Mt. Morai snowhike. Gorgeous snowy vistas of the Southern Alps, Yatsugatake and Asama.

  

S'up?

I got to put on my snowshoes and hiked Mt. Morai the other day.  I was quite happy about this.  We have had a cold snap, and there were a few snowstorms recently, so the scenery was nice.

. . . about Mt.  Morai 茂来山

This is one of the Shinshu 100 Famous Mountains.  It's 1,717 meters high and is located in Sakuho.  The emperor climbed it back when he was a single prince and there is a monument on top commemorating that.  This mountain isn't that difficult and is popular with novice climbers.  I'm told this mountain is famous for matchmaking and people come here in hopes of finding a bride or groom.  That puzzles me.  I've been there twice and haven't seen anyone there, never mind someone attractive enough to marry.

There are two main trails, the Makizawa and the Kirikubozawa.  They are both quite close to each other and about the same length but the Kirikubozawa has waterholes and one or two more spots with good views.  The Makizawa trail is a little bit harder--it's one of those dotted-line trails on the map--and there really are no views until you get to the top.  

Area:

This is in Sakuhomachi on the eastern side of Nagano.  To the north, Saku-shi, Mt. Asama and Karuizawa are visible.  So is Arfune.  To the south is Mt. Ogura and Mt. Kinpo, or Kinpu as it is called on the Yamanashi side.  Mt. Kita and the Southern Alps are visible and Yatsugatake is prominently laid out to the west of Mt. Morai.

Location:

Map:  ***If you want a link to the latest Yama to Kogen map, comment and I'll get you a link.  This link is to a printable topo map of this area.

Starting and stopping point: 

Makizawa Trailhead Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Mt. Morai 茂来山

(First-time) peaks # ---

Getting there/getting around:  

Car.  

A taxi from Yachiho Station would take about 20 minutes.  Alternatively, you could walk to the trailhead from Kaize Station in about an hour and a half.

Helpful Info

Weather Information: Mt. Morai weather forecast by Tenkura (Japanese)

Time and distance

YAMAP's Estimate Time:  3:17    Distance: 4.1 km

The Caveman did it in: Total Time: 3:13  Break time: :31  Distance: 4.4 km

Elevation:  Lowest:  1,111 m Highest: 1,718 m Total Ascent: 601 m Total Descent: 601 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

Parts of it are steep, and there are a few narrow ridges with steep slopes but this hike is all beneath the tree line and there aren't any ropes, chains or ladders.  Actually, maybe there could be some hidden under the snow, but I didn't see any.  Near the top, I had to crawl on hands and knees at some points.  I wished I had an ice axe on this hike.  Not for ice climbing per se, just to give myself a better handhold on the slope.

Facilities:  

Nothing.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

This is a nice mountain.  It's not that high but has a bit of prominence being the first big peak south of Saku.  I do think it would be a nice spot to try some wild camping.  Shhh.   Don't tell anyone I said that.  

Don't lose anything.  Use dummy cords for important stuff.  Back when I was private in army basic training, they made me tie my rifle to my body so that I wouldn't lose it.  That string was called a dummy cord.  At the time, it seemed humiliating, but it was wise instruction.  I apply the same principle in my life now.  I try to make sure my gloves are attached to my jacket sleeves because it would really suck to lose a glove in an arctic environment.  I try to dummy cord anything really important.  Car keys and my wallet always get stashed inside my ruck sack.  I try to remember to zip up any pockets so that nothing (think smartphone) can fall out and so that no snow will get into the pocket in case of a fall.  

Think about water.  I'm a cheapskate and have never purchased a camelback or anything like that for water.  I just recycle whatever plastic bottles I have around.  I typically have one big one in my pack and a smaller one in the outside pocket of my backpack.  The other day, the smaller one froze solid.  The one inside had enough insulation that it never froze.  I don't typically bring a stove for dayhikes.  In the case of overnights, I bring a stove and melt snow to get water so I don't worry about freezing.

(Along with all the regular stuff such as maps, headlamps, boots, feet, and brains, . . .) don't forget:

I'm a fan of bringing extra gloves, a hat and socks in case I do lose one or in case I get wet feet somehow.

Let's look at some pictures.

For this hike, I opted for my wakan.  There was a fair amount of snow, but I knew it would be steep and that I would have to navigate some gnarly spots.  Regular snowshoes would have been tough to get around in.

Montbell's Wakan page

I do not know whose claws made that print.  It certainly wasn't Bambi or a bunny.

The top

Want to see a hike on Mt. Morai in the spring?

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Caveman out

Epilogue

Three days later, I gaze up at Morai from my office.

Sigh.

Magically beautiful day snowshoeing Ikenotaira, Mt. Sanbongamine and Mt. Miharashidake in Tomi, Nagano.

 

. . . about 

Yunomaru and the Ikenotaira Wetlands

On either side of the Jizotoge (Jizo Pass) are ski areas and mountains for hiking.  The Yunomaru area is popular for athletes to come to train at high altitudes and there are many people that come here for trail running.  There is a hotel with an onsen, various athletic training facilities, a dorm, a visitor's center, and a few restaurants.

If you hike from the Jizo Pass (in winter) or drive (in summer), you will arrive at the Ikenotaira Wetlands.  There is a parking lot and visitor's center with public restrooms there open in the green months.

Location:

Map:  ***If you want a link to the latest Yama to Kogen map, comment and I'll get you a link.  This link is to a printable topo map of the Ikenotaira Wetlands and vicinity.

Starting and stopping point: 

Parking Lot at Jizo Pass (Yunomaru Ski Area)

Peaks bagged: Miharashidake (見晴岳) ~~ Sanpogamine (三方ヶ峰)

(First-time) peaks # ---

Getting there/getting around:  I drove.  Apparently, there is no bus service from the nearest JR stations anymore.  Tomi City's web page says to use a taxi.  I did see several buses at the ski area but I assume they were chartered.

Helpful Info

Weather Information: 

Snow report

Ikenotaira Wetland

Time and distance

YAMAP's Estimate Time:   3:43   Distance: 7 km

The Caveman did it in Total Time: 3:55  Break time: :29  Distance:   8.2 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,730 m Highest: 2,092 m Total Ascent: 457 m Total Descent: 457 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

This is a really easy walk in the green months.  Even in winter, it's pretty easy.

Facilities:  

There is a lot of stuff around the Jizo Pass, particularly related to athletics.  Check out this link about the GMO Athletes' Park.

There are several facilities connected to the ski area which close in the off season. 

The visitor's center has a restroom that is open year-round.  The road from Jizo Pass to the parking lot at Ikenotaira is open from the end of April.  The road is closed at night, even during the season it's open.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

Be cheap and be safe.  If you haven't done any winter hiking, I have a few recommendations.  

Don't blow your money on a bunch of equipment unless you're sure you're going to use it.  I would suggest renting snowshoes before deciding whether to buy them or not.  See if you like snowshoeing, first.  Then, I recommend you buy used equipment.  There are a lot of people who buy expensive stuff,  use it only once and then sell it.  I got my snowshoes at a recycle shop for about 1/3 the cost of what they would be new and have been really happy with them after many miles of use.  

Bring the equipment you need.  (And you may need more than you think.)  On flatter places, with deeper snow, snowshoes are good.  In steeper areas with some deep spots and some rocks, you may want wakan (smaller snowshoes).  If  you are not dealing with deep snow but just slippery areas, chain spikes  (sometimes called aizen, sometimes called crampons) are the ticket.  These are spikes that attach to your boots with a big rubber thing with the chains on the bottom as a kind of mesh. I don't have actual crampons.  Those are the ones that have spikes pointing out from the toes as well as spikes on the bottom.  They look kind of like a James Bond-type murder weapon.  I've never felt the need for those because I they are more for ice climbing--and they are expensive as h#"!"

What kind of plans to execute?  I suggest going places you already know from the green seasons.  It's easier to get lost in the snow.  Also, choose gentle slopes and go for shorter hikes until you learn the ropes.  There are many suitable places near ski areas.  The proximity of the people on the ski slopes will cut down your chances of being alone if you get into trouble.  

Pack and clothe yourself with an eye to getting stranded.  Dress in layers to stay warm and to give yourself the ability to take off some clothes if you get hot.  Just like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects to lose a glove or a hat, so I bring extras.  I usually carry a pair of heavy snow pants in case I get stuck somewhere overnight.  

Keep your electronics warm and dry.  Your smartphones and power banks will stop working if they get too cold.  They'll also stop charging if you get them wet.  I keep my powerbank in a pouch in my backpack right against my back.  This has seemed to always keep it warm enough.

Zip up your pockets unless your hands are in them.  Falling and getting a pocketful of snow is not the only danger.  A car key* or smartphone falling out of your pocket could be a disaster.

*I've learned the hard way to bury my car keys in my backpack in a zipped pouch.

(Along with all the regular stuff such as maps, headlamps, boots, feet, and brains, . . .) don't forget:

Sun protection for your skin and your eyes.  It can get really bright when the sun reflects off the snow.  Hand warmers are nice.

This is just an animation of the route I took.

This is a long video of the hike.

Let's look at some pictures.

Today's lunch was Asian fusion.  Filipino-flavored Cup Noodles!

I took this on my way, shortly after leaving home.

One of the day's peaks is on the left, Sanbongamine.

I was so pumped to have good weather.

🥶-12 Celsius, 10 Fahrenheit🥶

Despite the weather being in the low teens, I warmed up after a short while and took off a layer.

I'm happy with my pant situation.  I usually wear a pair of long underwear covered with a light pair of rain pants.  That keeps me dry but allows for good movement.

It was cold this morning so I started out with one more layer than usual.  I wore a pair of summer hiking pants that I got at Decathlon.  They are the "convertible" or "zip off" pants.   You can detach the bottoms and wear them as shorts.  I have several pair of these type of pants.  The great feature of these in particular (and my rain pants as well) is that they are loose enough so as to be taken off without having to remove your boots.  That is awesome--particularly on a snowy or rainy day.  

These are my long johns before putting the rain pants back on.  They are awesome. 

I dis-robed and re-robed on the side of a ski trail.

I saw a crash or two while doing this.

I hope they weren't because of something I did.😉

After a few kilometers hiking, I hit the Ikenotaira Wetlands.  The walkways are boardwalks to protect the flora.

People.  Must run away . . .

This was taken just about 50 yards back from where the last picture was taken.

This is the Kagami no Ike (Mirror Pond), near

where these few pictures were taken.

The Kagami no Ike is just out of the frame, to the left.

This was taken in September, 2023 from the same spot.

Heading up the hill toward Sanbongamine.  Finally, I have some fresh snow.

In September . . .

Mt. Fuji on the left.

Yatsugatake on the right.

Be sure to look at the end of the post to see labels on many of the pictures of the distant mountains.

Yatsugatake

The same mountains in June

Some of the Alps

The day's second peak

In September . . .

Going down . . .

It was still really beautiful coming down, but I slipped quite a few times.  Even though I was wearing snowshoes, my feet would go right out from under me, and I'd land on my butt.  No injuries, so it was fun.

Did you like that?

I know I did!

Check this out if you want to see more of the area.

Ikenotaira in September

Another snow hike around Yunomaru

Snowshoeing Takamine and Mizunoto

Snowshoeing Yunomaru and Eboshi

Have you subscribed to my youtube channel yet?  If not, why not?

I plan to put up a video from this hike sometime.  Subscribe to that channel so you will get notified.

You can see videos of other cool things there, too--like these guys.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CaveSnowman out