- The Unforgettable Beauty of Snowy Mountains…
- Ichinosawa Trailhead ~ Jonen-norikoshi Pass
- Jonen Hut ~ Round Trip to Mt. Jonen
- Jonen Hut
- Jonen Hut ~ Mt. Yokoto
- Mt. Yokoto ~ Mt. Otensho
- A Mistake Due to Over-Reliance on the App
- Helped by a Veteran Who Conquered the 300 Famous Mountains
- Mt. Otensho ~ Enzanso Mountain Hut
- Enzanso Mountain Hut
- Enzanso Mountain Hut ~ Nakabusa Onsen
The Unforgettable Beauty of Snowy Mountains…
Last year during Golden Week, the stunning views of the snowy mountains when I climbed Mt. Senjo left such an impression on me. So, thinking I might enjoy a quiet climb this time of year with plenty of snow still remaining, I planned a 3-day traverse: from Ichinosawa trailhead to Mt. Jonen, then through Mt. Otensho to Mt. Tsubakuro (Enzan), and finally descending to Nakabusa Onsen.
Ichinosawa Trailhead ~ Jonen-norikoshi Pass
I was really anxious about the weather for these three days, as it wasn’t clear until the very last minute. The forecast right before we left predicted rain on the final day of descent, but nothing too severe, and good weather for the first two days, so we set off as planned. We left Hamamatsu late at night and headed to Azumino Onsen Park parking lot, where we left the car and took a pre-booked taxi to Ichinosawa trailhead. I’d found out through my research that we could get back to this parking lot by bus from Nakabusa Onsen after our descent.
After walking through the forest for a while from the trailhead, the scenery eventually opened up, and we found ourselves on a pleasant path along the stream. It was a refreshingly clear and sunny day, warm enough to break a slight sweat.
When climbing at this time of year, there are several places where stream crossings are necessary, and the current can be quite fast, so you need to be careful. In fact, I saw an elderly woman almost lose her footing and fall, so I couldn’t let my guard down.
A snowfield stretching far up ahead appeared before our eyes, so we put on our crampons here. With the clear weather, the snow was quite soft, and it was a steep slope, so even with crampons, we kept slipping, making it pretty tough.
I noticed people descending from above were being extremely cautious, so I looked back and realized just how steep the slope was. The snow was soft, and my crampons weren’t gripping well, so I figured the descent would be pretty scary…
This Ichinosawa snowfield was steep, with occasional rockfalls, so we were constantly on edge while climbing. Plus, the sun was intense that day, and everyone, including myself, looked uniformly exhausted as we made our way up.
After pushing hard and finishing the steep snowfield climb, the view suddenly opened up before my eyes, making me instinctively exclaim “Oh!” The red-roofed building was Jonen Hut, where we’d be staying tonight, and beyond it, if you looked closely, you could even see the peak of Mt. Yari… It was truly an incredible place.
The entrance to Jonen Hut was still heavily covered in snow like this. Even though it probably melted quite a bit with the recent warm weather, it really shows how much snow this place gets.
Jonen Hut ~ Round Trip to Mt. Jonen
We arrived at Jonen Hut before noon. While taking a break at an outdoor table, conversations started about what to do next. Some people, completely exhausted, decided to call it a day and rest there. Others, whom I recognized from our climb up Ichinosawa, had already summitted Mt. Jonen and returned. It really showed that everyone has their own pace.
From Jonen Hut, Mt. Jonen looked like it was towering at the end of a rocky, gravelly path, almost like a wall. Considering the fatigue up to this point, I almost lost my motivation. So, uncharacteristically for me, I took a long break before setting off.
The climb up the rocky, gravelly path was quite challenging for my legs, which were already exhausted from the Ichinosawa snowfield. However, the scenery was so incredibly beautiful that it truly made me forget my fatigue.
Just a little further to the summit of Mt. Jonen, there was a fork towards Mae-Jonen and Mitsumata. Since there was a lot of snow from around that point, we put on our crampons again to climb. Just a little more to go!
The 360-degree panoramic view from the summit of Mt. Jonen was truly an unforgettable and magnificent sight. It’s easy to see why so many hikers want to come back to the Northern Alps again and again. For me, the beautiful contrast between the clear blue sky, the pure white snow, and the dark, uncovered rocky areas made me sigh with admiration repeatedly. I thoroughly enjoyed the breathtaking view from the summit for a while.
Jonen Hut
The entrance area was quite striking; it seemed to be supported by several pillars, probably to prevent it from collapsing under the weight of the massive amount of snow still remaining outside. We had already checked in before climbing Mt. Jonen and were allowed to leave some of our luggage there.
I heard that Room 14 is a 6-person room when it’s crowded, which would mean barely any space to move. So, it was really nice that it was relatively empty at this time of year with snow still on the ground.
Mountain huts these days don’t just have draft beer, but also local craft beers like this, which makes me so happy! I never imagined I’d be able to drink an IPA in a place like this. The beer, combined with the fatigue, made me incredibly sleepy, but I held out until dinner.
Dinner that night was hamburger steak. It’s truly amazing and much appreciated to get such a solid meal in a place like this. Everyone eats so much, though… I’m always surprised to notice how many people casually polish off 3-4 bowls of rice.
I was hoping the sunset might paint Mt. Yari red, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen that way. Still, watching the sunset behind the peaks of the Northern Alps was incredibly beautiful. I really wanted to see the starry sky, but I just couldn’t fight off the sleepiness…
Usually, if I wake up early, I often can’t eat breakfast, but at a mountain hut, it’s strange how I can just gobble it down. Or rather, if you don’t eat, you’ll run out of gas and won’t be able to move, so eating is super important.
Jonen Hut ~ Mt. Yokoto
On the route from Jonen Hut to Mt. Yokoto, the Hodaka mountain range on the left was visible with such incredible presence, it was truly mesmerizing.
Mt. Yokoto, at an altitude of 2767 meters, loomed before us with a considerable scale from Jonen Hut. Thinking about going beyond it towards Mt. Otensho… if you underestimate it as a gentle ridge walk, you’re in for a painful surprise.
From Jonen Hut, there’s also a traverse path that bypasses the summit of Mt. Yokoto, but it was definitely the right decision to come all the way to the summit because the views here are truly magnificent. It was also a huge bonus to be able to enjoy this scenery alone in complete silence, with almost no other people around. In fact, at Jonen Hut the day before, when I mentioned heading to Enzanso today, some people even asked, “Can you even get there this time of year?” It seems there are extremely few hikers on this path during this season.
Mt. Yokoto ~ Mt. Otensho
Beyond Mt. Yokoto, the amount of snow increased considerably, creating a path where I didn’t quite need crampons, but really wished I had chain spikes… It was painful that I didn’t bring chain spikes to reduce luggage, since I had crampons.
Although it was just a short climb to Mt. Higashi-Otensho if we branched off the route, I decided to conserve energy for what lay ahead and continued straight towards Mt. Otensho.
There was a considerable amount of snow along the ridge leading to Mt. Otensho, making the entire area appear pure white. It was beautiful and quite nice in its own way. However, it was only good because the weather was clear and there were footprints; otherwise, I think it would have been a bit scary.
While I was thinking such things, I suddenly noticed a rock ptarmigan right in front of me. From my position, with Mt. Yari in the background, it was in a perfect spot right at the boundary between the snow and the dwarf pines. After quickly snapping a shot with my phone, I took out my DSLR, but it flew away… What a shame.
I followed the flying ptarmigan with my eyes, and it landed relatively close to the trail we were heading towards. When I approached, I saw a pair of them taking a stroll. Both seemed to be gradually changing from their winter plumage to summer feathers, looking quite adorable.
After a while, Mt. Otensho and Otenso mountain hut on its shoulder appeared before us. I was hoping to take a break there, but unfortunately, it was closed, probably due to the deep snow this time of year.
Otenso hut was actually largely buried in snow, and the climb from there to Mt. Otensho also had significant snow accumulation. The view from the summit of Mt. Otensho, which I reached with great effort, was still magnificent, and I enjoyed having the entire scenery to myself with no one else around.
At that moment, two things suddenly caught my attention. First, the sign near Otenso pointing towards Mt. Tsubakuro was not indicating the traverse path that circles the summit, which I had expected, but instead pointed directly to the summit of Mt. Otensho. And second, on that summit, as shown in the photo, there was a sign indicating “Descent Point for Mt. Tsubakuro.” Why was this noteworthy? Because the YAMAP route only showed a traverse path around Mt. Otensho from Otenso, not through the summit itself.
A Mistake Due to Over-Reliance on the App
This traverse path was impassable at this time of year due to heavy snow, with risks of falling and avalanches (I peeked, and it really didn’t look passable). My mistake was assuming the traverse path was passable because the YAMAP app usually gives warnings or makes impassable routes unselectable during route planning, and I was able to select it. That explains why people at Jonen Hut yesterday asked, “Is that route even passable?”
However, the fact that there was a clearly marked sign for a descent point towards Mt. Tsubakuro meant that there must be a trail, even if not on YAMAP, that joins the ridge path beyond the traverse route. So, I headed back to the summit of Mt. Otensho again.
Helped by a Veteran Who Conquered the 300 Famous Mountains
Returning to the summit, I found an elderly gentleman, clearly a mountain enthusiast, enjoying the view by himself. I told him I was planning to head towards Enzanso, and he gave me detailed instructions about the route ahead. He explained that there’s a direct ascent route (a winter path) connecting Mt. Otensho and Mt. Tsubakuro, even if it might not be on the app. He warned that it’s quite steep and requires caution, but assured me it would be fine since I had made it this far from Mt. Jonen. He also mentioned that some parts might be a bit hard to follow, but there should be poles marking the way, and I should aim for those as I descended.
Mt. Otensho ~ Enzanso Mountain Hut
The descent point from Mt. Otensho towards Mt. Tsubakuro was an immediate steep slope, with snow clinging to the rocks, making a fall quite scary. I descended slowly, firmly digging in my crampon points. After a while, the ridge leading to Mt. Tsubakuro came into view, and indeed, the poles the old man had told me about were there, which brought a sense of relief, realizing I could somehow make it down.
What helped me relax from that tense state was a rock ptarmigan that suddenly appeared right in front of me. It wasn’t very afraid of people and looked at me as if to say, “What’s up?”, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
It was a dangerous rocky area, so I couldn’t get too close, but I was still lucky to see the rock ptarmigan relatively nearby.
Descending the direct route to Mt. Otensho was quite challenging, but it wasn’t a very long distance, and we managed to safely rejoin the ridge trail. However, the clouds were increasing overall, making the weather feel a bit uncertain, so we decided to hurry on.
We passed Tameemon Tsuriiwa and Oshitarino-atama, heading towards Kaeru-iwa (Frog Rock). Overall, although it was a ridge path, many parts of the summer trail were impassable due to snow, making it feel more like a minor variation route, and quite challenging. In fact, I made a few wrong turns, straying further from the ridge than necessary, and had a hard time getting back, so it was quite a struggle.
Kaeru-iwa (Frog Rock) was another spot where I pondered for a while about what to do. In fact, I had come through the terrifyingly narrow space in the middle of the photo from the other side, but it seems the summer trail, being free of snow and risk of falling, bypasses this section. This time of year, with snow remaining, going through this narrow gap was a huge struggle, especially with my luggage…
After a tough struggle, Mt. Tsubakuro finally appeared. The sight of mysterious rocks standing tall and scattered, completely different from the surrounding mountains, was quite astonishing when seen firsthand.
With Mt. Tsubakuro before us, we finally arrived at Enzanso. There were parts that didn’t go exactly as planned, and even though they were minor details, the ridge trail was snow-covered and difficult to navigate, turning into something like a variation route, which caused a lot of trouble.
Enzanso Mountain Hut
As we entered Enzanso, the staff warmly welcomed hikers with a “Good job, you made it!” When asked where we came from, I replied, “From Jonen Hut,” which surprised them quite a bit. “It must have been tough this time of year, wasn’t it? Only a few people headed towards Jonen Hut from here today,” they said.
Enzanso is a pretty big mountain hut. That day, I had one of the lower rooms on the 1st floor of the First Annex all to myself. I imagine during the busy summer season, it would be quite packed, with 3-4 people sleeping per room.
The souvenir corner at Enzanso was incredibly well-stocked, and I spotted a few things I really wanted. Plus, there were Mont Blanc cakes and other delicious-looking treats. It must be an amazing place to stay after climbing up from Nakabusa Onsen and ascending Mt. Tsubakuro. Knowing the weather would turn bad tomorrow, I really wanted to go to Mt. Tsubakuro now, which is about an hour round trip, but I was utterly exhausted and had to give up. Still, I thought, “I’d definitely come back here again,” so I’ll save climbing Mt. Tsubakuro for another time.
During dinner, we heard stories from the Azumino Mountain Rescue team and the owner of Enzanso, and I learned a lot. What particularly startled me was the mention of Mt. Otensho, which we had traversed today. Apparently, Mt. Otensho this time of year, with snow still remaining, is called “the Devil’s Mountain,” and there are frequent accidents and falls in that area. This time, despite my route selection mistake, I was fortunate to meet an experienced climber who gave me information, allowing me to proceed with relative peace of mind. But I really need to be careful not to make such mistakes in the future, as they shouldn’t happen.
Enzanso Mountain Hut ~ Nakabusa Onsen
The next day, it rained as predicted. However, it wasn’t a downpour, just light enough that rainwear was sufficient. So, we set off towards Nakabusa Onsen.
From Enzanso, we descended rapidly through Kassen-one (Kassen Ridge) to Kassen Hut. In the summer, delicious watermelon is supposedly served at this hut, but it was still early and not open today. From there, passing rest stops like Fujimi Bench, we safely arrived at Nakabusa Onsen in just under 3 hours.
At the Nakabusa Onsen trailhead, there was only one day-trip hot spring facility that hikers could enter. Unfortunately, a sign stated that the hot spring town itself, including its interesting inns, was off-limits to anyone other than overnight guests… It was such a pity. Since we also had a bus to catch, I gave up on soaking in Nakabusa Onsen and instead enjoyed Azumino’s Shakunage-no-Yu near where our car was parked before returning to Hamamatsu.
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