Greeting Cavekids
This is a report on Mt. Azuma of 100 Famous Mountains Fame
. . . about Mt. Azuma (Nishiazuma) 吾妻山（西吾妻山）
This is one of the mountains that appears in Kyuya Fukada's book, 100 Mountains of Japan. It's in the Urabandai area of Fukushima. Mt. Bandai had a massive eruption in 1888 that killed 477 people, erased several villages from the map and created several new lakes. To the south of Mt. Bandai is the massive lake, Lake Inawashiro. The north side, the back or "ura" of the Bandai area, is home to several smaller lakes and marshes. This was my fourth or fifth trip to the area. It's quite far, but it's very special.
There are several peaks along the Azuma mountains but the most popular ones are to the east. Nishi ("West") Azuma is the one listed as part of the 100 Famous Mountains. I don't understand why. There is no view from the summit at all and it seems not so exciting. Then again, I was there on a cloudy day and was robbed of seeing much of anything. (again)
Area:
Location:
Urabandai area on the border between Fukushima and Yamagata.
Map: ***The Caveman is giving up on posting links to Yama to Kogen maps. They go out of date after a year or so and the links die. If you want a link to their latest map, comment and I'll get you a link to their latest map of the area. Check this out: Online Interactive Topo map
Starting and stopping point: 早稲沢登山口 Wasezawa Trailhead
Peaks bagged: Nishi Daiten and Nishi Azuma
(First-time) peaks # 946 and 947
100 Famous Mountain #40, Mt. Nishi Azuma
Getting there/getting around:
I drove. The last kilometer or so to the trailhead is quite bumpy.
Helpful Info
Weather Information: Azuma (Nishi Azuma) Weather
Time and distance
Total Time: 7:56 Break time: :41 Distance: 12.3 km
Elevation: Lowest: 1,008 m Highest: 2,035 m Total Ascent: 1,296 m Total Descent: 1,296 m
Technical considerations/difficulty:
Do not go on this trail without a working GPS. The trail is not marked at all and is exceedingly difficult to find.
There are no exposed areas, ropes or chains but several of the wooden bridges crossing the river are old, slimy and very slippery.
There are many fallen trees.
Facilities:
There is an emergency hut not far from the peak of Mt. Nishi Azuma. It is a sturdy hut, but there is no restroom.
There is a public restroom at the trailhead but it is out of order.
Thoughts/observations/recommendations:
Whatever you do, don't do this. 😆 By all means, check out Nishi Azuma, but use a different trail than I did. I recommend attacking it from the east side.
(Note that this picture is oriented with north to the bottom.)
OK, let's gather around the fire and I'll tell the tale.
So there I was on point going through the elephant grass and the jungle. I was exhausted mentally and physically. Physically from the struggle of having to thrash my way through lush vegetation every step of the way; like some kind of explorer of the Amazon. I almost expected to step into a clearing and hear "Dr. Livingston, I presume." Mentally I was tired from the strain of concentrating hard to stay on course when I couldn't see more than 1 yard in each direction and from the knowledge that an ambush or a boobytrap could be encountered at any time.
Anyway, that's what I felt like for much of this hike. I was experiencing a kind of second-hand ptsd I guess.
We'll get to that later.
First, this is the trailhead. Note the traffic cone. That is worthy of talking about later.
The first half hour or so of this hike was along a pleasant stream with lots of falls to photograph. I liked that. I'm a big fan of running water.
The flora is pretty cool, too. There are a variety of mushrooms I encountered.
Just around this part of the hike, I started questioning my choice in hobbies.
For the next several hours, the "trail" was like this.
Actually, those were from the best sections of the trail. I needed both hands and feet to move so didn't take many pictures.
Usually a trail is, well, a trail. At a minimum, they are marked with pink ribbons in Japan to help you navigate. This trail has very few ribbons and, due to the density of the bamboo grass, they aren't visible until you are right on top of them.
This video is of one of the easiest-to-navigate portions of the trail because my hands were free to hold my iphone.
I didn't take many pictures on that part of the journey also because, well, because I wanted to forget it ever happened. I honestly reflected that if that happened to be my first hiking experience, I would have picked a different hobby!
That bamboo grass is really sturdy. You can't just break your way through it. You have to part your way through it.
The footing situation is quite nerve-wracking and tedious, too. You have to be very careful to part the bamboo grass so as to see what you're stepping on. It might be level ground, or it might be a deep hole.
One mile of this trail took me one and a half hours (X2 because I had to go back through it!) On flat ground, I walk a mile in 19-20 minutes.
OK, let's get to some more pleasant pictures. Let's go back to the happy place. The fall leaves are a little late this year, but there were some pretty ones.
Just after finally escaping the bamboo grass, I popped out at the summit of Mt. Nishi Daiten.
From there, the next destination was Mt. Nishi Azuma
This is the type of trail most people hiking around Nishi Azuma spend their time on. This is a horse of a completely different color.
I skipped the summit of Nishi Azuma to head to the first scenic spot, Tengu Iwa.
Tengu Iwa
Not sure what this is or what it says, but what caught my attention was that it was inscribed in 昭和４３年, the 43rd year of the Emperor Showa. That happens to be the year I was born.
I never did meet the emperor. His son, the present emperor was quite an alpinist before he ascended to the throne and had to start his job of emperoring. I've never met this emperor either, but I do encounter his picture or dedicated monuments at many of the mountains I visit.
Poor dude isn't allowed to hike anymore.
He is greatly to be pitied.
"This. THIS is the top of the mountain I struggled to get to???" is what I thought when I got to the top.
Obviously Fukada san didn't pick this mountain as one of the 100 for the views from its summit.
I learned in the 'Nam that most bad stuff happens on the way back from missions.
OK, maybe I didn't learn that there, but I know it to be true.
I consoled myself with the pretty leaves, though.
Getting back to the trailhead was when I first noticed the traffic cone. Even though I was never a boy scout, I decided it was my duty to right it.
After I put the cone up, everything became clear. That little brown sign (not the dark brown sign--that merely says "Watch out for bears")--that little brown sign says "土砂崩れのために通行できません."--"Closed due to landslides."
No wonder.
There's a lesson to be learned in this, probably. I did my internet recon using my hiking apps. They almost always have updated info on trail closures. I guess not always!
Anyway, at least I got to bag another of the 100 Famous Mountains and got safely home to Mrs. Caveman. It was a successful day.
That's all for now.
I have to go and write about the adventure I had on another of the 100 Famous mountains the day after this trip. While I am gone, why don't you take a look at a write-up on Mt. Bandai? It's one of my very favorite mountains. Before you do that, though, make sure to subscribe to this blog. Leave a comment. Tell your friends, etc.
Caveman out
