Jim's Japan Hiking Photos

[Hikin_Jim]

This just might be "off topic" so I'll put it here in the "Other Areas." For those of you who like such things, here are some hiking photos from my recent trip to Japan:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jim.barbour ... 9984558514

Enjoy!

[Cy Kaicener]

Great slide show Jim. Its a little bit greener than Skyline. Fuji - San is the most popular peak in the world. Did you go there? In July and August there are 5000 people a day on the trail where you can get almost 12.000 ft elevation gain.

[magikwalt]

Thanks for posting the pics Jim. They were a great rememberance for me as I lived in Japan back in 1983-1984. Jean and I are looking to make the trip to Kyoto this spring for Cherry Blossom season.

[zippetydude]

Great pics. I had no idea the area was so tropical in appearance - what a beautiful place . . . and you managed to bring a hottie for a trail guide/interpreter! You're a clever man, Jim! Congrats on your upcoming wedding!

Incidentally, I thought the trail stairs and the climbing chains were cool. If ever I am in Japan, I'll just have to try out those chains on the way up, then take the stairs down.

z

[Hikin_Jim]

Cy, unfortunately, Fuji-san wasn't in the plans for this trip. I wanted to meet the family and make the proposal. The hiking and sight seeing were the icing on the cake. I'd certainly like to do Fuji. Maybe next trip. The mountains I climbed, Ishizuchisan and Kamegamori are lesser known, particularly Kamegamori. I saw no other gaijin (foreigners) the entire three days we were hiking, and there weren't all that many Japanese even though it was a beautiful weekend that we went hiking on.

Walt, if you get the chance, go. Can't say enough about the beauty of Japan. Can't speak for Tokyo or the other major cities, but the people in the more rural areas were really super.

Zip, it was purely coincidental that we had to spend the night in cold, unheated moutain huts. Naturally, I felt obliged to personally ensure her warmth. That's just the selfless kind of guy that I am. (ahem) Regarding the Kusari (climbing chains), they have some kind of "opening day" ceremony at the start of hiking season where all the men (women aren't allowed on the mountain that one day of the year) climb the mountain dressed in white shirts. A saw a photo at the Coya (mountain hut) we stayed at. It's quite impressive to see a white "snake" of humanity scaling the chains up the mountainside.

[Cy Kaicener]

Jim - Here is a spectacular series if mountain photos from Japan's 28 best mountains http://www.chiba3.com/mt100/mt100-e.htm
Ici Masho (lets go)

[Hikin_Jim]

Cy:

I'm not sure whether I should be more impressed by the photos of the mountains or by the fact that you knew how to say "let's go" in Japanese. Ici masho was one of the phrases that I just learned while I was over there.

This gentleman, T. Chiba, has a nice site. It even talks about back country skiing. Too bad most of it is written with Kanji which I can't read. But the English sections are quite comprehensible.