Mount Zao

Saturday, July 25, 2009Yamagata百名山蔵王連峰

蔵王山

Cover photo: Mount Zao — The green crater lake
View 6 photos

Distance: 10.7km
Ascent: 247m; 901 m of descent
Walking time: 2 h 40; 5 h 38 with breaks
High point: 1,841m; low point 961 m
Season: Summer; July 2009

The green water of Okama

In summer, Zaō shows a very different landscape from its snowy forests: an open crater, slopes of bare rock and Lake Okama. Its green water fills the bottom of the bowl, under clouds that touch the surrounding heights.

Stone-paved trail climbing into the fog — The paved trail climbs toward Kumano-dake in the clouds, at about 1,750 m.

Before you return

Today’s trail conditions and recent trip reports:

蔵王連峰YAMAP YamaReco

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 6

Green water of the lake at the bottom of the crater, close-up — The green water of Okama (御釜) at the bottom of the crater, below the streaked walls, at about 1,790 m.

The crater and its lake seen from another side — Okama and its crater seen from the west, at about 1,790 m, above the grass.

Hiker seen from behind on a boardwalk between bushes — Heading back on the boardwalks, among the dwarf pines, at about 1,710 m, below Jizō-dake.

Valleys and ridges under a cloudy sky at the end of the day — At the end of the day, at about 1,710 m, the light breaks through the clouds above the valleys.

Small moss-covered stone shrine — A small moss-covered stone shrine beside the path, at about 1,570 m.

Stone statue among the bamboo — A stone statue among the dwarf bamboo, at about 1,440 m.