Hi guys, I’m planning for a hiking trip in Japan, Nagano. Need some advice for the trip
I plan to hike 3 mountains :
1. Mt. Karamatsu (Day trip hike, via cable car from Happo-one ski resort)
2. Mt. Oku Hotaka Dake, Kamikochi (Matsumoto village) (plan to spend 1 night at the mountain lodge near the summit, opens at 27 april)
Route : go up via Dakesawa, spend a night on the lodge, and go down via Karasawa
3. Mt. Shirouma (Hakuba village)
Option 1 = Day trip : via Tsugaike cable car, I’ve seen someone on YT did the day trip hike during summer
Option 2 = Spend 1 night at the mountain lodge, opens at 29 April
I did email the lodge for reservation (was hoping they accept customers before their official business period, which they don’t). They said its still snowing on April and told us to comeback in the middle of July – September , but then why bother opening the lodge on April if no one are climbing?
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So my main question
1. Is it possible to hike in Nagano alpines at the end of april? particularly 3 mountains I mentioned above
2. Any other suggestions for hiking spots in Nagano? preferably day trip if there’s no mountain lodge
Thanks peeps
4 comments
Virtually anything over 2,000 metres (aside from Murodo area) in Japanese Alps does not open until June at the earliest.
Karamatsu-dake hut is open exclusively for Golden Week, because access is kind of doable, but a proper winter hiking with some winter climbing is generally recommended.
Note that those mountains are extremely dangerous in spring, because of avalanche / rockfall danger out of season. If anything happens over the access points – no rescue efforts will be mounted per Japan’s policy.
And as a serious note – experienced people die in those mountains every year.
They’re doable with proper experience and gear. All will have snow and require crampons and ice axe. A few years back I did an easy trek up to Karasawa Curl (just below the Oku Hotaka summit) during Golden Week and had plans to summit, but the conditions up above were terrible. I remember there was at least one death up there that day.
If you are looking for 3000m mountains in April I hope you have at least some avalanche training. Something like Norikura may be more your style if you’re looking for a bit less of a challenge.
Edit: Always have climbing insurance in Japan.
Your post makes it sound like you shouldn’t be in the mountains end of April.
Lots of people die every year during golden week because they climb without experience or because they underestimated the snow.
Edit; look into Kyushu hikes or lower elevation like Kumano Kodo etc
As others have pointed out, you do need experience with ice axe and crampons. Kirigamine and Yatsugatake are safer options for beginners.