Summer Info
Watch your head! In the forested Kami-no-kanba area, there are sections where tree trunks and branches have been forced far out across the trail by the weight of winter snow (pictured). With your attention focused on the uneven ground beneath your feet, it is surprisingly easy to walk straight into one—as I have painfully discovered several times myself. This morning, I continued carefully as I made my way through the cool forest, sheltered from the sun beneath the trees.
[Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Kami-no-kanba]
Around one hour from Happo Pond, I reached the Ougi-no-setsuden snowfield (pictured). Many hikers were taking a break among the rocks, surrounded by the cool air flowing off the remaining snow. There, a man descending from the direction of Mt. Karamatsu shared some encouraging news: “The sky on the ridgeline was completely clear this morning, and Maruyama Cairn was still above the clouds a little while ago.”
[Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Ougi-no-setsuden Snowfield]
Large numbers of chinguruma were blooming beside the trail between Ougi-no-setsuden and the Maruyama Cairn (pictured). The lush green nanakamado (Japanese Rowan) trees were also covered in clusters of white flowers. Spurred on by the colorful alpine scenery, I quickened my pace toward the Maruyama Cairn, hoping to stay ahead of the clouds billowing up the mountainside.
[Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Ogi-no-setsuden Snowfield to Maruyama Cairn]
I reached the Maruyama Cairn (2,430 m) around 30 minutes after leaving the snowfield. By then, however, my surroundings had disappeared into white mist, and dense cloud covered the route toward Mt. Karamatsu (pictured). I therefore decided to abandon the summit attempt and head back down. Near Kami-no-kanba, I photographed fields of akabana shimotsuke-so, Ezo-shiogama, oyama-soba, takane matsumushi-so, and momiji-karamatsu, along with the first blooms of usagigiku and torikabuto.
[Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Maruyama Cairn to Kami-no-kanba]
＊From 7/11 (Sat.) to 8/30 (Sun.), the Kurobishi 3 Pair Lift will begin operating at 4:30 a.m. for sunrise viewing on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, 8/10 (Mon.), and 8/12 (Wed.) to 8/13 (Thu.).
[Happo-One Nature Trail Opening Information]
*Period … 2026/5/30 (Sat.) & 5/31 (Sun.), 6/6 (Sat.) – 11/3 (Tue.)
*Hours … Happo Alpen Line: Aug 8–16 and Aug 22, 23 from 6:30 a.m.; weekdays Aug 3–7 and Aug 17–21 from 7:00 a.m. Kurobishi Line: Aug 8–16 and Aug 22, 23 from 6:45 a.m.; weekdays July 21 – Aug 7 and Aug 17–21 from 7:15 a.m.
*Fees … Happo Alpen Line round trip / Adults ¥3,500 · Elementary school children ¥2,300 →Adults ¥3,200, children ¥2,000 with early-discount tickets! (No need to exchange at the ticket counter—bring it directly to the gondola gate!)
