Kitayatsugatake Gotsuji 12/30 in 2007

Rope way station(10:30) - "Kita-yokodake trekking way "Withdrawal!" - Rope way station (12:10-13:00 ) - Gotsuzi (13:20-14:20) - Rope way Station(15:10)

I decided to go travelling with my son to make him play in the snow field with a sled and a shovel. I looked for an appropriate place around "Shirakaba-lake". In this year, It looked the snow was still lacking. The weather was so fine that I judged to be able to trek to "Kita Yatsugatake" by "Piratasu rope way" in order to seek fresh snow.

10:50　Rope way station.
When we went out from the summit station within numerous skier, The other world appeared a front of us. The guide in the rope way said "The trees have already covered with snow In a few days. Usually we cannot see such a tree in December. That is what is "We are so lucky !"






Today's new item is snow shovel which made by BlackDiamond. But we don't make up snow man by such a powder snow. Besides I left the sled at the base due to prohibiting to bring it into the rope way. My son weared underwear,flees,underware of flees and montbell rain wear. Plus winter outer in the my backpack. Neck warmer is must. Goggle are not used after all. And a pair of grabs and its spare, The foot in essential was snow shoes and plain 4 point crampon.






11:00　On the way to Kitayokodake
The trace to the Kitayokodake was already very clarified. It's likely that the adult party could walk on time of the guide map. There is a lodge on the way which make the risk lower. "Well, for now Let's try to go "






My Child so froric that he was not willing to proceed. Because he dig the snow by shovel and he looked very interested in rocks and trees which are covered with snow. The other hand he feared to walk the slight snow slope.　"I cannot expect him yet..." I give up in only 15 minutes since we started. We were back to the rope way station with hanging around on our way for 1hours.






13:00 restarting at the rope way station
In spite of -10 degrees celsius, It's was comfortable. The whether was fine and windless. After eating the light meal at the cafe in the station,we retried to walk toward "Gotsuzi" where is a good view point.

Kitayatsugatake famous snow forest can get my son's favorable reception."The trees is very beautiful" he said. There is a evident snow-shoe trace on the hiking way. I tried to walk with confident that " I need not any kinds of snow-shoes on such a easy way.". But I drop to the way under my feet many times. My son, whose weight is still light that is approximately 19kg, walk smoothly on the traced snow way. My knees were buried and I stucked into the snow. I called him " Woo----i , Don't leave me". As soon as he hear me, He dashed to the farther with sunshine smiling. "Why do you have such a twisting in your nature ? (- -# )"






It is called "Shima-gare" that means "Stripe-death". We can see the tree like this anywhere.






The bridge was covered with snow. Once he find this, I cannot go ahead because he cannot help dropping all.






13:40　Gotsuzi
We arrived at "Gotsuzi" for 40minites. It's a good pace for my frolicing son. We overlooked South Yatsugatake and Japan Alps beyond the field of snow.










While I photographed somewhere,My son took some nutritions and romp around there. When both of us we tried to race on the snow field, While I was buried around my thigh by each step, He was around ankle and run smoothly. I had been really defeated.^^;)











After a breaking,We went back on the way we came, He played dropping the snow that covering trees. He exclaimed with joy when I shaked the tree to have the snow fall down.






There is an observatory. We had so fine view from there that we could see Hotaka mountain range well afternoon.










Children may know the happiness to trace on the fresh snow more than adult.
( By the way , If I walk here, My knee is buried. )





15:10 Rope was station
After a short break, I go down by the rope way. I had stayed for a longer time because of better condition than I expect. We had to cancel the plan of playing sled and going sight-seeing.






It's a short hiking about one and half hour by his walk. We are lucky to be under a good condition. My son seemed to be happy. But I slightly felt I accompanied with him for my self-satisfaction. While I saw him sleeping on the way to the accommodation in the car, I thought "tomorrow we are going to the place where many children play.

Even though I had thought,I would brought him to the summit of the "Kurumayama" next day.

Fin.