Of course you'd not get me to travel unless I had a chance to really get out and about...

The Japan Alps can be a savage and glorious playground - not for the faint hearted.

So it was with great pleasure that I was introduced by Hiromitsu-san to some (a lot of) local sake, and in the morning to Yamaguchi-san and Ville-san, two souls as keen as I was to get out of the overheated office. Thankyou all for your warm and friendly companionship! Dozo yoroshiku. Matane!

Here's my first view in the direction of the modest summit of Kaikomagatake as the clouds cleared. Right about now I was thinking "Sheesh. That snow doesn't look too stable and that face is angled at about 70 degrees. How can it even stick there?" (I'm a newbie climber with plenty to learn)

Our route wound around off to the right of the picture along a ridge which was a lot more secure.

The wind-deposited snow on the climb up was spectacular.
It left only the vertical slopes of giant boulders exposed.
And the underside of branches which, devoid of leaves, weave intricate networks across the sky.
Or paint delicate feathers on a grey canvas as even the sky was erased. Kirei!
The wonderful monuments to Shinto jut up through the white carpet to form a scene which could only be found in Japan.

So here we all are (trying not to look too cold - hey, I'm an Aussie, numb toes are still a bit of a novelty - that's me in the yellow). Sugoi desu nes!?

...and as I fumble to take the camera off the tripod which Yamaguchi-san carted up the climb (along with the six cans of Asahi, half a litre of sake and half a litre of whisky) for this one moment, I am already contemplating when I can get onto another mountain. Hopefully it won't be long. Domo! I throughly enjoyed the climb!

...and now we all have to get back down again in time for me to catch the train.

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PLEASE, if you like these photos and want to use them for something just send me an email and ask. I would much prefer this to having you sneakily put them on your own website without letting me know! The images are © Alan Dorin 2002, they are not available for use without my written permission except by the people appearing in the photos.