Kita-dake

Overview

Mt.Kita-dake is rocated in the northern part of South Japan Alps, and one of Shirane mountains. The three big moutains Kita-dake(3,192m),Aino-dake(3,189m) and Nohtori-dake(3,050m) conpose so-called "Shirane trio" . Deviding in detail "Shirane trio" has five over 3,000m height peaks and is huge eminent heap of mountains in Japan. Kita-dake is the highest mountain of "Shirane trio", and the second highest in Japan next to Mt.Fuji.
The eastearn face of Kita-dake, the "Buttress" has a sheer drop of 600m from it's summit, containing several first-class rock climbs.

Getting There

At the summer season ,Hirogawara is the general climbing base .
Take a train from Tokyo to Kofu City .It will take for about one hour and half.From Kofu City to Hirogawara it's two hours ride on bus,
From Hirogawara there are two main climbing courses. One is "Kusasuberi course"that ckimb the mountain slope, the other is "Ohkamba vally course" that climb along the stream of Ohkamba vally. Both it takes to the top of Kita-dake about seven hours in the climb of an altitude difference 1700m.
Many people do the traverse of Shirane-trio without descending straight the mountain after climbing Kitadake.

Red Tape

No fees or permits are currently required .
It is prohibited to go out of the road for the vegetation protection.
The plant and the mineral are forbidden to pick-up and to be taken home.

When To Climb

This mountain is climbed at all seasons, but in winter,because there is a deep snow in the mountside and in the ridge line it is frozen hard, it's rather difficult to climb. So, from June to October is the best season. From june to
august you are sure to enjoy various flowers.

Camping

It is possible to make a camp by the Shirane-oike lodge and the Shoulder lodge on the Kusasuberi course . There is no lodge or camp site on the Ohkamba vally course.
On the Shirane-trio traverse course there are two lodges and you can make a camp by the lodges too.
(All those lodges open only on summer season)

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Images

View Kita-dake Image Gallery - 15 Images