Hokkaido International Outdoor Club (HIOC)

Friday, November 2, 2012

Jeozankei, Asahi-dake Autumn Hike

Mt Asahi-dake in Joezankei onsen resort

Members of the H.I.O.C

On October 27th 2012. 7 members of the Hokkaido International Outdoor club did a hike to the top of Asahi-dake in the small onsen resort town of Joezankei in Hokkaido just outside Sapporo.

Mt Asahi-dake over looking the onsen town of Joezankei

Do not confuse this Mt Asahi-dake with its big cousin in Daisetsu-zan which is the highest peak in Hokkaido.
This Asahi-dake is way smaller and is right in small town of Joezankei that it looks over.

The start point of the hike

The starts leading to the hiking trail.

Mt Asahidake (Jozankei) has a nice loop track to its top, starting from the town and at the end of the hiking trail there is a really nice walk along the banks of the Toyohira River back to the town that will take you across the famous ‘Futami Suspension Bridge’
The only thing about this hike that is not so good is that at the top there isn’t a view but if the autumn colors are out it won’t matter.

The route

The route times

The starting point to the trail

On the trail

The beautiful autumn colors

The H.I.O.C members enjoying the hike

Heading our way to the top

At the top of Asahi-dake (Joezankei)

H.I.O.C members and trip leader Leon(right) at the top

It took about an hour to reach the top. It isn't a hard hike at all and just a little climbing but of the trail is a bit wet it can get slippy in places.

At the top there is a bit of room to relax and there is a breach seat but the top is covered with small trees and there isn't much of a view.

Heading down by a different route

leaving the trail and hooking up with a dirt road

On the way down we took a different trail than we went up on that took about 40 minutes to reach a dirt road which lead to a bridge and then the river.

Toyohira river

Mt Asahi-dake (Joezanke)

We took the walking path back to Joezankei that follows the river which took about 20 minutes . We took longer because we stopped for lunch at a small rest area.


The rest area. Asahi-dake in the back

The walking path back to Joezankei

Photo stop on the river

Futami Suspension Bridge

Once were back in Joezankei we went to one of the onsen hotels that are in the resort for a relaxing hot spring soak before driving back to Sapporo.

H.I.O.C members on the Futami Bridge

H.I.O.C members walking over Futami Bridge

Walking back into Joezankei

One of the many onsen bath houses in Joezankei

Everyone relaxed & ready to head home after a nice onsen

Friday, October 26, 2012

Lake Ouma Camp & Komaga-dae Hike

Lake Onuma & Komaga-dake

HIOC had a great camp and hike to Lake Onuma area in the south of Hokkaido.

We all met up in Sapporo around 8 am and got on the road around 8.30.
The trip south is about a 5 hour drive without stops.

Around 12 pm we only made it about halfway and decided to stop for lunch at a roadside restaurant

Lunch stop

After lunch we hit the road again and made to the camp ground around 3.30 pm.

When we we arrived it was sunny but very windy and the wind had a chill on it that was sharp.

Komaga-dake from the road

first arriving at the camp area

The camp area is free and we managed to put up all our tents with a bit of work.
After setting up our camp we got down to the real work of cooking our Mexican dinner drinking a few beers.