Northern Alps Mt. Tsurugi 2,999m (Toyama Prefecture)
*The famous peak that all mountaineers aspire to: Mount Tsurugi
To test our gear, we hiked Mt. Tsurugi, one of the 100 famous mountains in the Northern Alps, with our mountaineering crew (#MANIGCREW) for three days and two nights. On the first day, we left Tokyo at 2am and arrived at "Ogizawa" Parking Lot around 7am. We quickly gained altitude on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route to "Murodo".
Tsurugisawa Campsite, which serves as the base camp for the attack on Mt. Tsurugi, is closed for the winter and the situation with the water sources is unknown, so we decided to talk to the people at the mountain hut at Raichozawa nearby before deciding on a campsite for the first day.
We were told that the toilets at Tsurugisawa Campsite were out of service and that the water supply depended on whether the hoses froze (usually at this time of year there is snow on the ground), so we decided to pitch our tent at Raichozawa Campsite on the first day.
* Thermal wear made as a #MANIGCREW hiking uniform
On the second day, the rain that had been falling since the previous night stopped around 13:00, so we quickly packed our bags and walked to our next destination, Tsurugisawa Campsite. As mentioned above, there were no toilets and we didn't know where the water sources were, so we took plenty of water with us.
* Baseball cap , Activist Slacks
*Setting up tents at Tsurugisawa Campsite
I wanted to test the VISOR HOODIE -SWC- on this mountain trip. It's a soft shell made from 3-layer waterproof fabric. It features action pleats on the back and behind the elbows. The drawcord stitching on the side of the hood is curved, not straight. Also wearing ACTIVIST SLACKS for the bottoms.
On the third day, the forecast was for sunny skies only in the morning, so we started our attack on the summit of Mt. Tsurugi at 2am.
As a result of the discussion the night before, everyone except for one person who is used to rocky terrain decided to greet the sunrise at "Maetsurugi", the peak just before the summit. We arrived too early, so we waited for about an hour until sunrise. The light from the headlamp of one of the people who had gone ahead of us was catching the peak of Mt. Tsurugi. It was dark, so we prayed for safety.
The sky is gradually starting to burn. The contrast with the shape of Mt. Kashima-yari, which we climbed last year, was beautiful.
Looking back in the dark where we hiked, we saw the ridgeline burn beautifully. Mt. Betsuyama, one of the three peaks of Mt. Tateyama, was also clearly visible.
*This is off the record at the time of publishing, but here is an iPhone with a sticker from FLOWFUL WORKS, an up-and-coming fishing tool manufacturer with which we are planning to collaborate this winter.
As the surrounding area becomes brighter, we continue walking to the summit. The photo shows the "Kanino Tatebai" (Crab Climbing Pass), which is said to be a difficult spot. We climb vertically up the rocks.
The action pleats on the back of the elbows also serve as ventilation.
When we look directly below the ladder, our legs get shaken, so we walk pass by quickly.
A sample of a knit cap, an item currently in progress. I like the exotic design. It is made by knitting merino wool and acrylic yarns alternately in units of several meters. Merino wool knits are warm, but they have the disadvantage that they are slow to dry when wet. Therefore, I thought that I could overcome this problem by increasing the number of acrylic yarns area.
*The backpack is Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400, 3400
It rained every day of the three-day trip. The return journey on the third day was especially rainy. The mountain hike/climb was very comfortable wearing the VISOR HOODIE -SWC- and ACTIVIST SLACKS -SWC- that we tested this time. Even after being hit by rain for a long time, there were no problems with the seam processing, and my inner layer did not get wet. I feel that seam processing is essential for items such as tents, but I concluded that it is unnecessary (over-spec) for active wear.
*This is just my personal opinion.
Although the clothing rubbed against the rocky ridges, the fabric never tore. The information I gained from the test hike on Mt. Tsurugi was valuable. I'll use it to make the next item.
