Contents
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1/21 – 1/22 | Nishihotaka-daka Doppyo 2701 m, Kamikochi, Northern Alps |
| 2/5 – 2/6 | Mt. Tengu-dake 2646 m, Northern Yatsugadake |
| 2/12 | Mt.Kurofu 2404 m, Takamine Kogen |
| 2/23 | Mt. Eboshi-dake 2066 m, Yunomaru Kogen |
| 3/4 – 3/5 | Mt.Tengu-dake 2646 m, Northern Yatsugadake |
| 4/1 – 4/2 | Nishihotaka-daka Doppyo 2701 m, Kamikochi, Northern Alps |
| 4/23 | Mt. Yoko-dake 2830 m, Southern Yatsugadake |
| 5/2 – 5/5 | Tateyama mountains Mt.Onanjiyama 3015 m Mt.Oyama 3003 m Mt.Fuji-no-Oritateyama 2999 m |
| 6/4 – 6/5 | Iwatake Camping |
| 6/24 – 6/25 | Hakuba Villege Camping |
| 7/15 – 7/16 | Mt. Yake-dake 2455 m, Kamikochi, Northern Alps |
| 7/30 – 7/31 | Mt. Hakuba 2932 m, Northern Alps |
| 8/5 – 8/6 | Shirakoma Pond Camping |
| 8/18 – 8/19 | Mt. Aka-dake 2899 m Mt.Naka-dake 2700 m Mt. Amida-dake 2805 m |
| 10/7 – 10/9 | Mt. Okuhotaka-dake 3190 m |
| 10/29 | Mt. Tanigawa-dake |
| 11/10 – 11/11 | Shibu Onsen, Jigokudani |
| 11/25 | Visiting Tokakushi Shrains |
Top Three Impressive Mountain Climbs of 2023
The 3rd: Nishihotaka Doppyo 2701 m in high
The initial effort to ascend Doppyo took place on Day 1, April 1st, but strong winds forced my team to turn back on that day. On Day 2, favorable weather accompanied our climb along the snowy and rugged mountain ridge route, ultimately reaching the summit. The most challenging part was near the peak, where steep rocks required me to find a safer route, navigating cautiously with hands-first alertness at all times. Failing or slipping down posed a serious risk, potentially resulting in a fatal outcome.
The 2nd: Tateyama Mountain Ranges
This was one of my unforgettable mountain climbing challenges in 2023. We traversed the Tateyama mountain ridges, including Mt. Oyama at 3003 m, Mt. Onanji at 3015 m, Mt. Fujinooritate at 2999 m, and three other mountain tops over three days. There were a couple of snowy cliffs and ragged around the summits, so this exploring was quite tough.
The 1st: Mt.Okuhotaka-dake at 3190 m, the 3rd highest Mountain in Japan
Day 1: It took about 7 hours from Kamikochi to Karasawa Hut. Hut was quite crowded with hikers seeing autumn foliage on the day, the next day almost all hikers went down though because the day before there was unexpected snowfall, and the mountain trail was snow-covered and iced slippery treacherous conditions.
Day 2: Reaching the summit of Okuhotaka-dake involves tackling the challenging trail known as “Seitengrat”, navigating two vertical ladders, and climbing yet another rugged cliff to reach the summit of Okuhotaka-dake, the third-highest mountain in Japan.
“Seitengrat” is a German word meaning “side ridge”, Hotaka mountains side ridge. There are several tragic fall-down accidents on the ridge every year. At this time the Seitengrat was tough, snow and icy rocks made it more difficult to climb up.
My team successfully overcame all the challenging obstacles despite adverse snow and icy conditions, ultimately reaching the summit.
My team member, Sachi, scrambling up around obstacles on the Seitengrat snowy mountain route
The top of Okuhotaka-dake, 3190 m in high
sachi
The best mountain climbing of 2023 was achieved. Mt. Hakumadake was the most painful experience. Tateyama has a scenery you have never seen before. In 2024, we will challenge overseas in search of the best scenery.
Kacky
Happy New Year, Ms. Sachi, my mountain climbing partner! I appreciate your thorough preparations for our mountain climbing adventures last year.
Wasn’t the trail on Mt. Hakuba one of the most challenging routes in 2023? I recall that Sachi pulled her leg muscles along the way, creating a memorable experience. Despite the challenge, it has become a fond memory for us.