Akagi-san Day Hike (11Sep2011)

akagi-san day hike in 2011 — Mt. Akagi (Akagi-san, 赤城山): 1,828 meters, Gunma prefecture

Hiking

I planned to hike Akagi-san. Akagi-san seemed relatively easy to hike because the trail to Kurobi-san, the highest peak of Akagi-san, was a rather short distance from trailhead. Besides, I wanted to take pictures from a good photo spot around ‘Nekoiwa’…

In the fog

There were two unexpected occurrences before hiking. The road to the trailhead was closed due to a bike race. Such Information was not shown in the website of local government, Maebashi City, when I checked it the day before the hike. We drove around this way and that, not knowing which road was opened for cars. As the result, we spent 1 hour and half before hiking. The second unexpected thing was a weather forecast. It should have been a sunny day but it was raining before arriving at the parking space.

walk in the fog — Visibility was poor owing to the fog.

After about 1 hour walking, we were on a mountain ridge continuing to Mt. Komagatake and Mt. Kurobi. The fog blotted out mountains we were heading.

in the fog — The fog made the mountains invisible.

The thick fog was thinning after passing Mt. Komagatake.

Mt. Kurobi — The fog was thinning and we could see Kurobi-san in front.

walking on the trail — We didn’t lost. we were on the ridge route.

the peak of Akagi-san (Kurobi-san) — The peak of Kurobi-san (the highest peak of Akagi-san).

We finally arrived at the peak of Akagi-san. It took 2 hours and 45 minutes while estimated time was 2 hours and 15 minutes according to a guide book. It was not bad because my daughter was 3 years old. She did her best, I think, as always.

From Krobi-san, I went down to ‘Nekoiwa’ to take pictures. ‘Nekoiwa’ is a good photo spot for Jizo-dake with Lake Onuma and Akagi Shrine. My daughter and my wife went back to the trailhead (Komagatake tozanguchi). I had to go down to ‘Nekoiwa’, then had to go up to Kurobi-san again and run my family after later.

Mt. Jizo with Lake Onuma and Akagi Shrine. (photo taken from around ‘Nekoiwa’)

Mt. Akagi — I had to walk up again to the peak.

I could not catch up with my family on the trail. When I met them at the parking lot, they ate ice cream.
“Dad, you are too late. As a penalty, you can’t eat ice cream.”

Route & Time

Hike date: September 11, 2011
Members: Family (farther, mother and 3-year-old daughter)
Course time:
9:45 Komagatake tozanguchi (trailhead) – 10:48 on the mountain ridge (had light meal) 11:01 – 11:12 Mt. Komagatake – 12:30 Mt. Kurobi
My daughter and my wife: 12:45 Mt. Kurobi – 14:32 Komagatake tozanguchi [4 hours and 47 minutes]
Myself (farther): 12:40 Mt. Kurobi – 13:03 around ‘Nekoiwa’ 13:13 – 13:45 Mt. Kurobi 13:48 – 14:55 Komagatake tozanguchi