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posted: December 31st, 2013 |
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This page begins with December 14th and my 99th climb of Mt. Takao - specifically to search for Frost Flowers and to see the sunset, just one week before the "Diamond Fuji" phenomenon. Then, on the 21st I return to Mt. Takao for my 100th climb and for the "Diamond Fuji" phenomenon - which was not so great this year. Boo Hoo! Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin December 14th |
On December 14th, just 7 days before the famous "Diamond Fuji" phenomenon I went out and climbed Mt. Takao alone again - Kazuya had to work again. To my surprise, there were not really very many people here - as shown in the first photo. The 2nd image is a 2-shot panorama, both shots taken in portrait mode. They were taken at 3:22 PM with that tree protecting the lens from the most direct rays of the sun. The 3rd shot was taken 10 minutes later - 3:32 PM.
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 Dec14_10_Mt Takao_SummitRC |
 Dec14_07_08_Panorama_ MtTakao_MtFujiATSIPRC |
 Dec14_13_MtTakao _MtFujiFromDNGRC |
The first shot in this row was taken at 3:36 PM, the 2nd shot at 4:19 PM and the 3rd shot also at 4:19 PM.
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 Dec14_16_Mt Takao_MtFujiRC |
 Dec14_30_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiRC |
 Dec14_31_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiRC |
These 3 consecutive shots were taken at 4:19, 4:20 and 4:20 PM respectively. For the 3rd shot I zoomed out enough so that you can see some people down on the level below me. On the 21st ("Diamond Fuji" day) that level will be packed like sardines!
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 Dec14_33_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiRC |
 Dec14_34_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiRC |
 Dec14_35_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiRC |
WOW! Look at the wind blowing that snow off the summit of Mt. Fuji! These shots were taken at 4:20, 4:21 and 4:21 PM respectively. The 2nd and 3rd ones were processed from Digital Negatives.
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 Dec14_37_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiCropRC |
 Dec14_40_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec14_42_MtTakao_Sunset OverFujiFromDNGSIPRC |
The first shot here was taken at 4:22 PM, and then I turned around and took a few shots of the moon. Then I turned around and took some more Mt. Fuji photos - the final one here showing a "cloud on fire" on the left, or southern flank of Mt. Fuji.
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 Dec14_44_MtTakao_Sunset OverFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec14_72_Mt Takao_MoonRC |
 Dec14_59_MtTakao _SunsetOverFujiAdjRC |
| End December 14th, Begin December 21st |
On December 21st I once again climbed Mt. Takao - for the 100th time - specifically to witness the "Diamond Fuji" phenomenon. The "Diamond Fuji" Phenomenon, the day when the sun sets pretty much precisely behind the very peak of Mt. Fuji, happens only on this date from this location. I arrived at the summit at about exactly 1:00 PM and there were lots of camera tripods already set up at the prime spots. I selected the only remaining prime spot and then went off and found a bench to cook my lunch on while waiting. The first photo in this row was taken at 1:06 PM. After I ate my lunch and relaxed for a while the view looked like the 2nd photo - at 2:55 PM. Yikes, what's going to happen? Will there be a "Diamond Fuji" today? The 3rd shot was taken at 2:57 PM.
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 Dec21_02_MtTakaoPre Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_03_MtTakaoPre Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_09_MtTakaoPre Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
The first shot in this row was taken at 3:21 PM and Mt. Fuji is totally hidden! Boo! The 2nd shot was taken at 3:23 PM, looking to the north of Mt. Fuji at a snow cloud moving towards Mt. Fuji. The 3rd shot, taken at 3:25 PM and processed from a Digital Negative shows the snow cloud and you can see only the left, or south flank of Mt. Fuji. This photo is the same one as the next one, which was processed using different settings for the Digital Negative.
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 Dec21_19_MtTakaoPre Sunset_SnowCloudRC |
 Dec21_21_MtTakaoPre Sunset_SnowCloudRC |
 Dec21_23_MtTakaoPre Sunset_SnowCloudFromDNG_ATRC |
The first photo here, taken at 3:25 PM is the same photo as the previous one, processed from a Digital Negative using different settings than I used on the previous one. The 2nd photo was taken at 3:51 PM and shows that snow cloud - one cannot see Mt. Fuji at all. The 3rd shot shows the crowd of people behind me at 3:56 PM. It's now about 20 minutes before sunset.
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 Dec21_23_MtTakaoPreSunset _SnowCloudFromDNGAT_SIPRC |
 Dec21_32_MtTakaoPre Sunset_SnowCloudFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_36_MtTakaoSunset_ DiamondFujiCrowdRC |
And then, suddenly the snow cloud has moved beyond Mt. Fuji and we can see the sun and Mt. Fuji again. It's now 3:58 PM. The 2nd shot was taken at 4:01 PM and that's Mt. Fuji back there, but it still has some clouds around its top. The 3rd shot, 4:06 PM, shows Mt. Fuji fairly well - it was processed from a Digital Negative.
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 Dec21_37_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_39_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_42_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
These 3 shots were all processed from Digital Negatives. All of them were taken within seconds of each other - at 4:11 PM.
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 Dec21_47_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_48_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_49_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
These 3 shots were also all processed from Digital Negatives. They were all shot within seconds of each other - at 4:12 PM. Try to concentrate on one cloud and quickly view all 3 of them to get a feel for how fast the clouds are moving by!
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 Dec21_52_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_53_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_54_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
This is as good as I got to see of "Diamond Fuji" this year, disappointing. The 1st shot was taken at 4:12 PM and processed from a Digital Negative. The 2nd shot was taken at 4:13 PM and also processed from a Digital Negative. The 3rd shot was taken at 4:16 PM - the sun is gone and so are 65% or so of the people! The best shots I have ever gotten of "Diamond Fuji" remain those I took in 2009 and you can view one of them HERE and more of them starting HERE.
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 Dec21_58_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_61_MtTakaoSunset _DiamondFujiFromDNGRC |
 Dec21_75_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
Here are 3 post-sunset shots. The first was taken at 4:18 PM, the 2nd at 4:21 PM and the 3rd at 4:22 PM.
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 Dec21_79_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_85_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_91_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
And here are 3 more post-sunset shots. The first was taken at 4:22 PM. The 2nd image is a 3-shot panorama. The 3rd shot was taken at 4:23 PM and I'd like you to specifically notice the "Castle" or "Pillar" cloud right at about the exact center of the photo. Watch it through the next couple of photos.
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 Dec21_92_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_92_93_94_Panorama_ MtTakaoSunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_96_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
The first photo in this row was taken at 4:24 PM and that "Castle" or "Pillar" Cloud is already becoming misshapen. The 2nd shot was taken at 4:25 PM. The 3rd shot was also taken at 4:25 PM and that "Castle" or "Pillar" cloud has totally changed!
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 Dec21_100_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_102_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_104_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
Now it's getting quite far past sunset. These photos were taken at 4:34 PM. The center image is a 2-shot panorama of the 1st and 3rd photos.
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 Dec21_122_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_131_132_Panorama_ MtTakaoSunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_123_MtTakao Sunset_DiamondFujiRC |
Here are the final 2 shots taken today. The first 2-shot panorama was taken at 4:35 PM and the 2nd 2-shot panorama was taken at 4:37 PM. Time to head for home now. And, I was given a special treat for my 100th Climb of Mt. Takao! Shortly after I started down, I witnessed a flying squirrel in a small tree only about 10 meters away from me. I shined my flashlight on it and watched it and it stayed there for quite a while chattering at something - possibly me. So, I started to dig in my backpack for my camera again - I thought that maybe it was close enough so that I could get a decent flash photo of it. But then, while I was digging for my camera, of course it decided to take off - I quickly looked up and there were actually 2 of them - they scurried farther up the tree and glided away far enough so that I could no longer even see them. We've always known that there are flying squirrels here, we often see people after dark with red lights trying to get glimpses of them, but this was the first time I'd ever seen one. Very fortunate.
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 Dec21_125_126_Panorama_Mt TakaoSunset_DiamondFujiRC |
 Dec21_131_132_Panorama_Mt TakaoSunset_DiamondFujiRC |
| End December 21st, End Page 2 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 3 for the continuation and conclusion of this month's and this year's adventures. On Page 3 you'll also find the "List of Mountains Climbed During 2013" and a graph of their elevation. |
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