Northern Alps① 28 to 30 Sep. 2014
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28 Sep. Ichinose camp ground - Kamikochi - Tokusawaen
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29 Sep. Tokusawaen - Kitahodaka-dake - Karasawa-dake - Karasawa
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30 Sep. Karasawa - Okuhodaka-dake- Mehodaka-dake - Karasawa
28 Sep. Ichinose Campground - Shirahone Onsen - Kamikochi - Tokusawaen
Finally! I got to Northern Alps this day! It was the 27th day since I started from Mochimune Beach in Shizuoka prefecture.
Left the campground at 5 am. It was very cold, my fingers were numb and couldn't fold the tent well. There were still lots of stars in the sky. I had 25 km to go to Kamikochi, the entrance to Northern Alps mountains.
At 12 O'clock, I was in Kamikochi.
Kamikochi is a touristic place and there are many hotels too. Many people visit Kamikochi but only hikers or climbers go beyond. And there are hot spas in Kamikochi so that hikers take bath after hiking. I took bath too.
I reckoned that the next section would take about 2 weeks, which means I cannot take bath for the next 2 weeks. I washed every corner of my body.
Left Kamikochi after lunch for Tokusawaen, great mountain lodge.
I put my tent at the campsite of Tokusawaen. A french couple was staying in a tent next to me. They whispered words of love to each other. That ws a goog lullaby.
29 Sep. Tokusawaen - Kitahodake-dake - Karasawa-dake - Karasawa
Just after I left the campground, something in the bush reflected the light of my head light. That was two small eyes, probably a Japanese serow. My light wasn't bright enough to light it up. The animal stood still and gazed at me. It was just a few second but it felt like forever. And it ran away into the bush.
Crossed a river at Yokoo and went up to Karasawa.
In Karasawa, breathtaking landscape was waiting for us.
I put my tent in Karasawa and left my backpack to climb up to Kitahodaka-dake.
Karasawa is a Cirque which carved by glaciers and surrounded by high peaks. So it's a ideal base camp to put tents and hike around.
Blessed with the weather, I got a great view from the peak. Wow, Northern Alps is huge. Unreal!
Then went to Karasawa-dake through some very narrow knife ridges. This ridge is called "Godzilla's back". Very narrow, please be careful.
I went back to my tent after Karasawa-dake and jumped into my sleeping back
30 Sep. Karasawa - Okuhodaka-dake - Maehodake-dake - Karasawa
The day started with a great morning glow. I enjoyed some peak hunting this day.
At first hiked up to a hut on the ridge, the ridge leads to Okuhodaka-dake and Maehodake-dake. There are some rocky and steep climbing- like places. very exciting. I went to the peaks of those two mountains and came back to Karasawa again. I got back there before 1 pm so I dried my gear and clothing.
Make hay while the sun shines!
And I took a nap.
