武能岳

テン泊を予定してたけど20日(土)の天気が何だかビミョ～😰 日帰り縦走となりました😁 年内チャンスがあればもう一回雪上テン泊したいなぁ🎶

今年最後の連休に晴れが並んだ☀️ 12月に入れば二日目連続で晴れる事は滅多に無い…☃️☃️ ならばテント担いで行くしか無いでしょ～🎶🎶

Wanting to catch the last of fall colours I went to Shigekura and Buno dake that are part of the Tanigawa horseshoe loop. But instead of starting from Tanigawa I used Shigekura shindo starting from a large parking lot near Tsuchidaru station/PA. A normal start followed by a relentless uphill climb took me to Yaba no atama with periodic views of kouyo towards Yuzawa. Once at Yaba no atama it opened up a bit and I could see the Mantaro on the Tanigawa ridge on my right. Clouds were rising from below and I started wondering whether the weather would play spoilsport today. But the ridge heading up to Shigekura was looking beautiful with one side filled with rising clouds and other side showing green , autumn and recent snow beautiful. It took another 80 minutes to reach the shelter just below the peak of Shigekura. A nice clean wooden hut was a good spot to fire up stove and have a cup of noodles to warm the body. Body started getting cold from a leisurely rest of more then 30 minutes in the hut but it here was a welcome change when we came out. Weather had suddenly cleared up and we could see blue sky and peaks visible all around. Almost ran to the Shigekura not to miss the views all the way upto snowy peaks of Kita alps southwards and Makihata and Echigo Komagatake on the north. There was a little wind but stayed long enough to enjoy the views before descending on the ridge towards Bunodake. Lot of snow on trail but it wasn’t frozen and hard so could descend without the use of chain spikes or crampons. While descending the majestic Bunodake was looking clean and massive bereft of any snow. Once on the shoulder one could see the sasa and beautiful trail passing through Yomogi Hutte towards Shimizu togei on your right but would have to climb Bunodake before one could walk through it. A quick stop for a few pictures started the descent and reached Yomogi Hutte in less than 25 minutes. Trail now descends rapidly with a few switchbacks to the water point of Yomogi Hutte. (Flow was better than the summer visit here ) soon after there was a stream crossing and water looked potable. Descend was relentless in a different kind of forest with numerous water crossings with some you can not pass without wetting your shoes. In the lower level the kouyou looked more beautiful with sun shining above. The trail later follows a river before climbing a little again to drop you at Yomogi Shindo with use of a few steel ladders. A day well spent where I can see nearly four seasons in a day hike. Onsen ぐんま百名山47,48