Mt. Yunomaru (in Ueda, Tohmi, Tsumagoi)

I climbed Mt. Yunomaru (2,098m) last weekend. This was the third time for me. This mountain is located at Ueda, Tohmi and Tsumagoi-mura. I joined a ham radio contest there.

I went to the foot of the mountain and stayed a night in the car so that I could start to climb very early in the morning.

Though I saw very beautiful stars in the sky around midnight there, there was dense fog around nearby mountains when I woke up at five in the morning. I had a light breakfast and then got started to climb.

On the way I passed by 'Yunomaru camping site', 'Central fork point' and 'Mushohtoh fork point'. I found the blue sky between clouds sometimes so I expected it would be better weather on the top, although it had been very windy and dense foggy while I was climbing.

At last I got to the summit and it was very strongly windy there. However, I set up a small radio antenna(skydoor antenna) at the back of a big rock and I got on the air, on 6 meter band of ham radio. I made contacts with Tochigi and Ibaraki, though a few with Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. I think they are blocked by Mt. Asama. I also made many contacts with Tohoku area, Tohkai area and Tottori.

But I enjoyed a ham radio although I only could set up a very small antenna. After I made 50 contacts, I decided to stop it and go down.

In early morning I was surronded by so tense fog that no good views could be seen. But later, around 10 AM, the fog was gone and it turned very fine. At last I could see mountains with a 360 degree field of vision. I even saw Mt. Fuji!

Next time I want to climb Mt. Eboshi as well as this Yunomaru.


Mt. Asama and the radio antenna

Hakusan furo

Matsumushi sou

Yama hotarubukuro









Mt. Fuji at the center. Can u see?

Mt. Taro-yama (1,164m), Ueda city

At first I wanted to climb Mt. Kurofu, near Asama on that day. I went to Kurumazaka-toge, but found that it was slightly snowing and that mountain tops were covered with dark clouds. So soon I gave up climbing there.

On my way back to Nagano, I thought I could climb a lower hill so decided to drop in Ueda city and climb Mt. Taro-yama.

The starting point is located very near the highway so it was very noisy. I saw some cars parked there so knew some people were climbing that mountain.

The path is well maintained so it seemed easy to climb but I was very tired because you have to go up with very steep slope almost all through the way.

After about an hour I reached a very big red Torii of Taro-yama temple. It is a symbol of a japanese temple. I prayed under the bell of the temple and found some 'emas' there and they show lots of school kids and even kindergarten kids had visited there. It was very surprising for me. *'ema' is a wooden board people write their wishes on it. And often they put them in a temple.

About ten minutes from the temple I got to the summit of Mt. Taro, 1164m. It was fine and warm on the top, which has a wide space of more than 100 square meters. I couldn't see the other tall mountains far away but enjoyed a lunch there. Surprisingly, the map of the pelorus on the summit shows you can see Mt. Fuji if views are clear.

On the way back down I dropped by the temple, where some benches are set for views for Ueda city and Mt. Asama. I enjoyed there nice views. It seems like better views in the southern direction than from the top if the weather is not so good. I thought I would come again for seeing Mt. Fuji.