Tsubakurodake – Gate

Wednesday, December 30, 2009Nagano

燕岳

Cover photo: Tsubakurodake – Gate — Fuji appears at dawn
View 9 photos

Distance: 18.6km
Ascent: 53m; 2,068 m of descent
Walking time: 4 h 44; 7 h 56 with breaks
High point: 783m; low point 736 m
Season: Winter; December 2009

Heading down after dawn

In the morning, Fuji appears in the distance, under a sky banded pink and purple. The light also reaches the snowy rocks of Tsubakuro. For this last stage, the route goes back down to Nakabusa-Onsen, then rejoins the road and its gate.

The way back goes by Gassen-Goya, then Nakabusa-Onsen. From the hot springs, it follows the first day’s approach road along the valley floor, as far as the gate.

The three days of our hike are also available in Google Earth (KMZ) format.

Map and profile

Download the GPX track How to read this map Hover over the profile to follow the track on the map. The thumbnails show where each photo was taken; click one to enlarge it.

Photos 9

Fuji at sunrise, above the sea of clouds, from Enzansō.

The sun rises over the snowy ridge, Fuji in the distance, near Enzansō.

A summit turned pink by the dawn light — The summit of Tsubakurodake (燕岳), 2,763 m, turned pink by the dawn light, seen from Enzansō.

Panorama: the snowy ridge in the early morning — Panorama: the snowy ridge and Tsubakurodake in the early morning, from Enzansō.

Going down the snowy ridge — Going down the snowy Kassen-one (合戦尾根), at about 2,560 m.

Dawn panorama: pink and purple sky above the mountains and a distant cone — Panorama just before sunrise from Enzansō: the sky lights up above the ranges, Fuji in the distance.

Hikers in silhouette in front of the hut at sunrise — Sunrise in front of Enzansō (燕山荘), hikers on the snowy terrace, at about 2,710 m.

Snowy ridge with trees gilded by the low morning light — The low light gilds the snowy ridge and the wind-blown snow, near Enzansō.

Ridge turned pink by the rising sun, in front of a high snowy range — The ridge turns pink in the rising sun, in front of the snowy range; on the right, the spire of Yarigatake.