Last weekend, Outdoor Gearzine held its monthly offline event, "Let's Climb a Snowy Mountain in Spring"! This time, we'd like to report on it
To Mt. Tateshina, which quickly returned to winter mountain conditions
Just recently in Tokyo, the season has progressed to the point where we have recorded "summer days," and the cherry blossoms were about to be in full bloom, but the predicted maximum temperature at the summit on the day of the event, March 30th, was a staggering -5°C, bringing us right back to winter
There had been a little snowfall the day before, and our plan had been to enjoy the remaining spring snow while staying warm in just a shirt, but luckily the weather suddenly started to look like it would be possible to enjoy the fresh snow on the mountains
Of the six people in our party, including myself and the people who registered for this event, about half of us were climbing a snowy mountain for the first time wearing crampons. However, the rest of us were not used to it either, so we decided to climb Mount Tateshina in the Northern Yatsugatake Mountains, which (based on the weather conditions on the day) seemed like a good level for a first snowy mountain
We arrived at the trailhead of Mt. Tateshina as planned and finally started our first snowy mountain climb. The weather was improving and we could see blue skies
The temperature was low as expected and the road was hard. The snow from the previous day had covered the trail up to my ankles, so I decided to put on crampons from the trailhead. It was my first time putting on crampons and I was a bit hesitant, but it was still fun using new equipment
The mountainside up to just below the peak is covered with larch and Japanese white fir. The fresh snow that fell the day before, the coniferous forest, and the blue sky combined to create a fantastical scene that looked like a scene from a fairy tale
With the beautiful weather and the beautiful scenery, everyone was in high spirits from start to finish. Even without that, it was hard to believe that we had just met and walked together for the first time, as everyone was talking nonstop from the very start
As you walk through the Tateshina forest, enjoying the slow transition from winter to spring, the slope gradually becomes steeper, giving you a real experience of walking on snowy mountains with crampons
The climb is tough, but when you're surrounded by the picturesque frost that is unique to the Northern Yatsugatake Mountains, you forget all about your fatigue
Once we finally emerged from the forest, we were faced with the final difficult section just below the peak, where large lava boulders lay scattered across the vast sky. Struggling to make our way through the mixed area of rock and snow, we took each step carefully, trying not to lose our balance
Once we got above the tree line, the wind got stronger and we were suddenly transported to the world of winter mountains. We had no choice but to put on balaclavas and hard shells
My hands hurt from the cold as I hold the camera
And finally we reached the summit!
Although there were some clouds on this day, it was mostly sunny. There was a 360-degree view from the summit, and luckily we could see the Yatsugatake mountain clearly all the way to the back
I thought it would be impossible to take a rest at the top because of the strong wind, but fortunately I found a large space where I could relax and avoid the wind
And then it was time for the much-anticipated Snow Mountain Cup Noodles!
Relaxing at the peak of this season is quite a luxury
After enjoying the peak for a while, we reluctantly headed back down the mountain. We were careful on the way down, but our pleasant conversation continued the whole time
We made it down the mountain safely. Thank you to everyone for your hard work
We were blessed with great mountain choice, good weather, and wonderful team members, and it was fun from start to finish
Well done and thank you to everyone who participated!
This mountain trip was attended not only by Outdoor Gearzine readers, but also by a fair number of non-readers, and what we learned was that there are a lot of people who want to climb a snowy mountain but find it difficult to take the first step on their own
In that sense, this event seemed to allow these snow mountain refugees to experience the wonders and difficulties of the mountain, as well as many other elements, so I am glad that it was held
After all, an event where "experienced people can support you in things you can't do alone" might be a good idea. I'll use this as reference for the future, and since the snow mountain event was well received, I'd like to do it again next year
Please look forward to the next event!
Finally, we are only able to hold an event like this thanks to the support of our readers and members
If you would like to participate in an event like this someday, we would be happy if you would join Outdoor Gearzine as a member
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