Minami Yatsugatake

This is the final announcement for Minami-Yatsugatake hike.

It seems the weather looks nice and sunny. so we are going the hike as planned!

I would like to change the meeting time at 6:30 in Tsukuba station.
as soon as everyone arrived, the participants will depart from Tsukuba.
there is a convenience store near Michinoeki in Kobuchizawa, but better prepare breakfast and lunch in advance.
please bring cash of 20,000 yen for all costs just in case.
I will collect the participant fees when we meet, i would appreciate you prepare cash with smaller notes.

Rick and Kyoko kindly agreed to be drivers.
please come on time and follow their instruction.

the participants have been confirmed as following;

Eri
Efi
Congying
Kyoko(*)
Mihoko
Wakako

Ash
Bagdat
Kai
Rick(*)

We aim to go to Amigasayama on 4th but i make an option to go up to Gongendake .
it takes around 3 hours from Seinengoya hut (2400m) to Gongendake (2715m) for the return trip.
but you must bring crampons if you want to go. the peak of the mountain is covered by snow.
snow spike would be good to have it for your safety. (no need if you just go up to the hut)
https://en.montbell.jp/products/goods/list.php?category=1058000

See you tomorrow at 10 am in Michinoeki Kobuchizawa.

What to bring:
trekking shoes
backpack(30-40L)
rain wears
down/fleece jacket
gloves
cap/hat
extra clothes
water (1-2L)
head lamp or LED toach
sun glasses
towel
trekking pole (if you have)
crampons (if you have)
thermos bottle (would keep you warm!)
onsen set
lunch
snack
cash

Schedule:

3rd Nov
Leave at 7-7:30 Tsukuba station (around 3 hours drive)
Meet the participants at 10 am at Michinoeki Kobuchizawa and head to hiking entry point
Arrive at Seineigoya around 14pm

4th Nov
Start walking at 8 am
Arrive at the hiking entry point around 12.
Go to onsen at Michinoeki
Arrive in Tsukuba around 18 pm.

Temperature in Yatsugatake is between 0 and 10 degree in this season.
Please make sure you bring warm clothes.
https://www.twmc.club/ja/about-twmc/hiking-advice

I will send the final announcement on Friday.

Cheers,
Eri

Minami-Yatsugatake hike 3-4 November
difficulty: 2-3 stars

Route: Day 1: Fujimikogen-Nishidake(2138m)-Seinengoya(4h)
Day2: Seinengoya-Amikasayama(2524m)-Fujimikogen(3.5h)
https://www.yamakei-online.com/trailhead/detail.php?id=1018

It is possible to go up to Gongendake(2715m) if you are fit!

Hut costs: 8500 yen including 2 meals
Tent costs: 600 yen per head.
Transportation: around 5000 yen (car)
Club fee: 500 yen

Seinengoya is famous for izakaya called Tooi nomiya (faraway izakaya).
The hut has great selection of drink! (but it will close at 21 pm because it is a mountain hut...)
This is the last day for the hut to open their business this year.
Let's celebrate together the end of the hiking season!

https://tabelog.com/en/nagano/A2004/A200405/20018205/

Since I live in Matsumoto, I need a sub leader from Tsukuba to drive up to Hokuto city.
If anyone would be happy to be a driver to join this hike, please let me know!
If there are enough participant to hire a car, I will consider to arrange it (more than 4 persons)

If you use public transportations to Kobuchizawa station, my car can
accommodate up to three people.

If the weather forecast judged more than 50% chance of rain on the hiking
day, the hike will be cancelled.

If you are interested in this hike, please email me back to inform your full name and use of accommodation (hut or tent).

Sat 3rd Nov
The participants from Tsukuba arrived around 10:40 because of a car accident on Kenodo.
We moved to Fujikogen trail entrance at 11 then started to walk at 11:20 after all.
Some part of the trail was damaged by typhoon, we reached the top of Nizhidake at 14:20.
There was a good panorama view of South Alps and Mt. Fuji!
The trail is getting rocky and hilly on the way.
There was a big land slide near the fountain of maiden, the trail was gone but we had to go down on the land slide carefully to reach the hut.
We arrived at the hut around 16:00, glad we were able to check in before it was getting dark.
It was the last day for the hut but it was full of people!
We checked in the hut and change clothes and relaxed a bit before dinner.
Because there were so many guests staying the hut, we had dinner at the common room instead of dining room.
So we got our own private room to enjoy dinner.
The hut is famous as 'tooi nomiya', there are several selections of sake and wine.
Mr. Takeuchi, the owner of the hut and famous alpinist offered the guest some food and drink after dinner.
This place is famous for coffee as he has a secret brand recipe, the taste of coffee was great!
Normally bed time is 21 pm but since it was the last day of the hut, people enjoyed drinking until 23 pm.

Sun 4th Nov
Bagdat, Kai, Wakako, Congying and Efi went to Mt. Gongendake at 5:40.
They came back around 9 am. The rest of us had breakfast at 7 am.
We packed the backpacks and started walking to Amigasayama at 10 am.
We saw a helicopter above the hut to rescue a sick person.
We were on the top of Amigasayama at 10:30, it was nice and sunny we enjoyed the yellow carpet of Japanese larch and the South Alps!
It got cloudy after 30 min....but we took nice photos from the summit.
We started going down on a steep hill to Fujimikogen at 11 am. We had a couple of breaks and snack times on the way down.
Bagdat was a fast walker. He seemed to enjoy beer while he was waiting for the rest of us.
Finally everyone arrived at the trail entrance at 14:50.
We enjoyed onsen at Shikanoyu, it is always great to take onsen after hiking!
We had dinner at Michinoeki before heading to Tsukuba.
We dismissed at 18:00 in Kobuchizawa. There was a heavy traffic jam so they used local road instead of Chuodo and arrived in Tsukuba around 22:30.
I would like to thank Rick and Kyoko for driving safely to Tsukuba.

The weather was very good and we enjoyed the last Koyo and talks of Bagdat.
I hope everyone enjoyed the hiking!
Hope to see you all on another hike the next year!
Thank you for participating in the hike :-)