Weather forecast is really bad for this weekend but there’s already more than 50cm of snow in Tateyama (立山) and this three days weekend is the last weekend but one before access to Tateyama close at the end of the month. We shouldn’t miss this chance… We change our plans at the very last minute on Saturday morning and headed to Tateyama. Anyway Tateyama is less than 50 kilometers away from the Japan sea so the weather is often unpredictable. If we are lucky we will have a great weather.

6h of express and local trains, bus and ropeway later we finally reach Murodō (室堂) at the base of Tateyama cirque. Arrived at the beginning of the afternoon, it’s too late to go up to Tsurugigozen (剣御前) lodge so we decide to camp at Murodō camping ground at Raichodaira (雷鳥平). Not enough time to walk up but enough time to spare to decide to dig a snow mound instead of using the tent. Two hours later, just before nightfall our cozy shelter is ready. -20°C (-4°F) outside +1°C (+34°F) inside, we’re happy to be inside !

Despite disastrous weather forecast, a clear blue sky and warm sunlight welcomes us on sunday morning. Skiers are already everywhere to be the first to take nice turns in fresh powder snow. We benefit from their tracks to go up to Tsurugigozen. Arrived on the ridge, dark clouds have already filled the sky and it starts to get very windy. Just enough time to take a picture of Tsurugidake (剣岳) before pitching the tent in the snow storm next to the lodge closed.

Happy birthday ! This is certainly what the wind was yelling at me this Sunday night, but I didn’t understood. Huddling up in my sleeping bag I just wanted him to shut up. But it hounded the mountain all night. To such an extent that we had to wake up twice in the middle of the night to dig out the tent from accumulated snow. It’s quite hard to leave it’s warm sleeping bag to get out in a snow storm in the middle of the night to do some digging !

On Monday morning, I found a great present left over by Fūjin (Japanese god of wind). He cleared the sky during the night so we can enjoy breathtaking views of sunrise lights on Tsurugidake and Tateyama. While going up to Bessan (別山) we found on several places, tracks of Fūjin : wonderful snow patterns sculpted by the wind during the night.

If we want to have a bath in the onsen and still be on time for the last departure from Murodō, it’s already time to leave. Too bad there’s no rotenburo in Tateyama. Taking a bath outside in such a landscape would really be exceptional. But after three cold days and for my first onsen since last year, the inside bath is already a peace of heaven.

A nice winter season start…

Access from Tōkyō

Train or bus from Shinjuku (新宿) station to Shinano-Omachi (信濃大町). By train : There are two “Super AZUSA” direct train from Shinjuku to Shinano-Omachi per day (about 3h30 and 7000 yen for non-reserved seat). Otherwise take a “Super AZUSA” to Matsumoto (松本) (about 3h00 and 6700 yen) and then a local train to Shinano-Omachi (about 1h and 700 yen) . By bus : Express bus runs twice a day from Shinjuku station to Shinano-Omachi (about 4h and 4100 yen).

Train timetables : using http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ website, you can search Japan trains timetables in English.

From Shinano-Omachi you have to take a local bus to Ogisawa (扇沢) (about 45 min and 1330 yen). You then have to use the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine route (立山黒部アルペンルート) up to Murodō which is a succession of different transportations. The round trip ticket from Ogisawa to Murodō is 8800 yen + a charge of 1000 yen for big backpacks. With your tickets in hand change for a trolley bus (about 15 min), walk for about 20 minutes to cross the dam, take the Kurobe cablecar (about 5 minutes), change for the Tateyama ropeway (about 10 minutes), and again for a trolley bus (about 10 minutes) to finally reach Murodō. If you are lucky it can be done in one hour. But if it gets crowded, as all transports cannot take the same load of people it can take you up to three hours because of long queues at bottlenecks.

In summer another option to reach Murodō is from to Toyama (富山), but from Tōkyō it’s much more expensive and time consuming as you have to take a shinkansen to Nagaoka (長岡) to then change for a limited express to Toyama (the one-way ticket is more than 14000 yen and it takes about 4h). At Toyama change for Toyama-Chiho railway Tateyama ligne (富山地方鉄道立山線), then take the Tateyama cablecar and finally the Tateyama-Kōgen sightseeing bus (立山高原バス) for a total of about 3530yen and 2 hours. The trip from Toyama to Ogisawa is what is called the the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine route (立山黒部アルペンルート).

Check http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ttp/ptg/PS/pg-402.pdf for more info.

Maps

1/25000e hiking maps covering the entire Tateyama area are :
1:25000地形図、剣岳、高山５号-３、NJ-53-6-5-3 (Tsurugidake, Takayama 5-3, NJ-53-6-5-3)
1:25000地形図、立山、高山５号-４、NJ-53-6-5-4 (Tateyama, Takayama 5-4, NJ-53-6-5-4)
1:25000地形図、十字峡、高山５号-１、NJ-53-6-5-1 (Juujikyou, Takayama 5-1, NJ-53-6-5-1)
1:25000地形図、黒部湖、高山５号-２、NJ-53-6-5-2 (Kurobumizuumi, Takayama 5-2, NJ-53-6-5-2)

GPX file GPS: tateyama-bessan-1109.gpx . Read the disclaimer before using the GPX files.

Safety

As always in winter, there is an avalanche risk. All members of your party should be equipped with a beacon, a shovel and a probe and trained on how to use them. These devices do not prevent avalanches! They are used to rescue your partners caught in an avalanche. So even if you are equipped and trained, it is your responsibility, to evaluate on the field the ever changing snow conditions, the avalanche danger, which is the safest route and if it is wiser or not to go back and cancel your outing.

Check the weather forecast on the english page of the Japan Meteorological Agency : http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html

For the latest information regarding mountain conditions, check the Toyama (富山県) prefecture police station web site (in Japanese) or call them at 076-441-2211.

National phone numbers for rescue are 119 for firefighters and 110 for the police. The following numbers can also be useful in case of emergency:

• Kamiichi (上市) police station (the closest one) for rescue at 076-465-5778,
• Toyama (富山県) prefecture police station web site at 076-441-2211