July 12, 2009

Mt. Ioudake, Yatsugatake, Nagano (July 10th)


Rhododendron brachycarpum (Hakusan Shakunage) at the gate of Sakura-daira.

Today's course: JR Musashisakai Sta. (4:43) - Chuo Line - JR Chino Sta. (7:45) - by taxi (7600 yen?) - Sakura-daira (8:40) - Natsuzawa Kousen - Ooren Hut (オーレン小屋, 10:50) - the trail up to Akaiwa-no-kashira (赤岩ノ頭) - Mt. Ioudake (硫黄岳, 13:00) - lunch in a small shelter up there - Ioudake Sansou Hut (硫黄岳山荘, 14:00).



When we started, it started to rain hard.


Linnaea borealis (Rin'ne-sou) on the way to Ooren Hut.
It started raining pretty hard, so I managed to take pictures under my umbrella.


Pteridophyllum racemosum (Osaba-gusa).
The leaves looks like a fern, but it is definitely not a fern.
There were lots of them blooming on the way to Ooren Hut.


Platanthera mandarinorum (Yamasagi-sou).
A kind of orchid.


Geranium eriostemon var. reinii f. onoei (Takane Gun'nai Fuuro) at Ooren Hut.


At the entrance of the trail from Ooren Hut to Mt. Ioudake via Akaishi-no-kashira.
We had planed to take the other trail to Mt. Ioudake, but when we stopped by the hut, the guy recommended this trail, because this one is in the forests, so the trees can block the rain and wind. According to them, it was really windy on the ridge that day... We had no idea about how strong the wind would be up on the ridge...at that time...

★Flowers on the way to the ridge!

Viola biflora (Kibana-no-komanotume).
When we got close to the ridge, there were lots of this violet blooming.


Fritillaria camschatcensis (Chocolate Lily, Kuro yuri).
We found quite a few of them before get to the ridge.


Viola biflora (Kibana-no-komanotume).


Schizocodon soldanelloides f. alpinus (Ko Iwa Kagami).


Fritillaria camschatcensis (Chocolate Lily, Kuro yuri).


Fritillaria camschatcensis (Chocolate Lily, Kuro yuri).


Fritillaria camschatcensis (Chocolate Lily, Kuro yuri).
This one has pretty dark color flower.


Anemone debilis (Hime Ichige).
The season for this flower must have been finishing... I found only one flowering plant.


Vaccinium vitis-idaea var. vitis-idaea (Tsuru-koke-momo).


We arrived at the ridge to Mt. Ioudake!
I can't show the wind, but it was really terrible!

★Flowers on the ridge to Mt. Ioudake!

Phyllodoce nipponica (Tsuga-zakura).
Because of the strong wind, it was really difficult to take pictures.


Cassiope lycopodioides (Iwa-hige).


Diapensia lapponica var. obovata (Iwa-ume).


Loiseleuria procumbens (Mine-zuou).


Pedicularis apodochila (Miyama Shiogama).


On the ridge, there were lots of flowers, but we could barely get to the top of Mt. Ioudake in the terrible wind and mist... When we headed to the hut near the top of the mountain after lunch, it even started raining with that strong wind! The rain drops hit on our faces and it really hurt!


Lagotis glauca (Uruppu-sou) near the hut.


The supper at the hut.
I tasted pretty good and satisfying!
They said that they made Miso by themselves.

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