キャンプ場側からアクセスしました森林限界を超えたあたりで一度眼下にオンネトーが見えます。その後は山頂まで見えません。オンネトーを角度を変えて見たいという人にはお勧めできません。隣の阿寒富士にも登ろうかと思いましたがガレ場が結構足に来て断念しました。一度5月の終わりに行った事があるのですが4合目くらいで雪に阻まれました。
There are 3 routes going to the top of the volcano. The easiest starts at Meakan-Spa (17 km from Akan-Ko, south west). The path starts hundred meters before the parking, left on the road. There are then some signs which say to take care in case of earthquake, and not to panic :-)The way to the top passes in the woods first, then on the rocks with a little bit of brushes, and finally on the rocks only (hardest part, take care not to fall). The total (one way) is a bit more of 2 hours, especially if you take pictures. From the top you see three calderas and a view of the Akan-Lake, and other mountains around. The way to go up is also very nice.Good for everybody, and afterwards it is good to relax in one of the spas of Akan-Ko.
Just in 2 hours you climb to real volcanic crater - with a steaming landscape and awesome views.20 minutes drive from Akan Onsen/Lake, the touristy village - it's signposted to Onneto lake off the road to Obihiro. The approach through the forest is beautiful.Comihg by bus from Akan Onsen (5 a day) you get off at Meakan Onsen and the youth hostel. Go back down the road a few yards to the trali head. If coming by car there is a parking area.Take note of the warning signs at the entrance - particularly the reassuring one about trying NOT to panic if there is an earthquake while you are the rim...The first hour is up through the forest - where the trail literally goes up through the tree roots - the red pine here are unusual in Japan and many appear to be growing on bare rock.Then the trail emerges above the treeline and zigzags up to the crater rim. There are 10 stages. Strange lampshade-like machines are actually gas sensors.Fantastic views back down to Lake Onneto, the surrounding hills and Lake Akan.Then you reach the crater and peer dowm into the steaming interior with the red lake at the bottom...before a vertigo-inducing scamble up the last 10 minutes to the peak. Wow!Choices here are onwards round the crater and back down to Lake Onneto - 3 hours...or a path across the moonscape to Lake Akan - 4 hours.I didn't get to do these this time as the light was fading - but I'll be back! See you up there!
雌阿寒岳の麓にあるオンネトーは、真っ青な水をたたえ、森の中にひっそりとある湖です。湖畔で湖を眺めているととても神秘的に見えています。また、雌阿寒温泉登山口から雌阿寒岳にも登りました。本格的な登山道ですが距離はそれ程なく(私は山頂まで2時間ほど)比較的登りやすいです。登山道からの景色が抜群で、目の前には荒々しい噴火口と阿寒富士、足元にはオンネトー、少し遠くを見ると、うっそうとした森の中に阿寒湖と雄阿寒岳を眺めることができます。
Well, it did! We couldn't bend our knees after this hike, and he was groaning for most of the next day when not just out of the onsen. Tip: Don't go up if its a cloudy day. Without the views, it's hard to make this worth it - we comforted ourselves with the fact that we did it in the end!There are basically 3 routes to the summit - a long windy from Lake Akan, one from Onneto Lake that was classed as family friendly but with scree, and the Meakan Spa route, which was described in the leaflet as the most popular with those wanting a timely hike. We took the last route, but would class this as an intermediate level hike – consistently steep, and you have to watch your footing – at the lower level there are tree roots, higher level full of rocks and boulders. Lots of scree especially towards the top, there were a few hairy moments with little rocks that thought they were ball bearings. Not an enjoyable hike, even with proper hiking boots - that said, the few other parties we passed, all Japanese hikers, all had walking poles with them - would have been very useful in all the steep and slippery parts (which was almost the full route). We started the hike on a cloudy day as we had no choice, this was the only day we had and this was supposed to be hike with great views. Which it would have, if not for the clouds! This hike was split into 10 stations, with wooden pole markets in Japanese script (it may be a good idea to familiarise yourself with what the characters are for 1 – 9 to see how far along you are). It took a long time (or so it felt) to reach stations 2 and 3, but after this, it got steeper and seemingly faster. As we climbed steadily up, there were a number of look out points (cloud, cloud, cloud) and as it got particularly rocky, it was the promised view of the caldera that kept us going. Gambatte!After station 7, the winds got fierce and cold – strangely I would have expected warm wind and even warm earth going up – but this was knifingly cold with a faceful of wet. Mt. Meakan is at a height of 1.5km; as we hiked up past the cloud level our clothes started to get wet, and then drenched – vapour was condensing directly into our bags, and jackets. Our electronic equipment was soaked – my little camera was dripping even inside my bag and my iPhone is still recovering (the light is still on from a panoramic shot I tried to take at the summit). Bear in mind that it wasn't raining, this was water condensing directly into our things!At one point we looked around the rocky trail (no trees towards the top, no shrubs, just rock – I thought of the Curiosity rover on Mars and realised this must be how she feels) – just a desolate wasteland. We felt like Frodo pushing ourselves to the top of Mt. Doom and envied how he got an eagle airlift out of there at the end. When we finally reached station 9 (hooray!) there was a sign that said the summit was 15 minutes hike more and so onward we trudged, soaked, hands numb with cold, knees in protest. We'd seen pictures of the caldera, and those would have made it All Worthwhile. We couldn't tell where the sumit was – it just looked like more rock. The only reason why we knew it was the Summit was a plaque (that we didn't understand). And the view? Cloud. Some rocks precariously silhouetted in the cloud. A whiff of sulphur. If you listened hard enough, some bubbling or gloopy sounds. More cloud. This is an active volcano, so no lingering for us nd back down it was . A little anti-climatic, we'd pat ourselves on the backs for pushing through when we enjoyed the hot springs after – and it was lucky that we didn't slip on the tree roots or rocks. Hairy moments, there were a few. Despite all this, we were glad we did it. First time on a live volcano! Also, the good thing was that the route was clearly marked, with red or yellow paint splotches on boulders to guide our way, and bright pink ribbons, incongrouously cheerful. (If only we had the views!) Upon starting the route there's a little logbook where you have to write details of your party and what time your ascended, and made it out (it is an active volcano after all). Our mistake was hiking on a cloudy day, and perhaps not turning back at station 7, when a group of 4 hikers had turned back due to the strong winds. We saw only a few other groups of hikers, most of them on the way back. We started the hike at 1020am, so a good tip would be to start early and perhaps avoid the worsening weather. We were done by 320pm, the hike in total was 2.5 hrs to the top, 1.6 hours back down, and 15 mins for the last stretch to the summit. We're not pro hikers, and didn't have poles, so this timing as cited in the guides, was actually pretty accurate for us. Tips: Make sure you dress adequately – we thought we were, for 15 degree weather at ground level, but at the top, it gets colder and a lot more windy! Essentials would be something to cover the ears, gore jacket to keep out the wind, trousers that you don't mind getting muddy, and that doens't get drenched! Gloves that can be used to scrabble on rocks and mud would be helpful, as would hiking poles. A knee guard might have been useful – this is a steep trail and hard on the knees. Water and trail snacks. Electronics in cloth bags to soak up the condensate. We would have loved a change of shoes and clothes back in the car, but forgot about this. Best tip of all – wait for good weather to do this hike!
二時間から三時間位と少し疲れる登山とはなりますが、頂上から見える絶景は期待を裏切りません。健脚な方はとなりの阿寒フジにも登ってみてください。夏は高山植物が綺麗に咲いていますよ。
雌阿寒温泉(野中温泉)に宿泊し宿のワンコに付き添われながら登山スタートしました。この山慣れしたガイド犬?かなりがっつり上まで登ってきます。雌阿寒岳登山でレトリバー1匹だったり灰色のもこもこ犬と2匹だったりを見かけたら野中温泉のワンコだと思ってください。途中、かなり軽装の外人さんがスタスタと追い抜いて行くなど、登山コースとしては軽度な方だと思われます。それでもちゃんと百名山のひとつです。前半は松の根がうねうねした山道、後半は岩がごろごろした道になります。自分たちは登頂後再び野中温泉に戻るまでで4時間程度でした。雲っていて景色はイマイチでしたが噴火口には所々煙が見られました。
雌阿寒岳は初めての登山でしたので、一番ポピュラーといわれる野中温泉(雌阿寒温泉)ルートを選択。広い駐車場、トイレ完備。温泉は隣合わせで3軒あり、そこからたっぷりと溢れ出す硫黄泉のにおいで、すぐにでも湯船につかりたい気持ちを抑えつつ登山開始。木根が階段状になったコースを抜けると、ハイマツ林。ハイマツが背丈より徐々に低くなると、がれ場。そしてその先には火口、そして山頂。山頂では他2ルートからの登山者が登ってくる様子も見られ、次はどのルートにしようか、などと思いながら休憩。登山した日は快晴で、ルート途中にはオンネトー(湖)や眼下に広がる樹林帯、火口底の池、火口数カ所から勢いよく上がる煙が見え、山頂からは雄阿寒岳・阿寒富士・阿寒湖と温泉街、遠くに旭岳も見え、最高の景色でした。足元の草花の紅葉、酒の肴程度のキノコとりを楽しみながら下山。2合目から登山口まではシマリスたちが何匹も目の前に姿を見せてくれました。麓の温泉は、三軒どこもかけ流しの純粋な温泉。熱すぎず、じっくりとはいっていられる感じです。お子さん連れのファミリーには半混浴の露天風呂の施設も楽しいかも。ここは硫黄泉なので体をしっかり泡立てて洗いたいかたには阿寒温泉街の日帰り入浴の方がよいかもしれません。野中温泉ルートは短時間、短距離なだけに、ほぼ登りですが、絶景を楽しめます。ぜひ天気の良い日に。
We did this hike based on the Lonely Planet description of this as an easy hike. We have done hikes all over the world and I would not describe this as easy or for novices. The trail is well marked, but not maintained at all. In many sections your climbing up large tangles of tree roots or rocks. The footing does not improve above the treeline as the gravel is very loose and it is very easy to slip on it. We also hiked it as a circuit and the entrance to the return hike around the lake is not well marked and it is longer than what the guidebooks claim. If you have a car start at the trailhead and hike back to it instead. If you don't have a car, hike down from the peak back to town. Despite these complaints about the trail, the views are spectacular and the hike is worth the effort. Just heed the warnings so that you know what to expect and I would not advise this hike at all in the rain.
1500円でテント、竿、餌が借りられ、釣ったわかさぎは、湖横の食堂で天ぷらにしてくれます。釣れなくても天ぷら1人前はサービスでもらえるのでわかさぎ釣り初心者には超お勧めです♪湖の上では、スノーモービルなどのアクティビティもできます。たまに、ミニスカートにブーツなんて命知らずな方も見かけますが、極寒の氷の上です。防寒はしっかりしてくださいね!