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SUCCESS on Mount Yōtei, Japan

trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

My alarm went off at 4:40am.

Yet it was 12:30pm before I started up the trailhead to climb Mount Yōtei out of Niseko, the most popular ski resort in Japan.

… often referred to as the “Mt. Fuji of Hokkaido” …

when has the weather been this good?

Here’s how the volcano looked when I came knocking.

Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan:

One of the toughest day hikes around with a 1500m climb up to a perfectly shaped volcano …

My guidebook called it 8-10hrs round trip. Signage said it took longer than that. There was no way I could make it this day.

… I started up.

Footing was good. Weather excellent (so far).

About half way up I met a savvy Japanese hiker already coming down. He was concerned at where I was on the mountain relative to the time. I assured him I’d be turning around quite soon.

… But you know, guys like me, Rob Hall & Gary Ball — we can push the turnaround time later than most.

And the weather actually got better instead of worse as I gained elevation.

When I saw the mountain hut I knew I’d make the top.

Normally manned by a warden, it had been locked up for weeks. Almost nobody hikes this late in the season.

I only stayed on the crater rim for about 3min as it was already 4pm. … And it gets dark starting about 4:30pm.

The second time on the crater rim I was furious. I’d dropped my camera in the snow when starting to RUN down the mountain. And then hustle back up. It’s now 4:20pm.

The welcome lights of the trailhead campground toilet. It’s 6:30pm.

The campground had been long closed. Yet incredibly the washrooms were left open and powered on. Thank-you Japan.

I tented here all alone, hoping to see one of the infamous pesky foxes. They’d long given up on the campground too.

See all my photos from this day hike.

I know what you’re thinking — this scramble was a “success” ?!

Success is relative on this trip. 🙂

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Hiking Wakkanai, Japan

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

My “plan” was to travel to northernmost Japan and catch the ferry from Wakkanai to the remote island Rishiri-Zan.

In my dreams, I’d camp one night. Then do the 8hr, 18km coast-to-coast over this volcano (1712m). (Oshidomari track up, Kutsugata track down)

more photos by le.sdf.free.fr

Certainly this is one of the best hikes in Japan. And that photo is a postcard, not reality.

… Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to pull off this hike later than September due to: unstable weather, hostels & campgrounds being closed and/or trails being impassable due to snow or washout.

I only conceived the faint hope of trying for it late October because I saw a fleeting TV weather report showing a smiling sun over the north tip of the island. …

Waking early the morning of my intended day hike, the weather was normal — grey and drizzling. I went back to sleep.

Depressed at having yet another of my hiking plans dashed, I defaulted to a lazy day wandering the town. Then catching the train and abandoning northern Japan altogether.

Unexpectedly, the weather cleared up. And I had an excellent day hike walking directly from the train station after locking up my pack.

First stop a tranquil Temple much adorned with gardens and statuary.

Fall colours were a highlight of the day.

I climbed up above town to Wakkanai Kōen (稚内公園) park. That’s the “Russian” island of Sakhalin, in the distance.

How about this?

I began to wonder whether I should have jumped on the ferry. Nope. Here’s the micro-climate cloaking the volcano:

Instead I decided to walk the bluff, then descend down to the coast via animal trails.

Here are the animals.

This region is famed for kelp though there wasn’t much drying end of October.

In peak times these racks might be covered with kelp.

Like other parts of the world cold and inhospitable, locals like bright colours, making long winter nights less depressing.

This turned out to be one of my best hiking days in Japan :). … But I still caught the train south when it got dark.

Rishiri-Zan volcano must wait.

See more photos from my day hike of Wakkanai.

related – Climbing Rishiri-Zan trip report (2004) by Cameron L. Martindell

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flushed off Mt Asahi, Japan

trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Here I am at Sugatami-ike in Daisetsuzan National Park, an impressive look-out over the fumaroles.

This volcano is LIVE.

It’s Asahidake (Mt Asahi), the highest mountain in Hokkaidō. (2,290.9 m or 7,516 ft)

… The mountain is popular with hikers in the summer and can be easily reached from Asahidake Onsen via Asahidake Ropeway.

Sugatami Pond, directly below the peak, is famous for its reflection of the peaks, snow, and steam escaping from the volcanic vents. …

I’d climbed the 500m to here, quickly and easily.

At this elevation the weather was quite reasonable — raining, but not hard. The emergency shelter was open.

From this point the top of the volcano was shrouded. Myself and Kim from Belgium were the only hikers bold (stupid) enough to climb higher. (It’s not popular with Japanese hikers end of October, as you’ve already guessed.)

We might have made it to 1900m before being driven off the mountain by wind and freezing, horizontal rain. Merde.

I slid and slipped back down the trail the way I’d come up. It was pretty much a waterfall by the time I reached bottom. Kim opted to take the Ropeway down, the cheater.

Happily, there was a gourmet dinner awaiting me below in Japan’s best and most expensive alpine hostel.

This ain’t the usual hostel grub. Even better, we had a private onsen (hot springs). I had it to myself each time as only 3 people stayed in the hostel that night.

… Here was the scene next morning, the second major snowfall of the season. Looks like a long winter ahead.

See more photos from my failed attempt to climb Asahi.

I decided (for some reason) to head NORTH from here. Yep. North.

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Video: ‘Hardest Hike in the East’

More Fast & Light – Brought to you by Timberland

Gear Junkie Stephen Regenold:

… In early October, we hiked the 25-mile Devils Path through New York’s Catskill Mountains, a trail often given the “hardest hike” moniker because of the ridiculous amount of climbing and descending hikers face — about 14,000 feet total! — as the path ascends six major peaks in the Catskill preserve. …

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

For more and higher quality, check their dedicated “Fast & Light” video channel.

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Vote for Most Extreme Hiking Tale

Over on Two-Heel Drive. Here are the finalists:

J.K.: Wild night by a waterfall
Gambolin’ Man vs. hungry bear
Clarke Green: Rough night in the ‘Daks
Tgabrukiewicz: Taking a beating in the Trinity Alps
Zachary Robbins: Chillin’ in Linville Gorge

Winner gets a gift box full of Beef Jerky

directions to the "Lost City"
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24 Hours on the Border Route

Another Fast & Light video – Brought to you by Timberland

Gear Junkie Stephen Regenold:

… Gear Junkie and crew traveled to northern Minnesota to trek the renowned 65-mile wilderness route. The video reveals the rugged beauty of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters as well as the remote and little-traveled nature of the region, where bears roam and forest fires wash unchecked over vast lands. …

Gear Junkie

Spoiler – they don’t make the 24hr cutoff.

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

For more and higher quality, check their dedicated “Fast & Light” video channel.

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NEW – Great Eastern Trail USA

The Great Eastern Trail Association, working with American Hiking Society and local trail partners are creating America’s newest long distance hiking trail. This path is 1800 miles long and crosses nine states. …

official website – maps page

(via TakeaLongHike)

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Mt Asahi hike, Japan

trip report by besthike editor Rick McCharles

Mount Asahi (旭岳 Asahi-dake) is the tallest mountain in Hokkaidō, Japan. … it is located in the northern part of the Daisetsuzan National Park.

The mountain is popular with hikers in the summer and can be easily reached from Asahidake Onsen via Asahidake Ropeway.

Sugatami Pond, directly below the peak, is famous for its reflection of the peaks, snow, and steam escaping from the volcanic vents. …

Lovely and welcoming … in Summer. Unfortunately I arrived Oct. 25th, closer to ski season. Many warned that the weather was too uncertain. In fact, it had been completely snowed over the week before I got there.

Eschewing the chair lift, instead (in about 90min) I walked up from Asahidake Onsen townsite to the main “hiking destination”, the top of the rope.

Emergency Shelter

I rang this bell, assuming it to be a “tradition” for new arrivals.

From there it’s about 2hrs to the top of the volcano. … But I only lasted about 1hr before high winds and horizontal rain forced me (and Kim from Belgium) to turn back.

The trail, wet and muddy on the way up …

… was in flood on the descent. Yuck.

Happily, there was a hot springs and gourmet dinner awaiting me below in Japan’s best and most expensive alpine hostel.

This ain’t the usual hostel grub.

So … the “highlight” of the hike, in the end, was my stay at Daisetsuzan-Shirakaba-So hostel.

Check out the “Canadian log cabin” annex.

More photos from my day hike.

No bicycles. No tenting except at designated sites. No fires. Fishing is allowed.

_____ Update: Next morning the village and mountain both covered with snow. Time to move on.

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hiking the GR5, France

Richard Tulloch is a blogger I follow. Over the past 10yrs, and 5 separate trips, he and friends have hiked the GR5 from Lake Geneva to Nice.

Richard’s a professional writer, and his blog’s both readable and amusing:

… We’re hiking the GR5, one of the French Grand Randonnees (Great Hikes), a classic long distance route that officially begins in Belgium and ends in Nice, on the way passing through Luxembourg, the hills of the Jura and the mighty French Alps.

This week’s stage is from Briancon to Barcelonnette, 109.78 kilometres according to my trusty Garmin GPS, with 6,524 vertical metres to climb along the way. …

… My rule for buying French sausage is to pick the ugliest, most misshapen specimen available. If it doesn’t taste good I can at least pride myself on being a daring gourmand francais. …

… The sign over the entrance, made from old horseshoes, says ‘CAF’. It’s not that someone has stolen the ‘E’; this is an auberge of the Club Alpin Francais.

And oui naturellement, monsieur, they do have beer. …

… All offers of photography contracts from National Geographic, Lonely Planet and manufacturers of jigsaw puzzles seriously considered. ….

Richard Tulloch’s LIFE ON THE ROAD – FRENCH ALPS – hiking the GR5

grfive.com has a good English description of the route and the GR5 experience.