Highest mountain pass with Brompton

Weeks ago Brompton and I went to Oodarumi Pass, with an elevation of 2,365 meters, the highest paved pass available for a vehicle.

Public transportation (bus) brings you to the pass during summer and fall.

Before a downhill, let's climb Mt. Kokushi to enjoy panorama from its peak.

What a beautiful sky!

There were a dozen of people at the peak.

Do you see Mount Fuji appearing its top behind a cumulus cloud?

The Kofu basin where I started this morning was quite far away.

Then getting back to the entrance of trail, I unfolded the bike and started downhill.

Clouds gradually covered blue sky and temperature declines to chill Brompton and me.

Yellow leaves of of larch trees covered a mountain and a road.

On the way  the beauty of brilliant autumn leaves took my breath away.

A winding road continued through yellow autumn tints.

Variety of beautiful autumn colors grabbed my attention. 

After an hour downhill, we were reaching the town of the Kofu basin.

The road to Oodarumi pass finally closed a few days ago (November 26) due to snow fall and road surface freezing. Winter comes and the road will open next spring.

Brompton to meet Snow Monkeys (Jigokudani Onsen)

Do you know snow monkeys?

A gourp of monkeys in Jigokudani Onsen Wild Monkey Park enjoys a hot spring everyday. If you have Brompton, you can easily go out for a day trip to the place from Tokyo with the combination of railways and Brompton.

Today Brompton and I went to Jigokudani Onsen for a day trip to see those monkeys and enjoy one of the secret hot spring there. This secret hot spring is famous for the first monkey who experienced a hot spring in the world.

[Transportation]
Shinkansen (super express) Tokyo Station Lv. 7:24 Nagano Station Ar. 8:48
Nagano Railway (express train "SNOW MONKEY") Nagano Station Lv. 9:08 Yudanaka Station Ar. 9:53

[Brompton to ride]
Yudanaka Station→Jigokudani
Distance 5km
http://latlonglab.yahoo.co.jp/route/watch?id=6ee9d4643254cffb985608c437bf9fe5

You start here, Yudanaka Station, to ride Brompton.

You go to Jigokudani via two Onsen Villages, Yudanaka Onsen and Shibu Onsen.

When you go out of Shibu Onsen Village, you need to ascend the narrow road.

Finally you reach Jigokudani.

There are a lot of monkeys, behaving quite naturally. They are not at all hostile to visitors.

Finally, you can meet monkeys in a hot spring!

On the way back, I dropped by Korakukan, a lodge with Rotenburo, an outside bath.

There are some cautions to monkeys. But sometimes monkeys violate the rule.

I shared a hot spring with this guy. You may experience bathing with him or his friends if you are lucky!

Mont Éventail, Another Paradise of Trail Ride

Yesterday Brompton and I went to climb Mont Éventail (Mt. Ougiyama), which has 1,312m of its elevation and is another popular destination of trekking and off-road biking near Tokyo. I wanted to climb another mountain to watch Mt. Fuji again. In addition, I love to enjoy a trail ride.

Take JR Chuo Line as well to get to Saruhashi Station or Otsuki Station. Then you get on the bus bound for Asakawa bus stop, an trail head to Mont Éventail.

［Data］
Route Asakawa bus stop (elevation 628m) → the ridge → Mont Éventail Summit (elevation 1,138m) → the trail on the ridge → Inume Village → JR Torisawa Station
Distance 13.8km
Max. Difference of Elevation 836m
Average % total -2.3% ascent 12.1% descent 12.3%
Acquired Elevation ascent 609m descent 920m

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zVh_vanqLQwc.ka3JwwNZc6ms&usp=sharing

You can see Mont Éventail (Mt. Ougiyama) from a train window.

From JR Otsuki Station, take a bus (Yamanashi Fujikyu Bus Company) bound for Asakawa bus stop.

Let's unfold your bike at Asakawa bus stop and take a ride to the trail head.

After 1 km ride, you arrive at the trail head and start to pull Brompton to the ridge for another 1 km up there.

Upon arrival at Asakawa pass, please proceed to Mont Éventail (Ogiyama).

The trail is not that hilly. You can partly ride on Brompton.

From the peak Mt. Fuji was wonderful.

Then start a comfortable downhill on the ridge trail. You can go this single track covered by a lot of autumn leaves.

Watch ahead! There are sometimes tree roots and fallen trees on the trail.

I supposed that the trail was best ever for me and Brompton. Slopes were moderate and there were few stones and rocks on the track. 

Even autumn tints pleased my eyes on the way.

I took a short rest at the view point on the way downhill.

After the view point the trail increases the gradient of a slope.

It looks a straight descent in a green tunnel!

Arriving in Inume Village and exit the trail.

Inume is famous for one of Hokusai's masterpieces "Fuji from Inume Pass."

Mt. Fuji from Inume Pass, one of the 36 views of Mt. Fuji by Hokusai Katsushika.

In order to go home, take a train bound for Tokyo at JR Torisawa Station.