Visitor Center Report

A lot of snow has melted at Mt. Midori’s Daiichi Hanabatake over the past week. There is a
snow-covered slope of about 150 meters below the corridor linking it with Daini Hanabatake;
however, the boardwalk is exposed and easy to walk on in all other areas. Water is flowing on the
trail in the corridor with Daini Hanabatake and creating snow bridges. Consequently, climbers
should be wary of the danger of punching through the snow’s surface for the next few days.
Photo: Daiichi Hanabatake, Mt. Midori Jul. 5

The Rhododendron aureum communities are continuing to form.
In addition, the Sieversia pentapetala and Phyllodoce caerulea are blooming along the trail.
The flowers can be seen in limited areas only. However, this is partly due to remaining snow in the area, and we can look to the weather to fix that.
Photos: Near Kumonotaira Jul. 4

The Weigela middendorffiana community has spread out even more from the area around the 8th Station.
And there are still many buds on the plants, so it should continue to grow.
In fact, a variety of plants are blooming from the upper area of the 8th Station, and the number of blooming flowers is growing.
Photos: Weigela middendorffiana near the 9th Station Jul. 4

Around here, the Rhododendron aureum are already approaching the end of their blooming season.
However, the Sieversia pentapetala, Phyllodoce caerulea, and Primula cuneifolia var. cuneifolia are now flowering in their place.
Although only some of the flowers are blooming at the present time, their numbers are increasing day by day.
Photos: Near Kurodake Ishimuro Jul. 4

About a week has passed since my last report (June 28), and the snow has melted considerably since then.
Now more of the trail is exposed than snow-covered.
Snow remains in six locations around the 7th Station (1, 20, 7, 1, 2, and 3 meters around the snow depth pole) and three locations past the 8th Station snow depth pole (3, 5, and 10 meters).
Although there is little danger of slipping and falling, there are more places where climbers could punch through the snow’s surface or encounter mud as the snow melts.
Although care is still required when descending, with the weather we’ve been having, it won’t be long until the snow disappears.
I should mention that, after passing the above-mentioned snowy gorges, the snow is melting all the way up to the peak. (The snow has also disappeared at the upper part of the 9th Station.)
Photos: Near the 7th Station (left) and past the snow depth pole of the 8th Station (right) Jul. 4