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先日は息子達と北アルプスの白馬連峰で山登りをしてきました。その雄大の山々の眺めが感激だったが、足元にもう一つの感激があった:　高山植物。

標高2600mぐらいで次から次へ綺麗な花が咲いていた。石楠花や野イチゴの何となく馴染みがある花もあったが、初めて見た花も多かった。

普通な生活している時に人の作った庭で綺麗な花はいくらでも見れるけど、高山植物は人間の手が関係なく、尚且つ激しい環境で育って、感心します。

長野って、良い所だね。

The other day my sons and I went mountain climbing in the Northern Alps. As we were hiking around the 2600m level in the Hakuba Range, we were treated to awe-inspiring mountain scenery. But there at our feet was something else that was awe-inspiring: alpine wildflowers.

We were delighted to see so many different types of wildflowers on the peaks. Some we were familiar with, such as rhododendrons and wild strawberries, but others we had never seen before.

Down here in town, in our usual daily lives, we often see beautiful flowers that people planted in their gardens. But alpine wildflowers grow with no help by human hand, and in such extreme conditions. Sublimely awe-inspiring.

Isn't Nagano great?!

12歳のAndy君と9歳のKen君と北アルプスの白馬連峰を登ってきました。家族の夏休みで、子供達はTDLに行きたかった。しかし、お父さん（=私）の誕生日だったので、6月に八方池まで登った思い出があって、是非に子供達と一緒に北アルプスに行きたかった。

せっかくアルプスの近くに住んでいる（戸倉上山田⇔白馬は車で約75分）ので山登りに最適。

ご参考に、私達のコースは下記です:

Our 2 sons (Andy, 12 and Kenny, 9) came with me for a mountain climbing expedition to the Hakuba Range in the northern Japanese Alps. It was our family's summer vacation, and actually the kids wanted to go to Disneyland. But as it was my birthday, and my June trip to Happo Pond had me yearning for the mountains, we went climbing instead.

Actually, our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada is only 75 minutes by car from Hakuba, so it is so convenient to enjoy Nagano's mountain grandeur.

Of the many trekking possibilities there are in the Hakuba Range, here is the course we took:

一に目Day 1
13:00, 800m 白馬の町からリフトに乗った。
Took the chair lift from down in Hakuba Village.
14:00, 1820m 八方池山荘から登り始まった。
Started climbing from Happo Pond Mountain Hut.
15:00, 2080m 八方池到着。再び登り始まった。
Reached Happo Pond. Started climbing again.
16:30, 2620m 唐松山荘到着。夕食と泊り。
Reached the Karamatsu Mtn. Hut. Dinner and Lodging.
二日目Day 2
04:00, 2620m 唐松山荘にて日の出、朝食。05:30出発。
Sunrise and breakfast at Karamatsu Hut. Dep. 05:30.
06:00, 2696m 唐松岳山頂　Karamatsu Mountain summit
07:00~, 2600m 不帰ノ嶮　'Ridge of No Return'
名前通り、一歩間違えたらおしまい険しい峰。
As the name says, 1 false step and you're a gonner. A very technical series of ridges.
10:00, 2812m 天狗ノ頭山頂　Tengu-no-Atama summit
10:30, 2730m 天狗山荘 水場（雪溶け。助かった！）
Tengu Mountain Hut. Watering hole (snow melt -- it was a lifesaver!)
12:00, 2100m　白馬鑓温泉　Hakuba Yari Onsen
着く直前の道が滑りやすくて危ない事！
The descent to the onsen is steep, with the last stretch requiring much caution due to the slippery conditions.
13:00, 2100m お風呂と昼食後、鑓温泉出発
After an onsen soak and lunch, we departed Yari Onsen.
15:30, 1250m 猿倉荘到着 Arrived Sarukura-sou mountain hut.

白馬連峰のリフトなど詳しい事はこちらClick here for more info on climbing the Hakuba Range.

２０１２年の夏はまた暑～い！その暑さに負けないように、何が良いかと色々と挑戦したら、良い物に当たりました:

滝シャワー！

戸倉上山田温泉の裏にある１２５２mの冠着山の北側に久露滝、南側に不動滝の２つの滝があります。お客様と一緒にその滝にハイキングして、滝の水でシャワーを浴びる事を考えています。

６月は父の日に久露滝に初めて行ってみた。登り口は亀清旅館から車で7.1km（約１５分）、ハイキングは１０～１５分。落差は１５ｍ。

そして、この７月に今度は不動滝に初めて行ってみた。亀清から登り口までは普通の道の4.6km（12分）＋インディージョーンズの世界から出てきそうな凸凹の林道で約2㎞。丸太の橋を渡って、川の横のトレールを登って、約10分。不動滝の水量及び落差は久露滝に負けますが、ワイルド度はかなり高い。

この夏は暑さに負けないで、ご一緒に滝シャワー冒険ツアーに行きましょう！詳しくは亀清旅館へTelを。

Summer 2012 is shaping up to be a hot one! We here at Kamesei Ryokan are thinking up ways to beat the heat, and have come across the perfect solution:

A Waterfall Shower!

1252-meter Kamuriki Mtn. towers over our onsen town, Togura-Kamiyamada. On its north side is Kuro Falls, and on its south side is Fudo Falls.

On Father's Day, I took our kids for a walk up to Kuro Falls. The trailhead is a 15 minute, 7.1km drive from our inn, and the hike is a fairly steep 10-15 minute endeavor. The falls offer plenty of water fall for a shower from their 15-meter drop.

This July, the kids and I went exploring for Fudo Falls. The drive is a tame 4.6km (12 minute) cruise up the backroads of Kamiyamada, followed by an Indiana Jones - like bumpy ride up a dirt track another 2km. After parking the car (jeep?), you cross the log bridge and walk up the trail adjacent to the creek for approximately 10~15 minutes to the falls. Fudo Falls is a lot smaller and shorter than Kuro, but provides plenty of chill action for a summer heat-beating waterfall shower.

So this summer, come with us for a waterfall shower tour! Feel free to inquire by telephone for details.

亀清旅館Kamesei Ryokan