Author: vc-dev

Even though I’m an experienced climber, I had heretofore given up on taking the trail from the Numanohara junction to Mt. Ishikari via the Sasa kurilensis corridor because the corridor had grown into a jungle. However, the plants have been cut back nicely and the “jungle” is now gone.
Photo: The Numanohara junction Aug. 14

On the Mt. Aka course, the Gentiana algida f. igarashii and Bryanthus gmelinii are blooming in a few places near the peak; however, almost no other conspicuous flowers are seen. At Daiyon Sekkei, Sieversia pentapetala, Phyllodoce aleutica, Arnica unalaschcensis var. unalaschcensis, Veronica stelleri var. longistyla, and Gentiana nipponica can be seen, although it must be said that the flowering season has nearly ended along most of the course.
The only snowy gorge on the Mt. Aka course trail is a roughly 40-meter area that remains at Daini Kaen.
Photo: Primula cuneifolia var. cuneifolia at Daini Kaen, Mt. Aka Aug. 9

There are several places on the Mt. Aka – Mt. Kurodake course trail where large gullies and gouges were formed by the recent heavy rain.
While the damage is not enough to block passage, climbers should be cautious when going by them.
There are particularly large gullies in two locations; one is between the Mt. Koizumi junction and Mt. Hakuun junction, and the other is between the Mt. Hokkaidake peak and the bench midway up Mt. Hokkaidake.
Photo: A large gully above the bench on Mt. Hokkaidake Aug. 9

August 9, 2014 Cloudy 22°C (3:30 p.m.)
Early this morning a beautiful “sea of clouds” appeared over the land.
The scene was visible from the trail. I’d guess that the flowers and sea of clouds helped climbers forget about the difficult climb to a certain degree.
The early morning temperatures have dropped, and the Tamias sibiricus lineatus and Ochotona hyperborea yesoensis were busy storing food.
Like me, I wonder if the cold gives them the sense that autumn is here, too.
Photos: “Sea of clouds” and Mt. Byobudake (left) and Tamias sibiricus lineatus at Pon Kurodake (right) Aug. 9

The cottony communities of Sieversia pentapetala at Kumonotaira are still beautiful. Mixed in among them are Solidago virgaurea subsp. leiocarpa and Gentiana nipponica that provide an autumnal air.
On the other hand, around Hokkaisawa Stream, Phyllodoce aleutica, Phyllodoce caerulea, Primula cuneifolia var. cuneifolia, Potentilla matsumurae, Rhododendron aureum, Sieversia pentapetala and other flowers are forming small communities where the snow has melted.
In both places, it appears that these flowers will end their blooming early at around mid-August, depending on the weather.
Photos: Areas around Kumonotaira and Hokkaisawa Stream Aug. 9