Training hike #7: Kumotori-san

A special event for the long  weekend, a 2-day epic to the highest point in Tokyo, Kumotori-san (or is that Kumotori-yama..?).  A great weekend training, with plenty of uphill slogs for the first day, more uppy-downy stuff  on day 2, finishing with 3hours  of downhill endurance. Weather was surprisingly pleasant, and despite an incredible storm on the mountain overnight on Saturday, the mountain-mans prediction that it would all clear up by 7:00am turned out to be unnervingly accurate. Having watched the reams of hikers leaving the lodge at 6:30 on the dot wearing enough waterproof gear to survive the bering straits, I for one felt quite smug stepping out into the breaking clouds in only a fleece.

The start of Day 2 bought the main event – a steep 30 minute climb to the peak. The path is delineated on both sides by ropes, and the conditions underfoot were pure ice, with surface rain on top. Calling Dr’s  Spat and Crampon – surgery please. This was it – the crampons maiden voyage. Strapped on and ready to go, I took a quick dummy run around the lodge, these puppies were awesome. Were talking spidey-grip on the ice. I think I may have whooped. That was it – we were off. 30 mins to the top, this felt like proper adventure. Snow. Ice. Crampons. Rocks. Forest. Men. Woot.

Based on the cost of my crampons compared to the amount of ice I have encountered while carrying them, their run-rate per minute is roughly the equivalent of a manned mission to mars, or parking in Tokyo – but it was worth every penny for that 30 minutes of dawn hiking in the icy forest. Next stop:  Mt Rainier, Summer 2011. I’m serious.

Route

If you want to follow this course, GPS route is posted here

We followed the lonely planet “Hiking in Japan” version, with all possible additions to get the most possible vertical climb off this 2-dayer.

• Day 1: Mitsumine-guchi  –> (by bus) Owa –> MitsumineJinja (1090m) –> Kiromo-ga-mine (1523m)  –> Shiraiwa-san (1921m) –> Kumotori-sanso (Mountain Lodge)
• Day 2: Kumotori-sanso –> Kumotori-san (2017m) –> Nanatsuishi-yama (1757m) –> Takanosu-yama (1737m) –> Okutama

Directions to the trailhead: Train to Mitsumine-Guchi, then get on a bus to Owa – its a  15 min bus ride from the station. Get off at Owa and cross the bridge over the river to find the trialhead. Dont look for the cable-car – its not there any more.

The hike finishes at  Okutama station, perfect spot for an onsen before jumping on a direct train back to Tokyo.

Trail stats

Total distance: 35.7km

Moving time: 10 hours 31 minutes

Stopped time: 3 hours 45 minutes (not including overnight stay at lodge)

Moving average: 3.4 km/h

Overall average: 2.5 km/h

Accumulated elevations 3365 m

Max elevation: 2017 m

kumotori

The Kotatsu Playlist

Simon/  Kevin – in the interests of expanding your musical horizons, here’s the music we listened to Saturday evening, best played from a tinny iPhone speaker:

Portico Quartet – Popidou

Athlete  -Vehicles and Animals

The Beatles – Elenor Rigby

Belle and Sebastian – Get me away from here, I’m Dying

Adam and the ants – Antmusic

Death Cab for Cutie – Marching bands of Manhattan

Rodrigo y Gabriela – Stairway to Heaven

Take That – Back for Good

Supertramp  -Breakfast in America

Estelle (Ft. Kanye West) – American Boy

Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah

Adele – Chasing Pavements

Air – Cherry Blossom Girl

Aretha Franklin – Chain of Fools

Amy Winehouse – Tears dry on their own

Marvin Gaye – Heard it through the grapevine