Hiuchi-yama

  • Hiuchi-yama
  • 2462 m
  • Primary factor 1637 m
  • Japan
  • Location: North 36.92271, East 138.06810 (GPS at the summit)
  • Difficulty: YDS class 1
  • Climbed June 29. 2015.

Information:


How to get there:
Locate toll road 18, running south to north and passing just east of Nagano. This road hits the coast at a place called Joetsu. Exit at Myokokogen, this is north-west of lake Nojiri. From the snall town, find Rd. 39 serving Myokosuginohara ski area as well as the park beyond (higher up). Drive this narrow and somewhat winding road. The trailhead is off to your right at location N36.86872, E138.07863, elevation about 1330 meter. There is good parking, general information and a very clear trailhead.
Here is a quick reference and summary of climbs in the summer of 2015.
Route description:
This trail is very well maintained for the most part. There are long sections of board-walk. After crossing a main river on a nice bridge, the trail gets steeper as it climbs onto a ridge, then enters a larger, more gentle slope among big trees. Next, you arrive at a trail-fork where the route continues uphill, that is, take the left branch.
Soon, you cross the local ridgeline, the trail turns a bit right and descends slightly while maintaining elevation to connect with higher ground further ahead. After this side-hill section, the route enters rather flat terrain and then runs by a pretty lage mountain hut. There is board-walk here that will descend to and cross a pretty lare meadow. From here, the route is pretty obvious, first ascend to the ridge, then follow this ridge. The rest of the route should be fairly obvious.

Comments:
We left the parking at 0820. We passed the hut around 1050 and arrived at the summit one hour later, at 1150. Thus 3:30 for the ascent. We spent a full hour at the summit, then walked back down to the car in roughly 2:30. All in all, quite a nice hike.

Resources: