugatake, I descended all the way back down to the lake before going up again.  The trail up to Mt. Nakanokura passes through the Koan Tent Mura Campground  Their English website has good information on access to the area.

Bus stop at the camp ground.  Not many buses go there.

The picture used for the image on the ¥1,000 note was taken near here.

The next few pictures are from the Panoramadai.  I was there just 4 days previously.  Both days were blessed with great views.  I had this spot to myself yesterday.  :-)

Last week's trek, and yesterday's were links in the chain of hiking all along the Fuji Five Lakes.  With yesterday's hike, I completed the western four.  I still need to link up with Lake Ashinoko in the east.  That will take a while to complete that leg.

After passing the ruins of the Motosu Castle, I got down to the lake.

That's all from the cave for today.  I'll leave you with some more swans.  Subscribe.  Comment.  Have a nice day.  Come again.