Discard my climbing pants

My climbing pants for summer season was split during I climbed Mt. Johnen-dake. As it was happened at hip position, I could't know it until my son found and told me.
I used it by fixing some points and continued to use it. But, I decided to discard it.
I used it about 9 years. I bought it before I climbed Mt. Yari-gatake which was my first climbing in North Alps. I climbed many mountains with the pants.

So long ! North Alps

I could see beautiful blue sky and Mt. Yake-dake. It was "So long" to North Alps for a while.
100 famous mountains in Japan which I'd never climbed in North Alps was Mt. Shirouma, Kurobegoro, Kasaga-dake and Norikura. I have to climb all of them someday. I'll come back to North Alps.

Buy and eat junk food

During we waited for the time when the bus would start, he bought a junk food at the shop of gift present.
In the journey I paid money for everything which he wanted to buy and eat. I treated him like customer. Because I'm happy because his hobby is climbing like me. I may cosset him too much.

Famous Kappa bridge

Kappa bridge was famous as a spot of sightseeing in Kamikouchi. So, there were many sightseers who wore beautiful cloths.
They watched Mt. Hotaka-dake and other beautiful mountain on the bridge. It must be good when they compare with landscape in the city.
But, the landscape was not so great for us who watched them from over 2,500 m. They would never be able to see Mt. Hotaka from Mt. Jonen-dake.
We left there without staying on the bridge.

Landscape from Kamikouchi

We could see Mt. Hotaka-dake and river Azusa in front of our tent. And the ambient temperature was low. It was like a heaven for me.
I wanted to stay there for some days. But, I had to leave there after we ate breakfast. I had to work in Hiroshima at the next day.

Zelt was clashed

During I walked in North Alps, my stick was broken. It could't be keep the length because the holding system was slipped. I used the stick for more than 10 years. And, it was cheap one. So, it was natural event. My stick was not used only for walk. It was used as a pole of zelt. So, the trouble was difficult.
I affixed tape at the holding system, and I construct zelt by it.
During I swept in zelt, the wall touch me. Because, the pole had been short during I swept, and tension of ropes were lax. But, I could sleep until the morning. I changed to tough more than I imagined during I continued to climb about 10 years.

After climbing

After we reached to camp site, we assembled tent and zelt. My son started to play with laugh. As the climbing had finished, he could leave from feeling nervous. I was so,too.
The climbing was tired, because I had to be care about him. Climbing with child was a hard job.
All I had to was eating dinner and sleep in Zelt at the night. I like such a time. I always be in full satisfaction at such timing.

Father of Japan Alps

Walter Weston was a English missionary who found Japanese good mountains and named Japan Alps.
We can enjoy climbing in Alps because of his service.

Prayed for finish of climbing

There was a small shrine between Mt. Yake-dake and Kamikouchi. We prayed and thanked about our safe of climbing.

Walk down in the mist

We walked down in the mist. The big rock in front of my son was melted rock. It was a great landscape.
Later, we reached to the entrance of climbing road. Our summer climbing had be finished.

Top of Mt. Yake-dake

At the top, only a climber was there. He photoed us and left there later. So, all of people who stayed there were my son and I only. I like lonely summit.
Mt. Yake-dake is one of hundred famous mountains in Japan. It was my 21th one.
By the mist, there were no landscape. But, we could enjoy climbing.
After we had a rest for a while, we left there.

Near the summit

Near the summit, the landscape always change. It changed be bright, and the sky change to be wide. I always feel wonder at the time.
My son always want to walk in front of me at the time.

Landscape of volcano

Every volcano where I'd gone had such a landscape. There were little plants and sharp rocks and white steam.
I like such a landscape. It was similar with Mt. Kujyu where I'd climbed with my son about 4 years ago.

Lodge Yake-dake

At near the summit of Mt. Yake-dake, there was a small lodge. It was most small which I'd seen. How many climbers can stay there ?
On the wall of the lodge, many helmet were hung, because it was volcano. I understood that my judgement which we take helmet was correct.

Long stairs

I met many foreigners in Mt. yake-dake. One of them who were French couple were retired in front of the long stairs, because the lady afraid it. I'd been sorry for them. But, I could't help them. We through them and continued to climb.
My son climbed easily at such a narrow and high stairs.

Green and wet road

As the typhoon had through there, trees and surface of road was wet. we walk in beautiful green.

Entrance of Mt. Yake-dake

After we left lodge Kamonji, we walked to Kamikouchi and assembled tent. And, we left our heavy backpack and walked to the entrance of climbing road of Mt. Yake-dake.
Mt. Yake-dake was near Kamikouchi. So, it must be easy to climb and back to tent.

Left the nice lodge

After we ate breakfast, we left there.
The lodge was very very good. I wanted to go there again someday.
When we left there, it stopped rain. The wind was a little. So, there was no problem to clime Mt. Yake-dake.

Grilled river fish

Main dish was grilled fish Iwana. It was burned beside fire in front of us. Lodge's crew said that we should eat it from head. So, I ate so. It was very soft and delicious. It was my best river fish which I'd eaten then.

Lodge Kamonji

I decided to stay in lodge, because the Typhoon had come. It was too dangerous to walk 3,000 m ridge line under hard rain and wind.
Basically I don't stay in lodge, because I hate to stay with many other people. But, lodge Kamonji was special. I'd heard that the lodge was traditional style from Meiji period. It was rebuild from hunter's old home. I heard about the lodge and I yearned for it for a long while.
It was better than that which I'd imagined. Old building, kitchen and furniture etc. made me happy. We stayed beside the fire for a long while. Watching fire was very comfortable.
It must be good experience for my son and for me.

Lodge Tokusawa

There was a beautiful lodge before we reached to Kamikouchi. It was lodge Tokusawaen. My son said he wanted to eat something there. He must be bored with dry foods. He wanted to eat handy cooked foods. So, we entered the lodge and ate carry.
As it was near bus station, many tourists were there. We felt strangeness to them. But, the carry was delicious.
It was like a holiday for climber. I don't waste money at such place when I climb alone. The climbing was like playing host to my son.

Abandon Mt. Yari

I decided to abandon to climb Mt. Yari-gatake, because typhoon was coming and it already be raining. My son understood it smoothly.
As Yokoo was inside of web area, I checked a lodge which I wanted to stay and call to reserve. The lodge was near Kamikouchi. We started to walk to Kamikouchi in the rain.

Zelt in the rain

By the web news, typhoon would come near us in the next evening. So, I'd considered whether we should go to climb Mt. Yari or not. My son's main object of the climbing was climbing Mt. Yari-gatake. But, I can't select the dangerous way.
As I could't decide at the time, I stopped considered it at the time. I thought I should decide it at the tomorrow.
It will be rain and hard wind. So, I selected the ground which higher than other and near the tree.
It started rain in the morning. As I'd simulated and trained zelt for rain in Hiroshima's mountain, there was no trouble about it.

Lodge Yokoo

After a long down slope, we reached to Yokoo. At first, we planed to go to Yari-sawa through Yokoo. But, we decided to stay in Yokoo at the night, because we wasted power and the typhoon was coming.
I'd stayed in Yokoo about 8 years ago with my friend. I forgot many of Yokoo. But, I had some memories of Yokoo.
In Yokoo, we ate ice cream and can connect to the web by smart phone. Yokoo was useful town for us who returned from deep mountain's ridge line.

Tired at hard down slope

He had tired by long down slope and heavy backpack. It was first experience for him.
It must be good study for his climbing life.
By the way, sleeping under the shadow of tree was very comfortable in Alps.

Walk under the great landscape

We reached the end of ridge line. We would walk into forest which was there in front of us.
As a result, it was last chance of watching Mt. Yari-gatake in the climbing. Typhoon was coming to near of the area.
Mt. Hodaka-dake and Mt. Yari-gatake stood in front of us like a big wall.

Peak of Mt. Choyari

Mt. Cho-yari was a sharp peak which like spear. Yari is a Japanese which means spear.
After we downed long hard down slope of Mt. Johnen, we reached there. It was a hard walking. My son enjoyed walking. But, he looked be tired.

Mt. Choyari

We could see sharp peak over there. It was Mt. cho-yari. we already tired because of long down slope of Mt. Johonen. It was hard climbing.

What a beautiful ridge line that is !!!

I often watched very beautiful ridge line between Mt. Yari-gadake and Mt. Hodaka-dake. It must be one of most beautiful, famous and popular ridge line in Japan. North Alps was great !

Mt. Johnen was big

When I turned back, I could see big Mt. Johnen-dake. It was very beautiful when I watched it from this side.
White road was clear on the ridge line. It was hard down slope. As my son don't good at walking on down slope, very long time was wasted. But, it was interesting walking because of beautiful landscape around us.

Walk in great landscape

My son walked on rock road with big backpack. When I see him at such situation, I think he have grown up.
Large mountains in front of him was Mt. Hodaka-dake. It is one of the most famous mountain for Japanese climbers. It was beautiful and looked harsh. I'd climbed it about 6 years ago. It was most difficult and hard climbing for my life.

South Alps and Mt. Fuji

We had to walk the long ridge line in the day. But, the beautiful landscape made us comfortable.
We could see South Alps and Mt. Fuji. I could see Mt. Fuji from in the mountain in three continuous years.
Mt. Fuji is our Japanese symbol. It have some power to make us comfortable.

Top of Mt. Johnen

When we reached top of Mt. Johonen-dake, only one climber was there. He photoed us and talked with me for a while.
At the top, simple board which be written the name of mountain. And a small shrine was there. The combination was like Mt. Yari-gatake.
Later, noisy old guys reached there. So, we left there and walked in order to reach Mt. Cho-gatake.

Near the summit of Mt. Johnen

Summit was near us. We could see some other climbers were staying. I like the time when I was near the summit.
My son's green backpack was in front of me. We could't reached there before sunrise.

Morgenrot

We could see beautiful morgenrot. Morgenrot is a German which means that colored mountain by sunrise.
I often stop my legs and watched it for a while. But, my son waited such me. He like to walk fast at rising slope. Did he feel nothing in front of such landscape ?

Climb on hard slope

Road from lodge to Mt. Johnen was very hard slope. We could see the lodge's roof under our foots.
A guy who wear yellow jacket was my son. He always walk in front of me. During he changed his wear, I passed him and walked in front of him.

Start to walk before sunrise

We woke up at 2:00AM. We ate breakfast and packed tent etc. to backpack and started to climb at 4:00AM. Later, eastern sky changed the color from blue to orange. It was the most my favorite time for climbing. The colors changed every moment.

First stay in zelt

Staying in zelt all night was my first experience. I afraid rains and hard winds until I reached to the campsite.
I trained it many times in mountains near my home for the night.
As a result, I stayed there comfortable and could sleep well until my son call me in the morning.

Beautiful sunset before typhoon

We could see beautiful sunset in front of our tents. It must be one of best sunset in my life.
We thought we would stand on the top of the sharp summit in the day after tomorrow. But, the typhoon was neared to Japan on Pacific ocean. We knew it by news on TV in the lodge.

Pasta

First dinner was penne (a kind of pasta) with meet sauce, miso soup and carry etc. It was dry food. But, every foods in the mountain was delicious.
I brought dust which include foods. The hard smell of meat sauce afflict me every night in the tent.

Mt. Jonen beside the camp site

I could see Johonen's north side from our camp site.
Until I went there, I had no image of the mountain's style. But, I thought that Mt. Johnen-dake was very beautiful mountain. Ant, it was very big mountain. It stood there front side of blue sky.

Udon in the lodge

In this climbing, I decided to eat foods in lodge sometimes for my son. I wanted to show my son many things such as lodge's foods, camping foods and behavioral diets etc. Because, every thing in deep mountains must be first experience for him.
Off course,  the Udon in lodge Johonen was very delicious.

Mt. Yari appeared in front of my son

When we reached the mountain pass, Mt. Yari-gatake appeared in front of us. My son who always don't show his feeling said it's great. I felt so, too.
I watched such a landscaped almost every year. But, I can be moved by such landscape every time.
We stand in front of such mountains for a long while.

Over 2,000 m

The road to Mt. Jyonen-dake was very beautiful. We crossed over the level line of 2000m. It was my son's first experience.
There is no 2000m mountain in west Japan. So, Everyone in west Japan who stand on ground was lower than us at the time.

God of mountain

After we walked for some minutes from entrance of climbing road, we reached shrine which had the name "Yama no Kami". It means that the god of mountain. So, we prayed it and hoped our safety climbing. As a result, we could finished climbing without any troubles.

Transported by taxi to climbing road

After we left the hotel in Matsumoto, we transported to Toyoshina station by JR and we rode taxi and went to entrance of climbing road of Mt. Johnen-dake.
Taxi driver teach us the mountain in front of us was Mt. Johnen-dake. It was more sharp mountain than I imagined before. It was pyramidal style. It was very beautiful. Our voltage which wanted to climb was grew up.

Castle Matsumoto

Before we climb in North Alps, we stayed in the city Matsumoto. During we stayed in Matsumoto, we went to see famous castle Matsumoto and eat in Chinese restaurant.
It may be the last trip which I do with my son. He will leave us soon, because he is a guy.

Fix backpack

The holder which made from plastic was broken. So, I changed to another one. As the climbing was soon, I used old backpack's one. So, the color was different. But, it maybe a good accent.