(甲斐駒ヶ岳) Kaikomagatake Hike

 

Hyakumeizan!

Budget: JPY10,620 (~USD103)

• JPY4,820. Roundtrip train fare, assuming use of Seishun 18 ticket.
• JPY3,500. Bus, Chino Station < > Senryuso (JPY1,750 one way)
• JPY2,300. Bus, Senryuso < > Kitazawa-touge (JPY1,150 one way)

Hike Date / Difficulty (Elevation: 2,966m / 9,731ft)

• Target: 2021
• Difficulty: 4 out of 5. 
• Route below is around 8.2kilometers, with an elevation change of ▲1,219m/ ▽1,214m
• PDF Map Link 

When to Go

Logs were available throughout the year, so definitely doable, but bring axe etc. 

Special Notes

• Weather check. English / Japanese. English more detailed, Japanese more accurate. 
• Given the access limitations, if using public transportation, allot day 1 as "getting there" day, as expected ETA at trailhead is 1:10pm. If using a car, drive there Friday night. 
• Trailheads. The main one is Kitazawa-touge, but I'm adding 戸台 because all winter hikes (Jan/Feb) seem to start there. 
• Kitazawa-touge (北沢峠). Google maps pin. Trailhead is shared for Mt. Senjo and Kaikomagatake. Access details are in the city's website. Buses run from mid July to early November. 
• Train, Tokyo to Chino Station (茅野駅). 
• There's also a bus from Kisofukushima Station (木曽福島駅) for those wishing to do a Kisokomagatake-Utsugi and Southern Alps combo. 
• Bus, Chino Station to Senryuso (仙流荘). JPY1,750, 1 hour 15 minutes one way. Buses not running for 2020, website here. Look for "南アルプスジオライナー"
• There's only one bus everyday - 
• 10:15am Chino Station - 11:30am Senryuso (仙流荘)
• 04:45pm Senryuso (仙流荘) - 06:15pm Chino Station 
• Bus, Senryuso (仙流荘) to Kitazawa-touge. JPY1,150, 55 minutes one way. Buses not running for 2020. 

Bus schedule, (仙流荘) to Kitazawa-touge (北沢峠)

• Todai (戸台). Google maps pin here. The bus above to Kitazawa-touge runs up to here (戸台口). As this is for winter hike purposes, driving is really the doable option. 

• Mountain huts.
• Paid. Only at the trailhead.  
• 北沢峠こもれび山荘. The one right at the trailhead, JPY5,500 no meals nor futon. 
• Free. None that I can see.  emergency hut (tldr: free hut) during winter. 
• Camping. 長衛小屋, 10 minutes from the trailhead. 

Itinerary
Saturday

• Train, Tokyo to Chino Station. 
• 10:15am. Bus, Chino Station to Senryuso (仙流荘)
• 11:30am. ETA Senryuso (仙流荘)
• 12:10pm. Senryuso (仙流荘) to Kitazawa-touge (北沢峠)
• 01:05pm. ETA: Kitazawa-touge (北沢峠).
• 01:10pm. Set camp at 長衛小屋 camping ground. 

Sunday

• 07:00am. Start hike.
• 11:10am. ETA: Summit, lunch for an hour. 
• 03:45pm. Back at camping spot. 
• 04:00pm. Bus back to Senryuso.