 |
posted: August 31st, 2012 |
Go To Page:
|
|
This page begins with 2 photos of a butterfly, taken on Mt. Takao on August 3rd. We began our vacation on August 9th. Between the two of us, we saved 2,036 photos. We have selected about 275 of them to show you in these 4 pages which we've posted for you this month. This page ends with August 10th at 7:03 AM. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
|
| Begin August 3rd |
On both July 27th and also on August 3rd I went out and climbed Mt. Takao (599 m = 1,965 ft) for conditioning so that I would be kind of prepared to do some mountain climbing during our upcoming vacation. On August 3rd I found this butterfly on a picnic table in the summit area. Apparently somebody spilled something which this creature really liked as it hung out there for several minutes seeking something with its proboscis.
|
 Aug03_03C_Takao _san_ButterflyRC |
 Aug03_06C_Takao _san_ButterflyRC |
| End August 3rd, Begin August 9th |
On August 8th, late at night, we went out to Tachikawa via local train and then a little while after midnight (now August 9th) we took a Moonlight Shinshuu train and arrived at Hakuba Station at about 5:40 AM. Then we took a bus at 6:00 AM to the Gondola Station. We took the first Gondola car at 7:00 AM and then the ropeway at 7:30 AM and arrived at Tsugaike Kogen at around 7:40 AM. We ate some of the breakfast which we had brought with us and then started hiking towards Mt. Norikuradake. Oh, by the way, we have been here twice before. For photos taken in the winter (March, 2010) CLICK HERE (new window or tab) and for photos of our last climb of these mountains (July, 2010) CLICK HERE (new window or tab). The first shot in this row is the view from the Gondola car which we rode up in. The 2nd shot is a panorama taken from the Gondola car - it shows an amazing view of Mt. Shakushi (Shakushidake) on the left and Mt. Shirouma (Shiroumadake) on the right. We'll be on the summits of both of those mountains in a couple of days. The 3rd shot also shows Mt. Shakushi (Shakushidake) (left) and Mt. Shirouma (Shiroumadake) (right), but from a somewhat different angle as we continued our ride to the top of the Gondola Lift.
|
 Aug09_010_ HakubaGondolaRideRC |
 Aug09_003_004_ Panorama_HakubaToGondolaRC |
 Aug09_020_ HakubaGondolaRideRC |
The first photo in this row shows us nearing the top of the Cable-car. I think we'll be crossing the snowfield near the right side of the photo. The 2nd and 3rd photos show Trientalis europaea - one of the Starflowers.
|
 Aug09_028_ HakubaGondolaRideRC |
 Aug09_055_Above_Tsuga Ike_Trientalis_europaeaRC |
 Aug09_056_Above_Tsuga Ike_Trientalis_europaeaRC |
Here are 2 examples of Kinugasa japonica aka Paris japonica and a shot of Geum pentapetalum as we hiked the trail above Tsugaike Kogen (Tsuga Pond Field).
|
 Aug09_060_Above_Tsuga Ike_Paris_japonicaRC |
 Aug09_061_Above_Tsuga Ike_Paris_japonicaRC |
 Aug09_066_Above_TsugaIke _Geum_pentapetalumRC |
In first position here is another shot of Geum pentapetalum. In 2nd and 3rd position are shots taken at a small marsh we crossed through - Tenguhara. We'll be crossing the snowfield near the right side of photos 2 and 3 in a while.
|
 Aug09_067_Above_TsugaIke _Geum_pentapetalumRC |
 Aug9th021 _TenguharaRC |
 Aug9th023 _TenguharaRC |
The first shot here shows some nicely formed True Fir (Abies sp.) cones - there were a lot of them this year. In 2nd position is a shot of Gentiana thunbergii var. minor and in 3rd position is a yellow flower - Narthecium asiaticum.
|
 Aug09_071_Above_ TsugaIke_FirConesRC |
 Aug9th026_Tenguhara_Gentiana ThunbergiiVarMinorRC |
 Aug09_083_TsugaIke ToNorikuradake_RC |
Here is a shot of Geum pentapetalum in first position. That's followed by an amazing Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum) shot and in 3rd position are some Iris flowers and also some Cottongrass. In this shot the Iris is in focus and the Cottongrass is out of focus. Compare this shot to the first shot in Row 8.
|
 Aug09_088_TsugaIkeToNori kuradake_Geum_pentapetalumRC |
 Aug09_097_TsugaIkeToNori kuradake_CottongrassRC |
 Aug09_100_TsugaIkeToNori kuradake_Iris_CottongrassRC |
This first shot shows the same general area as the previous photo, but with the Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum) in focus and the Iris out of focus. The 2nd and 3rd shots show some very attractive Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum).
|
 Aug09_101_TsugaIkeToNorikura dake_Iris_CottongrassRC |
 Aug09_107_TsugaIkeToNori kuradake_CottongrassRC |
 Aug09_110_TsugaIkeToNori kuradake_CottongrassRC |
Now we're scrambling through a rock field, along with several other people. The 2nd shot shows an example of Geum calthifolium var. nipponicum and the 3rd shot shows Kazuya crossing the snowfield.
|
 Aug09_116_TsugaIke ToNorikuradake_RC |
 Aug9th040_MtNorikuradake_ GeumCalthifoliumVarnipponicumRC |
 Aug09_121_TsugaIkeToNori kuradake_Kazuya_SnowfieldRC |
Here is Daniel on the snowfield and then a shot of Primula cuneifolia var. hakusanensis - one of the Primrose species. The 3rd shot is a magnificent Adenophora nikoensis var. nikoensis.
|
 Aug9th044_Mt NorikuradakeRC |
 Aug09_129_TsugaIkeTo Norikuradake_Primula_spRC |
 Aug9th048_MtNorikuradake_ AdenophoraNikoensisVarNikoensisRC |
Here are 3 more shots of Adenophora nikoensis var. nikoensis.
|
 Aug9th051_MtNorikuradake_ AdenophoraNikoensisVarNikoensisRC |
 Aug9th058_MtNorikuradake_ AdenophoraNikoensisVarNikoensisRC |
 Aug09_160_TsugaIkeToNorikura dake_Campanula_lasiocarpaRC |
Daniel at the summit of Mt. Norikura (Norikuradake) (2,437 m = 7,994 ft). In 2nd position is another shot of Adenophora nikoensis var. nikoensis and in 3rd position is our first view of Hakuba Ooike (Hakuba Big Pond). It's such a beautiful place. We'll stay in that hut tonight.
|
 Aug9th068_Mt NorikuradakeRC |
 Aug9th065_MtNorikuradake_ AdenophoraNikoensisVarNikoensisRC |
 Aug09_167_Norikuradake ToOoike_OoikeRC |
Here is a scenery shot. As soon as we could get a good view of the Hakuba Big Pond (Hakuba Ooike) we stopped and ate the lunch which we brought with us, so this and the next shot are scenery photos which we shot while we were stopped for our lunch break. Most people were stopped for lunch at the summit of Mt. Norikura (Norikuradake), but we knew that the view would be much better in just another 10 or 15 minutes, so we just stopped there long enough to snap a picture of the summit sign. The 3rd shot was obviously taken as we got much closer to the pond.
|
 Aug09_168_ NorikuradakeToOoike_RC |
 Aug09_169_170_Panorama_ NorikuradakeToOoike_OoikeRC |
 Aug09_177_Ooike Area_OoikeRC |
In this first shot we are rounding the pond and it's just a short time now until we arrive at the Hut. We hiked/climbed for about 5 hours and 20 minutes today - not a bad day. The 2nd shot was taken after we had checked in at the Hut and had our sleeping area assigned to us. We are hiking around the Hut area now. In 3rd position is a nice bunch of Primula cuneifolia var. hakusanensis.
|
 Aug09_179_Ooike Area_OoikeRC |
 Aug09_192_ OoikeArea_RC |
 Aug9th096_HakubaOoike_Primula CuneifoliaVarHakusanensisRC |
Here are 2 more Primrose (Primula cuneifolia var. hakusanensis) shots and then a shot of Geum pentapetalum with the Hut as background. Note the camping area.
|
 Aug9th100_HakubaOoike_Primula CuneifoliaVarHakusanensisRC |
 Aug09_208_Ooike Area_Primula_spRC |
 Aug9th101_HakubaOoike _GeumPentapetalumRC |
Here is an example of the pains we go to when we are getting photos of flowers. That's Kazuya shooting a patch of Primula cuneifolia var. hakusanensis in first position. In 2nd position is a 16 x 9 mode shot of the hut, pond and camping area. Oh, the elevation here is 2,380 m = 7,808 ft, in case you're wondering how there can still be snow on August 9th. The 3rd shot shows a BIG SKY and some Polyganum viviparum flowers.
|
 Aug09_210_OoikeArea_ Primula_sp_KazuyaRC |
 Aug09_229_ OoikeArea_RC |
 Aug09_234_ OoikeArea_RC |
In this final row of photos from August 9th you see an Arnica unalaschkensis var. tschonoskyi, a 2 shot panorama of the Hakuba Big Pond and the hut and a shot of our dinner. We could have all the rice and curry we wanted, but could only have one piece of meat. Some people took as many as 3 helpings! HOW?? One helping was enough for us.
|
 Aug9th110_HakubaOoike_Arnica UnalaschkensisVarTschonoskyiRC |
 Aug09_244_245ATSIP_ Panorama_OoikeArea_RC |
 Aug9th111_Hakuba Ooike_CurryRC |
| End August 9th, Begin August 10th |
Here is an early morning shot from August 10th - the 2nd day of our climb. This shot was taken at 4:50 AM. They served us breakfast at 5:00 AM and we picked up the bento lunch which they prepared for us. We left at 5:40 AM and we'll climb/hike for 7.5 hours today. The 2nd shot was taken at 5:51 AM and the sun is still pretty low - you can deduce that by looking at my shadow. The 3rd shot is a morning sun shot of Primula cuneifolia var. hakusanensis.
|
 Aug10th002_Mt ShiroumadakeRC |
 Aug10_005_Ooike _MtKorenge_RC |
 Aug10th007_MtShiroumadake_Primula CuneifoliaVarHakusanensisRC |
Now we are getting high enough in elevation and finding the correct soil types to find one of my favorite flowers - Dicentra peregrina. Here are 3 early morning shots of it.
|
 Aug10th014_MtShiroumadake _DicentraPeregrinaRC |
 Aug10_008_Ooike_Mt Korenge_Dicentra_peregrinaRC |
 Aug10_014_Ooike_Mt Korenge_Dicentra_peregrinaRC |
Here are 2 more shots of Dicentra peregrina, the 2nd one taken with the sun shining through the flower. The 3rd shot is an interestingly lighted one of the hairy Campanula chamissonis.
|
 Aug10_021_Ooike_MtKorenge _Dicentra_peregrinaRC |
 Aug10_029_Ooike_MtKorenge _Dicentra_peregrinaRC |
 Aug10th023_MtShiroumadake _CampanulaChamissonisRC |
In first position here is a flower we were hoping to find. It's Linnaea borealis - Twinflower. When we came here in 2010 there were lots of buds of this species, but very few flowers. This year we are about 2 weeks later than we were in 2010 and we will be seeing a LOT of flowers of Linnaea borealis. In 2nd and 3rd position are shots of Mt. Korenge - we'll be up there at around 8:55 AM.
|
 Aug10_033_Ooike_MtKorenge _Linnaea_borealisRC |
 Aug10_037_Ooike _MtKorenge_RC |
 Aug10_038_Ooike _MtKorenge_RC |
WOW! A virtual forest of Linnaea borealis - so many flowers!
|
 Aug10th030_MtShiroumadake _LinnaeaBorealisRC |
 Aug10_046_Ooike_MtKorenge _Linnaea_borealisRC |
 Aug10th034_MtShiroumadake _LinnaeaBorealisRC |
A final shot of Linnaea borealis and then a 2 shot panoramic look back at Hakuba Ooike (Big Pond) - where we stayed last night. The 3rd shot is Daniel with a snowfield in the background. As you can tell from the way he's dressed, it's still chilly at this time of day at this elevation.
|
 Aug10th040_MtShiroumadake _LinnaeaBorealisRC |
 Aug10_071_072_Panorama _Ooike_MtKorenge_RC |
 Aug10th043_ MtShiroumadakeRC |
Here are 2 amazing shots of Lilium medeoloides and a shot of a Geranium yesoense var. nipponicum.
|
 Aug10th050_MtShiroumadake _LiliumMedeoloidesRC |
 Aug10th052_MtShiroumadake _LiliumMedeoloidesRC |
 Aug10th054_MtShiroumadake_ GeraniumYesoenseVarNipponicumRC |
An amazing shot of Campanula chamissonis, a shot of Campanula chamissonis with Daniel in the background - not as chilly now and shirt changed to protect his arms from the sun. In 3rd position is a red flower - probably a Rumex sp. And, that ends page 1, but we are barely started into August 10th! It's only 7:03 AM, so please continue on to Page 2.
|
 Aug10_095_Ooike_MtKorenge _Campanula_lasiocarpaRC |
 Aug10th070_MtShiroumadake _CampanulaChamissonisRC |
 Aug10_098_Ooike _MtKorenge_RC |
| End Page 1, but August 10th continues on Page 2 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 2 for the continuation of this vacation adventure. As it says at the top, this page ends at 7:03 AM. Page 2 begins with 7:04 AM. |
Go To Page:
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Link to Amazon.com (new window).
We get 2% of whatever you spend if you go to Amazon from this link!! Please shop on Amazon from here.
| If you would like to donate to our hiking & traveling fund or show your appreciation for our efforts you can donate through PayPal. A single donation will entitle you to request a single full-sized photo IN THE DONATION MONTH - which you may then use as a desktop wallpaper or whatever. The copyright will be retained by us and the photo will be inconspicuously marked with the copyright symbol (©), year and photographer's name. (Donation probably not tax deductible.) |