Karamatsu-dake is nestled on the boundary between Toyama and Nagano, Japan. Climbing along Happo Ridge to Karamatsu-dake offers stunning views of the majestic Mount Hakuba range. It’s an undeniably breathtaking landscape that draws hikers and nature enthusiasts from all over Japan.
Hakuba Village
Hakuba Village is home to the largest alpine resort area at the foot of the northern Japan Alps. It is nestled in three municipalities of Nagano Prefecture in Japan: Omachi City, Hakuba Village, and Otari Village.
Getting there
Taking the Happo Gondola ‘Adam’, along with the two lifts, Alpen Quad and Grat Quad, it’ll take you about 20 minutes to reach the trailhead of Happo One with ease. Once you hop off the second lift, you’ll spot the Happo Ike Hut right in front of you. It’s also where you can stay or register your climbing itinerary.
Climbing along Happo Ridge to Karamatsu-dake offers stunning views of the majestic Mount Hakuba range. It’s an undeniably breathtaking landscape that draws hikers and nature enthusiasts from all over Japan.
Happo O’ne Route Happo Sation, Gondola “Adam” ➡ Alpen Quad ➡ Grat Quad ➡ Happo Ike Hut ➡ Karamats Sanso Hut ➡ Mt.Karamatsu-Dake ➡ Happo Ike Hut ➡ Happo Station （Dismissed), 6 hours.
On January 5th, 2024
On January 5th, 2024, I attempted to hike up Mt. Karamatsu-dake, but the strong gust winds threw a wrench in my plans. I really didn’t want to give up, but with the winds being so relentless, I had no choice but to call it quits. So, here I am, giving it another shot on my second attempt, on March 17th,2024. Wish me luck!
Mount Cook National Park is undeniably captivating, offering a spectacular landscape that attracts adventurers and nature enthusiasts from around the world. New Zealand was one of the countries I had always wanted to visit. Finally, my dream of visiting the park became a reality this time. So, I would like to share the highlights of my journey in Mount Cook National Park, including a memorable mountain climbing experience.
Day 1 Monday, Feb.12th, Sunny day
After renting a car at the Christchurch Airpot, I headed up to Mount Cook National Park, after driving for a good 3 hours, a turquoise-blue lake spread in front of me. It was such a beautiful color with the backdrop of snow-capped mountain ranges in the park. It took about 5 hours to arrive at Mount Cook Village in the park, a base camp for mountain climbing.
Day 2: Hooker Lake, Mt.Footstool 2764 m, Stay Hooker Hut, Sunny day
Headed to Hooker Lake with Hooker Valley Track. Crossing three swingbridges, walking along with Hooker River. It took just one hour and a half to Hooker Lake, the glacier lake.
Challenging at Mt.Footstool and Staying at the hut
After resting at Hooker Lake, I headed to Hooker Hut, but I struggled to find it for quite a long time because there were no signs.
I had planned to reach Selton Biv Hut and trek up the glacier terrain in the afternoon. Unfortunately, I had to halt my journey on the way to the hut as I wasn’t feeling well.
Day 3: Stay and relax at Haka Aoraki Mt.Cook, Sunny day
Tough hike, but totally worth it. This overnight mountain climb ranks up there as one of the best I’ve ever done. It was seriously challenging, battling rain and strong winds all day with heavy packs, but I managed to push through and conquer the obstacles.
The first couple of hours were a bit tough – non-stop stairs, steep and slippery. It was even tougher than I had anticipated. Plus, with the rainy weather, there wasn’t much to see scenery along the trail. I was kind of bummed out, but also a bit concerned about the weather’s turn.
After navigating those steep stairs, I hit a fork where the left path led to a hut. The scenery shifted dramatically from green forest to rocky terrain, almost like hitting a tree line. Everywhere I looked, there were these huge jagged mountains, and the weather was only getting worse.
Rain was pelting down, and the wind was howling, turning the rocky ground into a makeshift stream. Making progress became a real challenge, especially with those fierce gusts knocking me around. At one point, I was nearly blown off my feet by a sudden gust – definitely gave me a scare!
After about five hours of tackling and struggling with the severe weather, I finally reached the top of this steep, rugged trail, and when I saw the Muller Hut in the distance, I was very happy.
Day 5: Impressive Scenery Morning
The sky was clear, and a gentle breeze swept through, turning everything into perfection. It was a challenging hike, but definitely worth it.
Day 6: Last day in Mount Cook Village
I enjoyed chatting and cooking with other guests at Haka Aoraki Youth Hostel, it was quite relaxing.
I had a meaningful experience on Day 4. Despite the challenging hike, it was entirely worth it. As they say, the greater the difficulty, the sweeter the reward. My next mountaineering challenge will be in Chamonix, Mont Blanc, Switzerland.
This is how Japan welcomed New Year’s Day, what a terrible way to start this year, 2024. A powerful earthquake struck the Noto peninsula, central Japan around 4:10 pm on New Year’s Day, and it triggered a Tsunami on the coastline. Official says over 250 people have been confirmed dead, with 26 individuals still unaccounted for as of Tuesday. Additionally, about 16,000 people are currently residing in emergency shelters.
Severe winter weather has struck the Kanto region and central Japan this week, including the Noto Peninsula, which was among the areas most affected by the earthquake and tsunami. In the Kanto area, unprecedented snow accumulation of 20 centimeters has disrupted all transportation systems.
Meanwhile, the Noto Peninsula, one of the areas most devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, remains a major concern. Many elderly individuals in the evacuee centers have suffered from hypothermia.
Furthermore, the extent of the damage in this region remains unknown due to cut-off roads caused by landslides or infrastructure damage, compounded by heavy snowfall. This situation makes it challenging to provide essential aid, including water, food, medicines, and other daily necessities. Another significant concern is the potential deterioration of hygiene in shelters due to the lack of running water for toilets.
As of Today, over 37,000 households are still without water after the Noto Penisula quake. Over 100 workers from across the country are scrambling to fix it. But officials say complete recovery won’t happen until April at the earliest.
I believe in hoping for a speedy recovery for the resilient people who are facing these challenges.
Yesterday, on January 14th, I visited the Monji-no-Yu, Kakeyu Onsen in the small Onsen village. The overnight snowfall turned the area into a picturesque winter wonderland. Kakeyu Onsen is renowned for its therapeutic benefits, particularly for alleviating back pain, soothing joints, and treating rheumatism.
Nagano Prefecture is located in the center of mainland Honshu, Japan, the capital city is Nagano City, which was the Winter Olympics venue in 1998.
Nagano’s charm is magnificent nature!
You can delight in the breathtaking beauty of various natural landscapes created by Mother Nature throughout all seasons: cherry blossoms in spring, lush greens in summer, autumn leaves in fall, icy trees in winter, and so on.
There are many things to do in outdoor activities: Mountain Climbing, hiking in National parks, skiing, and Hot spring, visiting historical sites.
A History-Packed Castle Town Ueda
Ueda City, the third-largest city in Nagano, is renowned as a historical Castle City. Nestled in the picturesque Chikuma River Valley, it is surrounded by breathtaking mountains.
Ueda Castle, constructed by the Sanada Clan during the Sengoku period, continues to showcase its historical ruins, inviting exploration today. The castle site has transformed into a city park, providing a space where people can enjoy quality time, take leisurely walks, and participate in various seasonal, historical, and cultural events. Examples include the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, the Fireworks Festival in summer, and many others.
Offering Onsen Spas
There are many characteristic Onsen spots around, public Onsen facilities, and private Onsen Ryokans. Onsen Ryokan means Japanese-style Inn with an Onsen bath, offering health benefits.
On January 5th, 2024, Ms. Sachi and I climbed Mount Karamatsu-dake, which stands at 2,696 meters in height.
Climbing up Hakuba-Happo Ridge
Plan for the Trip
On Thursday, January 5th, I plan to drive to Hakuba Village in Nagano. It will take around an hour and a half from my place.
From there, I will ride the Gondola Adam, Alpen Quad, and the Great Quad to reach Happo-Ike Hut, which should take about 20 minutes.
The climb will begin with the goal of reaching the summit of Mt. Karamatsu-dake, which is 2,696 meters high. The climb is expected to take approximately 5 hours.
Climbing Route:
Happo-Ike Hut ➡ Mount Happo Cairn ➡ The 2nd Cairn ➡ Happo Cairn ➡ The 3rd Cairn ➡ Maruyama Cairn ➡ Karamatsu-Sancho Hut ➡ Mount Karamatsu-dake
What actually happened on that day:
It was a beautiful day for climbing, with a clear winter sky of deep blue – perfect conditions for ascending the mountain. I felt confident about reaching the mountain’s summit, at least until I reached Happo Ike Hut at 1,860 meters. However, as I ascended further, the wind on the upper terrain of the mountain was blowing quite hard.
As we ascended further the 2nd to 3rd cairn on the ridge of Happo, The wind with snow was blowing harder and harder. We had to stop moving upward and wait for the gust to weaken sometimes.
A stronger gust of wind swirled around Maruyama Cairn, the further upper ridge from the 3rd cairn, almost pushing us off balance. Climbing became challenging on the mountain ridge due to the powerful winds. Ultimately, I decided to descend, unfortunately, choosing to turn back at Maruyama Cairn.
Successfully climbed the top of Mount Tengu-dake, 2646 m, Jan. 3rd, 2024
Happy New Year! I successfully climbed Mt. Tengu in Nagano with my hiking partner, Sachi, on January 3rd. It was a cloudy day, but not bothersome.
The mountain trail from the Shibu Onsen trailhead to Kuroyuri Hut had less snow cover compared to last year, and the craggy rocks on the trail were exposed. It’s advisable to wear crampons and be careful not to catch the crampon spikes on the rocks. It took us about 90 minutes to reach Kuroyuri Hut.
Sachi, Entry form box
Snowy trail
After taking a short break at the hut, we headed towards the summit of Mount Tengu. The first 30 minutes involved navigating through moderate terrain in the forest until we reached the treeline. From this point onward to the top, the trail became steep and narrow with craggy features. The wind picked up significantly, especially as we approached the summit, but we successfully made it. The entire hike took 4.5 hours to complete.
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
I hadn’t caught a cold for quite a while, but last weekend, I experienced a runny nose, a froggy voice, and something off with my throat. Strangely, there was no fever or pain, which is unusual for me because usually, these symptoms come with a high fever. Now I got much better though.
In Japan, especially during winter, the flu tends to circulate. The CDC in Japan predicted in October that flu infections would spread unprecedentedly this upcoming winter. This is a concern for me, as I work at an elementary school in Ueda City, Nagano, In the previous month, some classrooms had to be shut down due to the flu. I’ve heard that several other schools in the city also faced closures.
Take care, you guys!
PS: I have a scheduled climb for Mount Tengudake on January 3rd, 2024. I plan to stay in good shape and ensure I’m well-prepared for the winter mountain ascent.
At the age of 60, life often takes a significant turn, marked by the retirement milestone in life for many individuals.
Two years ago, in March 2022, I made the decision voluntarily to retire from my business in the United States. Following my retirement, I returned to my home country, Japan, and currently reside in Nagano with my cat, Tabby.
Retirement can bring a mix of emotions, from excitement and relief to potential challenges in adjusting to a new routine and lifestyle.
During my leisure time, I play tennis and hiking on weekends. Also, I enjoy brewing in homebrewing along with the government guidelines, up to 1% alcohol. Occasionally, I engage in this delightful activity, experimenting and learning through trial and error. It is not only enjoyable but also a rewarding experience.
Living in Nagano provides a calm atmosphere mentally so far for my retired life, allowing me to explore my passions and interests. I look forward to continuing my journey in this new phase of life, humbly accepting the opportunities that come my way.
Tabby, a 2-year-old male, faced a challenging health issue this summer. He developed a severe inflammation in his urinary bladder, requiring a week-long hospitalization for treatment. This incident marked a tough period, but he is OK now.
