mount hachikoku trail blazing

今日はルークくんと八石山へ行きました。二人で行くのはこれが三回目でした。雪が降ってからは初めてでした。

スタートで毎回会う「Mrハチコク・山田さん」に会いました。今年に入って18回目だそうです！

雪がたくさんあってトレイルは見えませんでした。先頭で山田さんが除雪車みたいに道を作ってくれました。竹のカンジキに長靴、強い！強い！やっぱり自転車と同じくパーツじゃなくて、エンジンが一番大事ですね。

下りでほかのクライマーに会いました。毎回会うメンバーなので皆さんルークくんのことを覚えています。優しい人ばかりで、八石山はとてもアットホームです。

ハイキングが終わってから久しぶりに広田の湯に入りました。とても良い所ですね。最高じょんのび！

Today Luke and I headed for Mt. Hachikoku. It was our 3rd time to climb it but our first time with snow.

At the start we met Mister Hachikoku, Yamada san, who we meet every time. It was his 18th climb already this year!

There was so much snow that there was no way to work out the trail up the mountain. Yamada san went up front and blazed through the snow like a human snow plough. His snow shoes are made of bamboo and his boots are mere wellies, but what a strong guy he is! Just like with cycling, it’s the engine and not the kit, which is all important.

On the way down we met a few familiar faces. It’s the same lot who climb the mountain each weekend, so Luke has become a bit of a celebrity. They all love him to bits, which makes it really nice to go there.

After the hiking we headed for the little onsen tucked away in the mountain village Hirota. It was the first time to go there in a while and what a wonderful place it is!

Mount Hachikoku snow shoe hiking (2.5h)