Oct 16-18 Arasawadake 荒沢岳 - Peak Autumn Colors
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tivon
Sounds good, thanks. No particular foods that I don't eat.
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applenyc
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Adam, I am very very sorry but I don't think Id like to climb in the rain. It is a little pushing it, given that I am not fully equipped to do this course. I climbed Mt Shirane in Nikko in the rain and learned that I need to get better gear, neither my shoes nor the pants were perfectly water proof!
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applenyc
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I am sorry, I don't get updates on this and the website is hard to navigate. Seems we aren't doing the original challenging plan...?? Please let me know what you decide! No dietary restrictions. 
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Adam
Apple, we are not climbing Arasawa in the rain. You don't need any fancy equipment for this trip. Just bring the normal items like proper shoes, a daypack, rain pants, rain jacket, fleece/jumper, water and food. In summary, this route will take us 10 hours. 6 hours up on a steep forest path with a few technical rock scrambling sections that have chains. Then, we need to go back the same way, over the same scrambling sections in about 4 hours. This trip is not for the faint at heart! Please reread our discussion in this forum as well as the linked blogs. As long as you have experience walking in the mountains for 10+ hours a day and are comfortable with heights, then I think you are OK. Don't worry about the gear.applenyc wrote: ↑Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:37 pm Adam, I am very very sorry but I don't think Id like to climb in the rain. It is a little pushing it, given that I am not fully equipped to do this course. I climbed Mt Shirane in Nikko in the rain and learned that I need to get better gear, neither my shoes nor the pants were perfectly water proof!
Please continue to check this site tomorrow and Friday for more updates. We will be getting a more accurate weather report soon.
While I have everyone's attention, I have a few more announcements to make:
- I will bring a large 5 person, JUMBO tent we can all use. So, if you want to leave your tent behind and save space in the car, that will be helpful.
- Justin and I are cooking. The only food you need to bring is a pack lunch and energy food for the Arasawa climb.
- I will make the final decision tomorrow about which plan we are going to take. Right now, it's looking like B, but I want to wait for a more reliable weather forecast
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Adam
Update:
Good evening mountaineers, it's about 24-hours until kick-off. I'm sorry for not getting this message out to you earlier. I have a few announcements:
#1 plan B: - I suggest we go with it
Friday, meet at Asakadai at 7pm, camp outside Tokyo
Saturday morning and afternoon, kouyou viewing at Lake Chuzenji and Lake Kawamata, camp at Arasawadake trailhead
Sunday, climb and descend Arasawadake, back at Asakadai by 9PM
#2 Meals:
Friday - pizza hobo pies at free campsite in Tochigo. I have everything.
Saturday - breakfast burritos & coffee by Adam, lunch on road, dinner by Justin (chili, maybe...)
Sunday - breakfast burritos & coffee by Adam, BYO (bring your own) lunch and trail food, dinner on road (if time)
#3 What to bring:
I am brining a 5-person tent. We can all share it and save space in the car. You may bring your own tent if you wish. I can vouch that Justin and AB do not snore.
I have updated the original gear checklist. Please reread it.
#4 Weather:
Friday night looks fine. No rain, maybe a little windy.
Saturday l, we will have ran from the early morning until evening, and cold. The autumn leaves should look nice in the rain though. We should also try to hit an open-air onsen. We'll be in a good area for that. It will stop raining by Saturday night.
Sunday looks mostly nice. Sun in the morning, clouds in the afternoon. Good enough to climb I think. There may even be a coating of fresh snow on the peaks in the morning. I think it will melt off with the sun. The snow, with the autumn leaves and the blue sky may combine to create spectacular scenery. Boots with tread will be the best item to have on this trip. The trail will probably be muddy after Saturday's rain. Overall, I'm pleased with the forecast and am eager to climb an interesting mountain this weekend.
See you all in less than 24-hours!
Good evening mountaineers, it's about 24-hours until kick-off. I'm sorry for not getting this message out to you earlier. I have a few announcements:
#1 plan B: - I suggest we go with it
Friday, meet at Asakadai at 7pm, camp outside Tokyo
Saturday morning and afternoon, kouyou viewing at Lake Chuzenji and Lake Kawamata, camp at Arasawadake trailhead
Sunday, climb and descend Arasawadake, back at Asakadai by 9PM
#2 Meals:
Friday - pizza hobo pies at free campsite in Tochigo. I have everything.
Saturday - breakfast burritos & coffee by Adam, lunch on road, dinner by Justin (chili, maybe...)
Sunday - breakfast burritos & coffee by Adam, BYO (bring your own) lunch and trail food, dinner on road (if time)
#3 What to bring:
I am brining a 5-person tent. We can all share it and save space in the car. You may bring your own tent if you wish. I can vouch that Justin and AB do not snore.
I have updated the original gear checklist. Please reread it.
#4 Weather:
Friday night looks fine. No rain, maybe a little windy.
Saturday l, we will have ran from the early morning until evening, and cold. The autumn leaves should look nice in the rain though. We should also try to hit an open-air onsen. We'll be in a good area for that. It will stop raining by Saturday night.
Sunday looks mostly nice. Sun in the morning, clouds in the afternoon. Good enough to climb I think. There may even be a coating of fresh snow on the peaks in the morning. I think it will melt off with the sun. The snow, with the autumn leaves and the blue sky may combine to create spectacular scenery. Boots with tread will be the best item to have on this trip. The trail will probably be muddy after Saturday's rain. Overall, I'm pleased with the forecast and am eager to climb an interesting mountain this weekend.
See you all in less than 24-hours!
Last edited by Adam on Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Andy OCJ
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The colours are beginning to peak around Nikko so this weekend most likely very busy. By 9am at Nikko city the traffic starts to build up, and by 9.30 already long traffic jams (3hrs+) to get up to the lake.
A few times we went up on Friday night so there is no traffic to worry about. There are places to pull over and then camp out of sight. Traveling Friday night and enjoying lazy Saturday morning in autumn colour forest is better than spending 3 hours in stop-start traffic Saturday morning.
1. You can park near Chuzenji lake and walk less than 1 hour around the south end of the lake. Camp in forest out of sight.... beautiful area. In the morning you can see the Italian consulate villa with wood bark covering - now a free museum.
Officially no camping so tents must not be visible from across the lake (some people look and report) and no fire.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/#16/36.721076/139 ... z0r0s0m0f1
Maybe not recommended but ok if desperate
2. There are lay-bys on the north side of the lake you can park and set up tents in wooded area near lake. Not the best option as you can hear cars. I would not do this again though due to traffic noise so if time try the other options.
Second best if you cannot get up the road to the pass above Astraea hotel
3. At Sanbonmatsu you can walk into the forest on track to the east (Nantai side on the road to Shizugoya). Lots of places you can set up tents.
Gate on road should be open. The Karamatsu trees are beautiful at this time.
Maybe Best - View - Wild - Autumn Colours - If road gate is open
4. A nice option for mountain view .... on the road from Astraea hotel to Okukinu Kawamata (onsen valley) you can park at the pass. There are places to camp up there. Just take enough water for that night. There is also a zig zag path down from the road about 10-15 minutes to large flat area. Wild spot, camp fire ok but a bit of hassle at night with headlight going down path.
Camp at the top near road might be good though if not windy.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.817321, ... a=!3m1!1e3
That road to Okukinu is a nice autumn viewing route. Then after that lots of onsen choices.
In autumn the road is usually open and I doubt the access gate is locked at night.
1741m peak - must be plenty of spots to set up tent and use picnic tables.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/#17/36.815396/139 ... z0r0s0m0f1
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8150964 ... a=!3m1!1e3
A few times we went up on Friday night so there is no traffic to worry about. There are places to pull over and then camp out of sight. Traveling Friday night and enjoying lazy Saturday morning in autumn colour forest is better than spending 3 hours in stop-start traffic Saturday morning.
1. You can park near Chuzenji lake and walk less than 1 hour around the south end of the lake. Camp in forest out of sight.... beautiful area. In the morning you can see the Italian consulate villa with wood bark covering - now a free museum.
Officially no camping so tents must not be visible from across the lake (some people look and report) and no fire.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/#16/36.721076/139 ... z0r0s0m0f1
Maybe not recommended but ok if desperate
2. There are lay-bys on the north side of the lake you can park and set up tents in wooded area near lake. Not the best option as you can hear cars. I would not do this again though due to traffic noise so if time try the other options.
Second best if you cannot get up the road to the pass above Astraea hotel
3. At Sanbonmatsu you can walk into the forest on track to the east (Nantai side on the road to Shizugoya). Lots of places you can set up tents.
Gate on road should be open. The Karamatsu trees are beautiful at this time.
Maybe Best - View - Wild - Autumn Colours - If road gate is open
4. A nice option for mountain view .... on the road from Astraea hotel to Okukinu Kawamata (onsen valley) you can park at the pass. There are places to camp up there. Just take enough water for that night. There is also a zig zag path down from the road about 10-15 minutes to large flat area. Wild spot, camp fire ok but a bit of hassle at night with headlight going down path.
Camp at the top near road might be good though if not windy.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.817321, ... a=!3m1!1e3
That road to Okukinu is a nice autumn viewing route. Then after that lots of onsen choices.
In autumn the road is usually open and I doubt the access gate is locked at night.
1741m peak - must be plenty of spots to set up tent and use picnic tables.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/#17/36.815396/139 ... z0r0s0m0f1
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8150964 ... a=!3m1!1e3
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Andy OCJ
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The gate on the road near Astraea hotel might be locked but not always, especially in autumn.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8012005 ... 384!8i8192
Looks like you can get on the road to Nantai San from Sanbonmatsu and parking... I don't think anyone cares about camp on that road.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7921277 ... a=!3m1!1e3
There is a river near there so water ok.
A bit further on by the river before the turning point nicer...
https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%A ... 39.4898234
Forgot something...
If you intend driving through the tunnel at Yumoto Onsen on Saturday that way the autumn colours are very beautiful, especially around Marunuma 3 lakes.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E4%B ... 139.339613
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8012005 ... 384!8i8192
Looks like you can get on the road to Nantai San from Sanbonmatsu and parking... I don't think anyone cares about camp on that road.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7921277 ... a=!3m1!1e3
There is a river near there so water ok.
A bit further on by the river before the turning point nicer...
https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%A ... 39.4898234
Forgot something...
If you intend driving through the tunnel at Yumoto Onsen on Saturday that way the autumn colours are very beautiful, especially around Marunuma 3 lakes.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E4%B ... 139.339613
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Adam
Duly noted, Andy. Thanks for the beta.
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Adam
Latest weather report is out. Around 5cm of snow may fall on Saturday. Sunday looks good. Green Light to climb Arasawadake on Sunday. We need to be super careful on the steep and technical stuff, I doubt they will be dry by the time we reach them. Let's just take it slow and steady when we need to and cruise through the normal sections. The ridge will be sunny though. Scenery could be spectacular!
Shoes with good tread an absolute MUST!
See you all in less than 2 hours. Bangarang!
Shoes with good tread an absolute MUST!
See you all in less than 2 hours. Bangarang!
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Adam
You missed the boat Apple. Some kind of message would have been nice....