Hakkoda (altitude 1,266.5m) in Aomori Prefecture is popular with many people as a popular spot for backcountry skiing.
When you climb Mt. Hakkoda, you can see a beautiful independent peak that rises to the west.
That is Mt. Iwaki.
With an altitude of 1,625 m, it is the highest peak in the prefecture. It is a mountain that represents Aomori Prefecture and forms a perfect match with Mt. Hakkoda. It is also called "Tsugaru Fuji" because of its unique shape.
Mt. Iwaki, which represents such a prefecture, is a mountain area that rarely appears in the center stage, in contrast to Mt. Hakkoda, which frequently appears in the media.
However, when we actually skied down, it was a mountain with steep and mellow slopes spread out here and there, which is unbearable for us skiers and snowboarders. This time, we will introduce a 1-day tour report that accompanied the tour of Akita Adventure Guide.
[1 DAY TOUR -Mount Iwaki-]
9:30 Meet at Aomori Spring Ski Resort
10:00 Hike up starts
11:30
12:00 12:00 Second drop from regroup point
12:15 Lunch
13:30 After climbing back up, 3rd drop in the forest
14:00 followed by 4th and 5th tree run
14:30 Return to the bottom of Aomori Spring Ski Resort - end
There are four main routes for Mt. Iwaki backcountry.
You can either climb from Hyakuzawa Ski Resort on the south side of the mountain, or from Yayoi Ikoi no Mori on the east side, or from Oishi no Sato on the east side, or from Aomori Spring Ski Resort on the north side. . This time, we will use the cableway of the ski resort, and it is a tour that climbs from Aomori Spring Ski Resort, where you can face the backcountry while conserving your physical strength.
At Aomori Spring Ski Resort, the gondola that can go up to the top of the mountain was not working due to mechanical equipment failure during the 21-22 season, so we took the Quad 1 lift and went up to the middle of the mountain.
From here, wear climbing skins and walk for about 20 minutes to the gondola summit station. Then, from the entrance of the backcountry area at the summit (about 900m above sea level), we will climb Mt. Iwaki in earnest.
Due to the strong winds blowing from the Sea of Japan near the summit of Mt. The actual goal is just before Saihoji Mori, a small peak at an altitude of 1,288m.
The walk will lead you through beautiful beech forests, reminiscent of the Shirakami Mountains on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures.
Because it is in the trees, it is not easily affected by the wind and is easy to walk.
Since there are not many climbers on Mt. Along the way, there is a slope where you can enjoy a no-track tree run. “When I walk, customers often ask me, 'Is this slope not slippery?' or 'I want to ski here.' If you have any questions, feel free to tell me," says
Mr. Takeki Fujimura of the Akita Adventure Guide, who took on the role of the guide this time.
About 30 minutes after leaving the ski resort, I arrived at a large space where I could see the scenery at the foot of the mountain.
After walking for almost an hour, I took a short break. Mutsu Bay can also be seen from this place.
After taking a break, walk again toward Saihoji Forest.
After the break, we proceed through the sparsely forested area with the view open. After about an hour of walking, you will arrive at the drop point in front of Saihoji Mori. There is nothing to block the wind due to the forest line, and strong winds blow. The slopes are tightly packed by the wind, so be careful not to wash your boards or luggage away.
From Saihoji forest, you can see the summit of Mt. Iwaki in front of you.
Drop to the open barn to be watched over by Mt. Iwaki. The moderately packed snow is a comfortable piece of snow that you can feel under your feet as you step on it and feel the fluffy snow sleeping underneath.
I skied exhilaratingly in the best scenery.
In addition, another one from the regroup point. The powder is piling up here, probably because the wind doesn't affect it much.
After enjoying the open barn, lower the altitude while traversing into the forest.
Take a lunch break here. “There are various ways to eat lunch depending on the guide, but I try to sit down and set aside time to eat,”
says guide Fujimura. You can enjoy an extraordinary picnic feeling in the beautiful beech forest.
The next point after arriving is a scenic spot where you can ski while overlooking Mutsu Bay. You can do tree runs, and you can ski open. Each member discusses where to slide and drops. The skiing range is wide, so no matter where you ski, it's no track.
In addition, two skis in the forest as it is. The forest is less affected by the wind and there is a lot of fluffy and light snow. Even though it was the middle of March, there was still fine powder snow sleeping.
After having a lot of fun with an open barn and a tree run, ski in the stream and return to the slopes of Aomori Spring Ski Resort to finish.
By mid-March, all the ski resorts on Honshu seemed to be in the mood for spring skiing, but Mt. You can gain altitude using the cableway from the ski resort, and there are relatively few people (only two groups other than us were there on that day), the powder is preserved, there is an open barn, and the distance between the trees is good. Moderate. It was a mountain that had all the charm of the backcountry.
| tour name | Mt. Iwaki Tour (Akita Adventure Guide) |
| average hike time | about two and a half hours |
| guide ratio | Guide 1-2: 1-10 guests |
| Required equipment | Beacon, shovel, probe, climbing gear, helmet (recommended) |
| Difficulty (required BC experience level) | BC Beginner/Intermediate Skiing skill is intermediate or higher and can handle fresh snow |
| Participation fee | From 12,000 yen, private guide (1 to 6 people) 46,000 yen |
| Reservation/Inquiry | MAIL : ftarbo0928@gmail.com TEL: 090-9516-5114 |
Interviewed and written by: Daigo Onozuka