Magically beautiful day snowshoeing Ikenotaira, Mt. Sanbongamine and Mt. Miharashidake in Tomi, Nagano. 雪の池の平、三盆が峰、見晴岳

 

. . . 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

Calinawan Cave, Tanay, Rizal, The Philippines

 

Hello everybody.

Mrs. Caveman and her Caveman escaped to her tropical homeland over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

We couldn't get to any mountains, so we did the next best thing.

We dropped by a real cave.

This is in Tanay, Rizal on the island of Luzon.

Don't expect any explanation.  We had a tour, but it was in Tagalog so it was all Greek to me.

(I did catch that Americans and Filipinos were hiding here during the war and that the Japanese eventually destroyed every entrance.)

The black things are holes in the ceiling created by bats when they hung there.

Can you find the witch's face?

How about the person's profile?

That's all for today.

Next time you see me I hope to be wearing snowshoes.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Caveman out.

Snowy 100 Famous Mountain, Mt. Azumaya in Nagano and Gunma Prefectures １００名山 雪の四阿山

 

Hello cave critters.

Had enough snow yet this year?  I was hip deep the other day.  It was great.

For my 81st (and probably) last hike of the year, I dropped by Mt. Azumaya for my second time.  I was hoping to catch good weather since my last visit was marred by rain.

I was denied clear skies again.  I will have to go a 3rd time, I guess.

. . . about Mt. Azumaya

It is most commonly known as Mt. Azumaya, 四阿山 but also Agatsuma, 吾妻山.  

This 2,354-meter mountain is on Yuya Fukada's list of 100 Famous Mountains.

This is a dormant stratovolcano that is on the prefectural boundary between Nagano and Gunma.

Area:

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 Azumaya and its environs.

Starting and stopping point: 菅平牧場料金所 Sugadaira Farm Parking Lot

Peaks bagged: Koazumaya 小四阿山~ Nakaazumaya 中四阿山~ Azumaya 四阿山~ Neko 根子岳

(First-time) peaks # ----

Getting there/getting around:  

Car

There are buses in the area.  Sugadaira has a lot of ski areas.  There are probably buses directly to the ski areas from Tokyo.

Helpful Info

Weather Information: 

Tenkura weather forecast

Mountain forecast dot com's forecast

Time and distance

YAMAP's Estimate Time:   5:50   Distance: 9.5 km

The Caveman did it in Total Time: 5:40  Break time:  :51 Distance:   12.8 km

Elevation:  Lowest: 1,455 m Highest: 2,354 m Total Ascent: 1,153 m Total Descent: 1,153 m

Technical considerations/difficulty:  

It's steep, as you would expect.

On this particular day, I was wearing chain spikes.  For the most part, this was perfect.  The snow was hip deep in places but, for the most part, the trail had already been walked on by enough people that I didn't sink it.  I did have snowshoes with me, but didn't find them necessary for the most part.  The only area I did think about putting on the snowshoes was the few hundred meters on either side of Mt. Neko.  That peak had had less traffic, and I kept sinking into the snow.  It is above the treeline there, and the wind was biting so I didn't want to stop to put on the snowshoes.  

As I recall, the only ropes were on the descent from Mt. Neko.  

Facilities:  

Nothing on the trail.  There is a restroom and some kind of store near the trailhead that are open during the summer months.

Thoughts/observations/recommendations:  

I really want to get here on a clear day.

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

I can't think of anything special for this mountain.  As general advice for hiking in winter, I recommend spare gloves and hats in case you drop something on the trail.  Always have dry socks.  Also, I think packing snowshoes and poles, just in case is a good idea.  

Let's look at some pictures, shall we?

Here's a longer video.

This parking lot is ¥300 and is about 15 minutes down the road from the trailhead.  There is a parking lot up there, too, but it's not open in winter.

If you come by bus, you have to start hella far below this point.

Nice views early on.  If only it were crystal clear.

I like the trail.

Near the top of Azumaya

 . . . and in August . . .

The top

This is what it looks like in August.

Thanks to the trail being packed down a bit I didn't need my snowshoes.  Spikes were enough.

It got quite blustery between Azumaya and Nekodake.  There is a saddle barren of trees between them and the wind whips over it.  This part of the trail isn't trafficked too much, so I sank in up to my waist a few times.  Because of the wind, I didn't want to stop and put on my snowshoes.  I just had to slog through it for a half hour or so.

The top of Mt. Neko.  (Nekodake)

There's me mug.  Isn't that a face only a mother could love?

Sugadaira has a bunch of ski areas.  It bills itself as a sort of Swiss resort.  The places have names like Davos.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Happy Hanukkah, if that's your thing.

And to all, a joyous festivus with much airing of grievances and great feats of strength.

See you in 2026.

If you're interested in what this place looks like in summer, check out my hike on basically the same route in August of one year:  August on Azumaya

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Cave Snowman out