13 November 2015
Grey day on a bald mountain
Hiking Fujiwaragatake in the Suzuka range near Nagoya
Its Friday the 13th. I cant quite provide a night on a bald mountain to celebrate, but I can instead go up a bald mountain on a very grey day.
I set out early for the Kintetsu line again, this time changing to the Sangi railway at Tomida.
I didnt miss my connection, but was the only person on the train, which I took all the way to the last station, for about 50 minutes.
This was quite an experience, as we went through mine sites, some very unusual chemical smells, saw mountains that were half missing due to quarrying, and were passed by many freight trains pulling chemicals of some description.
The train stopped at a few of the 20 or so stations for a couple of minutes for the driver to get out and perform a series of heads and shoulders knees and toes stretches.
All the time, it was just me, no one was on any of the stations we stopped at, apart from my personal train driver.
I got off at the last stop, and couldnt work out how to get out of the station, there was no IC card reader for my ICOCA. Instead I had to wake a sleeping old man behind a window, who thought I was hilarious, and greeted me with laughter.
We negotiated the price and agreed on 400 yen, not bad for a personal ride of nearly an hour. I could still hear him laughing as I walked out of the station.
Then it was a walk through the super quiet streets to the mountain, Fujiyama. Just one of about 1000 mountains in Japan called Fujiyama.
The station I changed at had no convenience store! Just a vending maching on the platform with cakes. I had a pink custard filled something. It was my only fuel for the day other than bottles of Pocari Sweat.
Should probably ensure I have something for breakfast on mountain day, its often a rush to get to the trains and transfer, and then I end up at the end of the line greeted by nothingness.
Just me and my train.
Getting off at the last station and theres no one there to stop me wandering around the tracks to look at their locomotive graveyard.
This photo is deceptive, as the actual peak is behind this and to the right, I think. Shame it was so hazey today.
I had no problem finding the start of the trail. Thankfully it was only concrete for a few metres, then became an excellent path of varying composition. Tree roots for a while, then gravel, then jagged stone, then slippery mud.
There were not a lot of colored leaves today, mainly big green trees.
Thats not to say there was nothing to look at of course.
Mainly these very tall cedars, blocking the view, and the wind.
Suddenly I arrived in the fernery.
It was a rare opportunity to see a view of sorts, about half way up here.
This used to be a looping course, but an avalanche destroyed the alternate way down.
Time to head into the cloud. It was actually cold when I stopped long enough to realise.
The first summit of sorts, has an emergency hut. Theres a couple of choices from here, I chose the one that goes to the highest point, about another hour away across a fantastic plateau.
Still have to go up the top of the bald mountain.
I greatly enjoyed the relatively flat plateau area. Being between 2 peaks it was shielded from the wind.
The view was excellent. By the way, I did not see another person, at all, the entire time I was on the mountain.
The internet warned of extreme crowds during autumn. That must only apply to weekends and holidays.
And after only a few moderately exhausting hours, I was at the summit.
Its a different sort of a view due to the haze. Either I am getting fit fast, or this mountain was a lot easier than the one from a few days ago.
There were no chains or ropes to pull myself up, and no water running down slippery rocks. The scenery was a lot different despite being only 50km away.
Here I am! I dont need any fancy gear, jeans and a long sleeve tshirt.