I usually prefer Mt. Hiru in Tanzawa, located in northside of the area, however, since my left arm is not completely recovered yet, I decided to climb more popular and well-managed mountain than rusty Mt. Hiru, so that the risk of tripping over in the route is relatively less, presumably.
The Ohkura route has steep stairs literary forever to the top of Toh no dake. The route is called Baka-O-Ne (A ridge with simple stupid stairs) Since this route is quite well-known, route is well administrated and have huts and bathrooms.
We left home around 4:45 am, and reached to the 24 hour parking lot nearby the entry point of the hiking trail in Okura around 6:15 am. The paking fee is 800 yen for a day. The parking lot machine only accept 1000 yen bill and coins.
It was cloudy in that day, but no rains. The Ohkura bus stop has bathroom and the post you can submit your climers registration. Please submit it here, if you have not done so beforehand.
At the bus stop, waiting for us using bathroom in turn. |
From the front yard of the abondoned hut, we could see Sagami bay. |
Right after Miharashi Chaya, the course changed to have series of brutal steep stairs.
Miharashi hut |
Hanadate hut; Closed. Bathroom was in operation. |
At the top of the Toh no dake, icy gust of wind welcomed us! It was foggy, no view of other Tanzawa mountains, and forget about Mt. Fuji view! I managed to change my upper clothings in the bathroom at the Sonbutu hut. The usage of the bathroom is asked for 100 yen. Since we did not have changes, I bought a memorambia pin for 500 yen, and gave the rest of the change to the bathroom for my small donation.
One of the party of 2 ladies at the top talked to us and the conversation was memorable. They looked like a mother and daughter, seemed to love dog. The mother figure said "Did you carry your dog up to here?" I replied. "No, she... wait, what is the question?" They said they have just lost their 14 year old doggie. I imagined that doggie would have been a happy toy breed.
We decided to use Komaru route, rather than going back the exactly same Ohkura route, which is getting busy in the middle of the day. Komaru route is a bit quieter, but does not have get served by huts along side of the route, meaning no bathrooms. We enjoyed the quiet deep autmn mountain though. The end of the route is prefectual park without any hard-to-walk rocks on the ground nor knee hurting slopes.
Quiet Komaru route |