REPORT

“The weather has been humid and muggy compared to last year due to the inflow of warm, moist air circling the edge of the Pacific High Pressure System.” (Quoted from information released by the Japan Meteorological Agency’s Nagano Branch and recorded in the Shinano Mainichi Shimbun.) Indeed, the skies at Happo have been cloudy for a good part of the first half of September this year. I decided to hike up the mountain before the clouds enveloped it, and so I took the Kurobishi No. 3 Pair as it opened at 5:00 a.m*. (Early operation on weekends and holidays.) The beautiful sunrise over the perfect sea of clouds had me flying high.
[Kurobishidaira]

Incidentally, even at 5:00 in the morning, the parking lot in front of Cafeteria Kurobishi was 90% full, and there were people around at each step of the way as I watched the sunrise from Kurobishidaira, climbed higher to Happo-ike Sanso, and reached the Happo-ike pond. In general, it takes about 40 minutes from Kurobishidaira to Happo-ike Sanso, an additional hour from Happo-ike Sanso to Happo-ike, and a further 3.5 hours from Happo-ike to the summit of Mt. Karamatsu.
[Climbing Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Shita-no-Kanba to Kami-no-Kanba]

It did feel hot and humid, and the clouds were rising quickly, so I hurriedly made my way to Happo Pond. The view was even more spectacular than I had expected, and a hiker from Saitama Prefecture commented, “It was definitely worth getting up early.” There was a slight breeze sending ripples across the surface of the water, but the reflection of the Hakuba Sanzan mountains was still very impressive.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Happo Pond]

It’s a three-day weekend and there seemed to be more hikers than usual heading up in the direction of Mt. Karamatsu from Happo-ike. At the upper birch forest (Kami-no-Kanba, pictured), there were many purple monkshood flowers in bloom. My original plan for the day was to report on the conditions all the way as far as the summit of Mt. Karamatsu, but I was dealing with some discomfort in my hip and decided to turned back.
[Climbing Trail to Mt. Karamatsu・Shita-no-Kanba to Kami-no-Kanba]

*The annual stargazing event ‘Tenku no Tensai Show’ will be held at the Usagidaira Terrace starting at 7:00 p.m. on the following dates: 9/14 (Sat.), 9/15 (Sun.), 9/21 (Sat.), and 9/22 (Sun.), while the ‘Happo Usagidaira Mountain Fest’ will take place there on 9/28 and 9/29 (Sat. & Sun.).

　
[Happo-One Nature Trail 2024 Opening Information]
Period … 2024/6/1 (Sat.) & 6/2 (Sun.), 6/8 (Sat.) – 11/4 (Mon.)
Hours … Happo Alpine Line: 9/14・9/15・9/21・9/22 open at 6:30am～、9/16・9/23 open at 7:00am～、9/28・9/28 open at 7:30am～、Otherwise open at 8:00am～. Kurobishi Line: 9/14～9/16・9/21～9/23・9/28・9/29 open at 5:00am～、Otherwise open at 8:15am～
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