Because of the apocalypse, which caused us to go volunteering, we haven't had our proper share of mountains this year. A holiday weekend lay between Lauren and Ruza's visit and out next trip. Unfortunately everyone else also decided to head for the hills and the huts were full. So we headed out on Monday, returning on Wednesday - time off we have no time for due to having to prepare stuff for our upcoming voyage.
The usual view from the kappabashibashi at Kamikochi. Only clearer and bluer than usual.
The lower hut 2 hours from Kamikochi was still full so was walked another hour and a half in pleasant evening light up the very pretty river to the next hut (Yarisawa hut - a first visit for us).
The next morning, we skipped up Yarigatake, but here is someone struggling to make it look tough.
If you are a keen photographer you have to visit this special pond (Tengu Ike) which God has arranged to reflect the peak. At least I think man doesn't "maintain" it. The autumn colours are rubbish this year due to the massive typhoon a few weeks ago that has burned the leaves over a large area of the country. Naturally the best shot was by James on his LX3. He is so good at getting things straight. Don't know why I bothered carrying my 2kg of camera... 
The ptarmigan are changing colour - from brown to white from the feet up. I think this is the first time I have seen one showing any of its winter uniform. This is probably why I carried my 2kg of camera.
From the hut on the top of Yarigatake in the evening, we could see out to Jounendake (that we climbed last year), and also one of the huts a few hundred metres down from the peak.
--
Posted By Blogger to
jules' pics at 10/18/2011 05:05:00 PM
6 comments:
Snow this time of year? Leftover or due to the typhoon?
No snow in those pics - just sun-bleached stones. Though there are a few patches up around 3000m that last through the summer, and there have already been the first small snowfalls this autumn.
The Ptarmigan looks the same as the ones in the Cairngorms.
Yes, they are basically the same thing, and I enjoy telling Japanese people how delicious they look, and that Scots eat them (not that I've had the chance). Over here they are treasured as protected species.
I'm a bit late coming back again, but I've never heard of anyone eating Ptarmigan. They've been in danger for so long that I'm not sure when they were last shot.
(Mind you I am only mid 30's Edinburgh born and bred, so not entirely in touch with the eating of game birds)
I actually checked on wikipedia while posting - it seems that in theory they are indeed huntable, but in practice this event is fairly rare, limited to times that they are considered overly abundant. And I would guess it is not a money-spinner in the way that grouse and deer are - your average shooter would probably have a heart attack getting up to where the birds live...but it's fun to have the rare opportunity for "revenge" on the Japanese who eat all sorts of thing that I don't regard as food :-)
Post a Comment