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posted: August 31st, 2010 |
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This page begins, as I said on the previous page, with August 9th at 7:22 AM - We left the Mt. Kuro (Kurodake) Hut about 40 minutes before the first photo. The goal today was to end at the Asahidake Youth Hostel - on the other side of the mountain! This page takes you through 4:54 PM - the final photo of August 9th. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin August 9th - Vacation |
Well, really the only reason for the first photo here is to show you the contrast between it and the 2nd photo. The 1st one was taken at 7:22:51 AM and the 2nd one was taken at 7:23:35 AM, less than 1 minute later! The 2 photos show nearly the exact same area. Those clouds can move fast. The 3rd shot is a shot of "Poison Hot Spring Valley River". It may be a poison place, but it certainly is pretty. Yesterday we crossed it somewhat downstream from what you can see here.
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This chipmunk came out on the trail and told us a secret. I think he told us that the weather would be weird today. We had to cross another dangerous snowfield, but after the Hakuba Snowfields of last month this one was a piece of cake. We had a 3rd person following us across the snowfield and he was really scared and asked us to make sure that he got across it alive, so we waited for him as we went. The 2nd photo shows Kazuya and the 3rd person. In addition, this time we were in the clouds, so there was no visible trail and it was questionable which direction to go. I led and assumed we had to go uphill (according to the map) and I finally saw yellow paint marks on the rocks ahead - that is how they mark the trails here -- WHEW!! The 3rd photo shows some beautiful Yellow Flowers.
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The 3rd guy went with us to Mt. Hokuchin (Hokuchindake) (2,244 meters = 7,362 feet) and took this photo for us. This mountain is the 2nd highest peak on Hokkaido. We'll climb the highest peak on Hokkaido tomorrow. It never cleared up while we were on this summit. And, this summit never cleared up the rest of this day or tomorrow, so we never saw this peak, not even from a distance. The 2nd and 3rd shots are trail photos. Another link to that map is HERE.
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In 1st position here is a brief view down into "Poison Hot Spring Valley". The 2nd shot is a strange rock formation - at least for this area. The 3rd shot is an overview of an area of Reindeer Moss.
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The first shot is a closer view of the Reindeer Moss Area. The 2nd shot is the Reindeer Moss and a Bryanthus gmelinii - a Very Tiny Flower. The 3rd shot is a view down into "Poison Hot Spring Valley".
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 August 9th120RC |
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Here is an additional shot looking down into "Poison Hot Spring Valley". At this time we are looking down from the west side of the valley. This huge valley has no trails across or into it - it has a trail on the ridges on 3 sides of it though. The sulfur gas must be terribly strong down there - at times we could smell the sulfur even at the Mt. Kuro (Kurodake) Hut. We could easily smell sulfur when we crossed the River on August 8th (Page 1, Row 13 - center photo). The 2nd photo shows me at the summit of Mt. Naka (Nakadake) (2,113 meters = 6,932 feet). The 3rd photo is looking down into "Poison Hot Spring Valley" again. The rectangle drawn on the photo delineates the portion which you will see in the next photo. (Map HERE)
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Here is the rectangle which was delineated in the previous photo. As you can see "Poison Hot Spring Valley River" is quite large. In 2nd position is a panorama shot of "Poison Hot Spring Valley" with Mt. Hokkai (Hokkaidake) labeled. If you recall, we climbed Mt. Hokkai (Hokkaidake) yesterday. The 3rd shot is zoomed in to some part of "Poison Hot Spring Valley", but I cannot positively identify this area on any other photo, so I can't delineate it for you.
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 Aug09_118_Nakadake ToJunction_SceneryRC |
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Here is another panorama of "Poison Hot Spring Valley" with Mt. Hokkai (Hokkaidake) labeled. The 2nd shot is another of the "Poison Hot Spring Valley River". The 3rd shot is one additional panorama just of the "Poison Hot Spring Valley River". Sorry that there are so many shots of this single area, but it so amazing to see that one cannot help but to take lots of photos of it. Tomorrow I'll show you just a few shots taken from the southern ridge above "Poison Hot Spring Valley".
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The first photo here shows a steaming snowfield on the way to Nakadake Onsen (Hot Spring) from Mt. Naka (Nakadake). The 2nd photo is Kazuya with a nice scenic background. You can see the trail we'll follow behind him. The 3rd shot was taken from the trail above Nakadake Onsen (Hot Spring). The Hot Spring Pool is shown so that you can't miss it.
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The first shot in this row is the Nakadake Onsen (Hot Spring) Pool - a closer shot. The 2nd shot is the same, but looking back in the direction we came from. You can easily see the trail coming down the hillside. On this day we were the only people here at this time - very fortunate as we were able to bathe nude. (Map HERE)
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The first shot here is me in the hot spring pool. Kazuya got out before I did and got this shot. The 2nd and 3rd shots show an abundance of Caltha fistulosa growing in a streambed.
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Here is another shot of Caltha fistulosa in first position. In 2nd position is a shot showing an abundance of Geum pentapetalum & Phyllodoce caerulea. The 3rd photo is a closer shot of Geum pentapetalum & Phyllodoce caerulea. It was taken in the same general area as the 2nd shot.
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In both 1st and 2nd position are shots of Sanguisorba canadensis ssp. latifolia. The 3rd photo is Pedicularis verticillata.
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The 1st and 2nd shots are Primula cuneifolia - an overview and a close-up shot. The 3rd shot is a general scenery shot with lots of white flowers growing.
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Here is an exquisite shot of Gentiana nipponica in first position. In 2nd position is a Black Bear. You may (or may not) recall that we also saw a black bear here last year. It was in this same general area too! If you want to, you can check the photo of last year's bear HERE. In 3rd position is another kind of Gentiana - a Gentiana triflora f. montana.
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The first photo in this row is another photo of Gentiana triflora f. montana. In 2nd position is a Yellow Flower, sorry, don't know what it is. In the 3rd spot is Mt. Asahi (Asahidake) and its volcanic steam fumaroles reflected in Sugatami Pond. You'll see a more impressive shot taken here tomorrow morning on the next page.
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The first shot in this row is another shot of Mt. Asahi (Asahidake) and its volcanic steam fumaroles reflected in Sugatami Pond. Again, you'll see a more impressive shot taken here tomorrow morning on the next page. The 2nd shot was taken as we rode down the Ropeway - you can see Mt. Asahi (Asahidake) and the top of the Ropeway. The 3rd shot is The Youth Hostel - Daisetsuzan Shirakaba-Sou. This is where we stayed tonight and tomorrow night. They serve decent meals and they also have a nice Hot Spring. (Map HERE)
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 Aug09_423_TheYouthHostel _DaisetsuzanShirakabaSouRC |
| End August 9th, 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 of this adventure to Hokkaido - The Alaska of Japan. |
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