Ioudake Hut to Mt. Yokodake, Yatsugatake, Nagano (July 11th)

Ioudake Sansou Hut.
It was pretty cold and terrible wind with mist in the morning.

Today's course:
Ioudake Sansou Hut (6:50) - Mt. Yokodake (Oku-no-in) (8:40) - Sansha Peak (9:25) - Akadake Tenbou-sou Hut (11:20) - lunch (We asked the hut to make Bento and it was tasty!) - Mt. Yokodake (13:00) - Mt. Ioudake (14:30) - Natsuzawa Pass (15:10) - Neishi Sansou Hut (16:00).

It wasn't so bad as yesterday, but the place was covered with mist (or clouds?) and the strong wind was blowing on the way to Mt. Yokodake (Oku-no-in).
Here are some pictures taken on the way to Mt. Yokodake from the hut in the morning.


Dicentra peregrina (Komakusa).


We couldn't see far in the clouds.


Lots of plants of Dicentra peregrina (Komakusa).
It was not in the peak yet, but we found quite a few nice flowers.


Dicentra peregrina (Komakusa).


Viola crassa ssp. yatsugatakeana (Yatsugatake Ki Sumire).
They were growing at the same place as Dicentra peregrina (Komakusa) flowers were.


Viola crassa ssp. yatsugatakeana (Yatsugatake Ki Sumire).
The backside of the petals were reddish brown.
The leaves and the shapes of the plant were definitely different from Viola biflora (Kibana-no-komanotsume).


Rhododendron aureum (Kibana Shakunage).
Quite a few of them were growing by the trail.
They were much shorter than the usual rhododendrons.


Dicentra peregrina (Komakusa).
The white one!


Viola crassa ssp. yatsugatakeana (Yatsugatake Ki Sumire).
Some of the flowers got the brownish pattern on the petals.


The clouds were getting to clear up!


Dryas octopetala var. asiatica (Chounosuke-sou) and Oxytropis japonica (Oyama-no-endou).
There were lots of kinds of alpine flowers blooming all the way through the trail!
I just kept taking pictures and pictures.


Diapensia lapponica var. obovata (Iwa-ume).


Dryas octopetala var. asiatica (Chounosuke-sou).


Oxytropis japonica (Oyama-no-endou).


Pulsatilla nipponica (Tsukumo-gusa).
This plant is known for its rarity, because they grown only in Mt. Yokodake area and Mt. Hakuba area in Honshu island, Japan. Their best season is June, so I found only a few of its flowers... Maybe we should try next year?


Rhodiola rosea (Iwa Benkei).


Cassiope lycopodioides (Iwa Hige).


The clouds were still covering one side of the ridge.


When it was covered with clouds, we had no idea what kind of scenery was there!


Interesting shapes of the rocks!


Geum calthaefolium (Miyama Daikonsou).


The peak of the Mt. Yokodake (Oku-no-in, 2829m).