涸沢は標高2300mで横尾からは800mの登りです。雪道と言っても、この時期なら登山者が踏んで行ったルートははっきりしているし、晴天であれば余裕を持って周りの景色を楽しみながら登れます。途中から僕はアウターを脱いで登りました。
涸沢ヒュッテには3時間ほどで到着。通常、登山客は上高地からここまで一気に登って来るので、山小屋の人は我々の早い到着にまず驚いていました。僕らとしては余り気味の時間をのんびり景色でも眺めて楽しもうというのが今回のプランです。
昼食を早めに済ませ、涸沢山荘まで散歩してコーヒーを飲みながら休み、ヒュッテに戻った頃、スキーを履いて山に向かう二人組を見かけました。山からの斜面にはいくつかのシュプールが見え、ここがバックカントリー・スキーの素晴らしい舞台だと分かります。二人は歩いて同じ方向に向かった登山者を置き去りするスピードでどんどん進んでいきます。それにしても彼らはあの急坂をスキーを履いたまま直登するのだろうか？僕らは興味津々でその結果を見届けることにしました。先頭のスキーヤーが涸沢岳の鞍部に着くまでに要した時間は2時間、二人目は30分くらい遅れました。歩きの登山者は見届けていませんが3時間以上かかったでしょう。もしかしたらそこから滑降が始まるかも知れないと注目しましたが、二人は稜線を左に進み姿が消えました。
涸沢ヒュッテの夕食は下界のレストランより美味しいと伝え聞いていましたが、なるほど山小屋の食事とは思えない充実ぶりでした。夜8時に床に就いて、9時頃から眠りに入りましたが、12時くらいに目が覚めてからは雨がポタポタと屋根に当たる音が耳につき、2時にはあられのような音になり、3時には微震動があってこんな高いところで地震かと、いろいろあって眠れませんでした。4時半には起き出す人が出てきます。
3日目、7時に下山を開始し、吊り橋に8時半着。順調すぎる雪山下りでした。アイゼンが効かない僕は何度も滑りながらでしたが、それでも右膝の不安が悪化することもなく済んだのは、雪道の場合自分の歩幅で昇り降りができるのが良かったからだと思います。
残るは距離は長いものの負荷の少ない行程で、昼前には歩き終えて上高地に辿り着いたので、パートナーも予想以上に早かったと言っていました。 雨の中を歩いたので、薄手のリュック、ドイターSpectroの中を点検すると、一部濡れていて、本降りになるとパックカバーが不可欠と分かります。すると我がパートナーはすかさず「それならSEA TO SUMMITが間違いない」と推奨品を教えてくれます。ビジターセンターの軒下で弁当を食べているうちに雨も上がったので、ウィンストン碑や帝国ホテルなど、周囲を散策して14時のバスに乗って帰路に就きました。満足度の高い平日の旅行でした。
The weather continued to be fair on the second day, and we started the trek crossing Yokoo Bridge at 7:30 heading for Karasawa. In about an hour of walk on the trail where no group tourists invade, we arrived at a suspension bridge. From here up, the trail is entirely in the snow, and we put our crampons and spats to let our feet manage the snow. I brought cheap crampons with only 4 claws as that was all I had, but it appeared to me useless in the most part. My partner with experience stated that good crampons could serve you 50 years thus the investment for the safety was actually trivial. His is Grivel and has served him only 30 years so far.
Karasawa’s altitude is 2300m and the elevation from Yokoo is about 800m. In this time of the year, the path in the snow is clear as many climbers have stepped the route, and particularly in such a beautiful day, the walk to ascend is stressless and pleasant as one can enjoy the gorgeous views of the mountains.
We arrived at Kawasawa Hütte in about 3 hours, and the staff of the lodge looked surprised to receive us so early because normally the people get hear in the late afternoon as they walk from Kamikouchi throughout. Our plan for this trip was to allow sufficient margin for the walk and enjoy the views more.
After an early lunch, we had a stroll (evidently a snow walk) to neighboring Karasawa Sanso [mountain lodge] and relaxed there for a while over a coffee. When we got back to our Hütte, we saw a couple of climbers were putting their skis on, and headed to the summit. In the direction they were heading, we recognized several Spurs on the slope and understood that this was a wonderful stage for back country skiing. The speed of the ski climbers was very fast leaving another climber without ski far behind. Will they really go straight up to the ridge with their skis on? We were very curious to see the progress. The robust skier went up to the ridge in 2 hours and waited for the other to arrive there late by 30 minutes. Despite our hope to see their downhill ski, they walked further on the ridge to the left and disappeared. We don’t know how long it took for the climber without ski as we stopped watching further, but it probably took more than 3 hours.
It is rumored that the dinner in Karasawa Hütte is often better than restaurants in town, and indeed it was something not likely in mountains. We made the bed at 8 p.m. and I actually fell in the sleep at 9, although I woke up at midnight, then I heard the noise of the rain drops on the roof, which turned into something like a hail around 2. There was a shaking with rather fine vibrations at 3 that made me wonder an earthquake at this hight? These busy stuff prevented me from sleeping and some people woke up as early as 4:30 in the large room to sleep with no privacy.
We started descending at 7 on the third day and got to the suspension bridge at 8:30, which was quite unexpectedly efficient. On my part, I slipped several times with the crampons that failed to function, but the right knee with my concern did not make a single cry of agony. I think it was because the snow enabled me to walk all the way with my own strides luckily.
The remaining part to Kamikouchi was long but less stressful, and we finished the walk before noon. Deuter Spectro was wet inside partly as it tended to rain, and it reminded me the need for a pack cover. My experienced partner immediately suggested me a Sea to Summit. The rain cleared up while we were on our lunch box under the eaves of Visitor Center building, and we had a touristic walk to the monument of Sir Winston and Imperial Hotel before the bus of 2 p.m.
I definitely conclude that it was a quite contented weekday trip.
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