A second visit to Tanzawa-san, a different route this time to keep the magic alive, and my first hike with Jordan “Keen Bean” Fisher. Also joining us Joe, also from team “Never Ever”.
It was a good day for a hike, the absence of rain taking us all by surprise after a lot of hiking recently in miserable conditions. The day before I had made sure that everyone knew I had lost my iPhone (FAAAAARRRRRRKKKK!) and hence no-one could under any circumstances miss the pre-agreed train because we wouldn’t be able to contact each other. It was thus with tail tucked firmly bewteen my legs that I made the call from a phone box at Yoyogi station to tell Jordan I had just missed the train. Ho hum, Japan being what it was there was another express train along in 10 mins so I was spared serious recriminations, and I at least proved that payphones still have a place in 2010 Japan.
The climb up was in great hiking weather – cool breeze, clear skies. Jordan bevvedf himself up on the way up with a cup of some cheap mountain hooch at every hut, so I assumed it was the drink talking when Jordan claimed it was snowing at the peak despite there being no clouds and perfect suny skies. Weird.
Drunk or not, Jordan still managed to bounce down the mountain like a puppy on amphetamines, leaving Joe and myself contemplating his clown trousers from a distance of half a mile or more for most of the hike. I’d like to think I was that fit when I was in my early twenties, but I seem to remember that period of my life being more pubby than mountainy.
Enjoy the stats and photos….
When: Saturday 3rd April 2010
Where: Shibusawa Station –> Okura (By Bus) –> To-no-take (1491m) –> Tanzawa-san (1567m) –> To-no-take (1491m) –> San-no-to –> Minoge –> Hadano Station (by bus)
Total distance: 23.5 km
Moving average: 3.5 km/h
Overall average: 2.8 km/h
Moving time: 6:47
Stopped time: 1:32
Max elevatiom: 1581
Total ascent: 1833m