Hi everyone! My friends and I (a group of four) are planning a trip to Japan in the first week of July, and we’re excited to climb Mount Hotaka starting from Kamikochi. Specifically, the route we are planning to take is inspired by this comment by another Redditor in this subreddit. Our rough itinerary is as outlined below.
Day 1 (Ascent): Matsumoto -> Kamikochi -> Karasawa Hutte
Day 2 (Ascent): Karasawa Hutte -> Hotakadake Sanso -> Summit Mount Hotaka
Day 3 (Descent): Hotakadake Sanso -> Kamikochi
We're looking for some advice and insights on the following:
- Reception/SOS: How is the cell phone reception on the trail? Are there any reliable ways to call for help in case of an emergency?
- Weather/Snow: It will be the rainy season, so we are already expecting rainfall. Our main concern would be how quickly does the weather turn bad in the mountains? Is there likely to be any snow on the trail (first week of July), and if so, how much?
- Path Markings: How well-marked is the path from Kamikochi to Mount Hotaka? Are there any parts of the trail that are particularly tricky to navigate?
- Danger for First-Timers: None of us are seasoned climbers, although we are in good shape. How dangerous is the summit from the mountain hut for first-timers?
- Altitude Sickness: How common is altitude sickness on this climb? What steps should we take to prevent it if it does pose concerns?
The above questions were the ones that I faced the most difficulty in finding answers online for. Any additional tips or recommendations for our climb would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
by Axirie
4 comments
Whoa, I was just googling this and this thread was the first to come up – just 5h old? Hope someone will answer
Beginning of July is hit or miss for weather, I would not go further than Karasawa if it’s bad. And in the mountains the weather can change quickly. Up at Okuho the temperatures get close to freezing at night even in august. There might be lingering snow, hard to say at this point. It snowed quite a bit yesterday and it’s unseasonably cold this year.
If you use docomo the reception is pretty good. Btw rescue is not free in Japan, you’ll need insurance.
The trail is well marked, there are some technical and exposed parts. It’s not a beginner or easy trail. Have you used chains/ladders when climbing? It’s nothing crazy but people have died and get seriously hurt every year. I would also bring a helmet. The rock is loose and you have near vertical sections with rockfall danger.
Lastly don’t forget to reserve the spots for the hut and make sure to arrive by 3pm.
Altitude sickness is not a normally a problem at that height.
Haha oh man, finally a post I have exact experience in 😂 I went to Kamikochi last year, literally first week of July 2023 as well. No summits unfortunately due to highly underestimating the elevation and difficulty, but we attempted Yakedake and Dakesawa Hut (through the Dakesawa wetlands).
Reception/SOS – We used Japan wireless as our mobile wifi, no problems connecting if I remember right. However, I did have a sub to the All trails app and my Garmin Inreach for navigation and emergency.
Weather – Sunny 70 degrees all week, no snow or rain. Just very muggy and humid in the thick of the forest. Can’t comment on summit conditions.
Path Conditions – well marked in Japanese. The trails we used had parts of overgrowth, and bugs so I highly encourage hiking pants
Hiking advice – I consider myself having amateur/moderate hiking experience and these trails were HARD, these are not beginner level hikes. If you’d like to train ahead of time, do steep incline trails at home and get some practice in walking on dirt/tree roots/rocks etc. to get confidence with your foot placement/hiking stance.
Unsure if you need tips on hiking gear, but oof, I cannot stress enough. These are not beginning level hikes. Please be safe out there, lmk if you need extra tips/advice ✌️
Do you hike regularly?
Can you manage over 1,600 m/5,000 ft elevation gain with the last good bit requiring some scrambling on uneven rocky ground?
Will you have appropriate footwear? Trail runners will do if you’re experienced but definitely not regular old sneakers.
It’s really hard to advise not knowing your experience level but give your comments, might be best to skip this route.
If you’re set on the Northern Alps based out of Kamikochi, spending a couple of nights in the mountains and if you’re confident about your fitness level, something like Chogatake would work. You’ll have a panoramic view of the Hotaka and Yari ranges on one side and the Yatsugatake and Central alps ranges on the other. Distance and elevation gain will be similar, just without the technical aspects.