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Iwate-san, Japan
Located in the Northern Alps, Tohoku area Elevation = 6686 ft., 2038 meters |
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| A Google Earth image of our climbing route on the south side of the mountain. The waypoints shown are available as a .gpx file which can be loaded in your GPS receiver. Iwate-san.gpx Point IW2 is the Ainosawa Campground which can be reached by bus from Morioka. The trailhead is a 1.7 km (1 mi.) walk west on the highway. It has a large parking area and restrooms. The trail goes through the forest to a dirt road at IW6. Go right and follow this for 300 m and turn left onto the trail (IW7). The trail continues through the forest and is easy walking. Further up it follows the ridge and is steep in some sections with ropes to hang onto. A highpoint is reached at IW19 (1880 m) and then the route drops to a hut. From there follow the trail up to the crater rim at IW22 then go left along the rim to the highpoint at IW25. It took us 3 1/2 hours to reach the hut and after a break there it was another 40 minutes to the top. Going down was faster at 2 1/2 hours. The hiking distance is 11.7 km (7 mi.) round-trip with an elevation change of about 1530 m (4670 ft.), however there is a drop of about 40 m (130 ft.) to the hut which yields an overall gain of about 1570 m (5150 ft.) to the summit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| A closer Google Earth view of the crater. Weather conditions were bad when we climbed up to the rim. It was very cold with blowing sleet and snow. We didn't stay long at the top. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The modern hut with bathroom and sleeping areas. A good place to shelter during bad weather. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the Iwate summit with freezing conditions. The photo doesn't show the blowing sleet and rain. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other sources of information about the mountain. The report by Rob Woodall on Peakbagger.com was very helpful. Iwate-san by Rob Woodall.
Iwate-san is one of Japan's top 100 peaks called The Hyakumeizan. There is a good website with reports on most all of the 100. Iwate-san at Japanhike. |
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| Transportation to the Mountain - There are four buses a day departing from bus stop #10 next to the Morioka train station which go past the campground. The bus makes a number of stops. I have shown when it stops and departs from the campground below. The cost was 1420 Yen to the campground. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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