Category: hiking

雲取山
Kumotoriyama
2.017 m

4. Dec 2010

It was a beautiful day.  

The day before it rained and the temperature was mild. Then strong wind brought some cold and clear air. A perfect day for hiking.  I left Takasaki at 5:40 am, took the highway and then R411. At 08:00 I arrived at Kamosawa, 135 km from Takasaki.

On the way to Kumutoriyama-parking area I could enjoy a beautiful sunrise. Fuji-san was covered with snow – shining orange in the morning light. Due to the good weather I decided to hike to big loop starting from the village and return via Sanjounoyu-Onsen.  Hiking started at 8:10 am.

Up to Kumotoriyama the hiking trail leads for the first two hours through forest and is easy to go. Above 1600 meter it follows a mountain ridge with a great view on Fujisan. No climbing necessary, easy to walk. The weather was fine the whole day: clear sky, cold air but sunny and good view, no wind, and temperature about 0 degrees.

On the top of Kumotoriyama (雲取山), I had a short lunch break and then climbed down. I mixed up the Kanji and took the wrong way – the way to Kumotoriyamagoya. Now the trail became a little bit steeper and rocky, but easy to go and well secured with ropes. After I reached the mountain hut I recognized the mistake. For fortune there is a bypass from the mountain hut on northwest side – no need t climb back up again…

The way down to the Onsen was quite interesting. Sometimes the path crosses steep rocks, than it leads through forest again. I took a short bath in the sulfur-smelling Sanjounoyu-Onsen. From there the forest-road is not far (20 min). Because it already became late I jogged the next 6 km downhill. After that my legs really felt tired… .

Anyway, I can really recommend to do it this trip in this direction because then the way back follows a “easy to go” forest road for about 7 km. From technical point of view it was one of the easiest mountains I have climbed in Japan but good condition is required.

During hiking back from the Onsen I meet about 15 forest workers which were on their way back home. Later I meet them again – they had a snack at a parking lot. I was offered some tea, yakisoba and a hot bowl with egg, chicken leg and vegetable. Everything was which really delicious. And finally they gave me a lift for the last km back to my car.  ども　ありがとうございます.

I left back home at 4:45 pm and arrived at 7:00 pm in Takasaki.

Hiking-Keydata:
雲取山 Kumotoriyama   4. Dec 2010

Start      鴨沢 (Kamosawa)            8:10 am               540 m
Trail up 堂所 (Dousho)                  1.270 m
Top        雲取山 (Kumotoriyama)               12:00 pm               2.017 m
Trail down           雲取山荘 (Kumotorisansou)               12:30 pm             1.825 m              
三条ダルミ (Sanjoudarumi)        1:15 pm               1.750 m
三条ノ湯 (Sanjounoyu) 3:15 pm               1.090 m
お祭 (Omatsuri)               4:20 pm               560 m
Finish    鴨沢 (Kamosawa)            4:45 pm               540 m

Duration:             8 h 20 min           Distance:             25,4 km          Height: 1.477 m