REPORT

This summer, we’ll be increasing the frequency of our Happo reports and providing updates on the status of alpine plants in July and August! Today, 6/1 (Sat.), was the first day of operation for the Happo Alpine Line, and the weather was mostly sunny with intermittent winds from the south. I spoke with four visitors from Miyagi Prefecture (pictured), who told me, “We’re university friends and came out to Happo together for the first time. The scenery is amazing! We’re going to climb up to Happo Pond.”
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Mountain Climbing Course]

Incidentally, it’s possible to reach Happo Pond without encountering any remaining snow when climbing up via the No. 3 Cair. (*The only remaining snow is off the trail just before the pond, pictured here on the lower left.) As I climbed, clouds rising up from the valley to the south drifted in and out in typical fashion, and I enjoyed the familiar yet fantastic scenery of the Happo-One Nature Trail.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Happo Cairn to No. 3 Cairn]

I continued past the Happo Pond to the lower birch forest (Shita-no-kanba, pictured). The beautiful new spring buds and leaves of the dakekanba (Erman’s birch), yamazakura cherry trees, okame-no-ki (viburnum furcatum), maples, and more made the trip worthwhile. The trail continuing up to Mt. Karamatsu took the usual early spring detour away from the snow-packed traverse route past the forest, and climbed up to the ridge instead.
[The Mountain Climbing Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Shita-no-kanba]

As for the wooden boardwalk course, the section from the Happo-ike Sanso mountain hut to just before the wooden stairs was possible. The toilets at the Alpen Quad summit station, the one next to Happo-ike Sanso, and the one next to the No. 2 Cair are currently out of service due to a lack of water. As of right now, the Usagidaira Terrace restroom is the last usable restroom for those heading up.The currently closed Mt. Karamatsu Summit Lodge will reopen on 6/22 (Sat.)
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Mountain Climbing Course]

　
[Happo-One Nature Trail 2024 Opening Information]
Period … 6/1 (Sat.) & 6/2 (Sun.), 6/8 (Sat.) to 11/4 (Mon.)
Hours … Happo Alpine Line (8am －) *Early morning operation starts from 7/13 *Kurobishi Line starts 7/1
Fees … Happo Alpine Line Roundtrip / Adults JPY3,300, Elementary School Students JPY2,100, Preschoolers Free → Advance Discount Tickets: Adults JPY2,950, Children JPY1,800! (No need to exchange at the ticket window! You can proceed straight to the gondola.) Kurobishi Line Roundtrip / Adults JPY2,000, Elementary School Students JPY1,300, Preschoolers Free.
(*One preschooler free with each paid adult. The second preschooler will be charged at the normal children’s rate.)
　　
*Hakuba Happo-one will be reported 1－2times a week
*To Visitors Requesting Original Data of Our Photographs.
　　　
reported by Snownavi