REPORT

Perhaps in part because it was my first time climbing Mt. Kurofu, I couldn’t help but feel my legs tremble as I stepped out to the scenic cliffside spot east of Tomi-no-Kashira (pictured) that I had been guided to. With a steep drop all the way to the valley floor just one misstep away, nearby hikers were audibly nervous, saying things like, “Whoa, that’s scary…” and “Don’t go too close to the edge!”
[Climbing Trail to Mt. Kurofu・Tomi-no-Kashira]

And when I turned my gaze to the left from the spot pictured in the first photo, I had a perfect, unobstructed view of Mt. Asama all the way from top to bottom. The volcanic hues near the summit, the lush greenery spreading out below, the mountain’s elegant shape, and the surrounding landscape—everything was simply stunning! Since the ridgeline between Tomi-no-Kashira and the summit of Mt. Kurofu (2,404m) is covered with tall trees, I decided to continue on toward Mt. Jakotsu (2,366m) for more open views.
[Mt. Kurofu]

About 10 minutes past the summit of Mt. Kurofu, the trail broke through the trees, revealing a sweeping ridgeline view stretching toward Mt. Jakotsu, Mt. Sennin (2,319m), and Mt. Nokogiri (2,254m). “Snownavi? I can’t believe I ran into you all the way out here!” commented a local man from Komoro City (pictured). He told me he was out for a training hike, and was planning to descend from Mt. Nokogiri down to Sai-no-Kawara (pictured, lower right), then loop back up via Yunotaira. After taking a photo of me to post on social media, he continued along the ridge.
[Mt. Kurofu to Mt. Jakotsu]

When I started driving up the Cherry Park Line early in the morning under overcast skies, I wasn’t sure what the day would bring—but in the end, the hike was more than satisfying, with breathtaking views of Mt. Asama and the surrounding mountain landscape. I began my descent around 10:30 a.m. as the clouds started to roll in. Since this is a popular hiking route, I passed many fellow hikers on the way down. (*The summit of Mt. Kurofu is pictured here, upper left).
[Mt. Kurofu to Mt. Jakotsu]

　
[Mt. Kurofu]
*Location … Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture; Tsumagoi Village, Gunma Prefecture
*Trailhead … Kuruma-zaka Pass
*Please be sure to submit a mountain entry report when entering the mountain
*Equipment … backpack, rain gear, down jacket, towel, change of clothes, sack cover, water and food, medicine, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, cell phone, etc.

*To Visitors Requesting Original Data of Our Photographs.

reported by Snownavi