ever heard of "100 famous japanese mountains (日本百名山)"? the list was actually from a book written in 1964. although the book was really based on the author's personal choice, i guess based on how old it was and that it won a national award, the list persisted and has quite become a holy grail for japan mountain hikers.
the topic of this blog entry is sadly not part of that famous list. although most peaks along the mountain ridge where it is part of is included in the list, this mountain seemed overlooked. in this entry, we will explore the beauty of the overlooked mount karamatsu.
facts
mount karamatsu, also known as karamatsudake (唐松岳), is a 2696 meter high mountain straddling between the nagano and toyama prefectures. this mountain is part of japan's "northern alps" along with very famous mountains which were included in that 1964 book. now that close proximity offers a 360 degree panoramic view of those other mountains makes karamatsudake attractive to many climbers.
we took the easiest trail which passes through the happo pond when we hiked this mountain last july. i have previously written the beginning and the end parts of this trip as seen below, this entry now is the meat and juice of the whole trip, the path to the summit.
| karamatsudake hike series |
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| trip to hakuba : July 19 2025 |
| happo pond stop : July 20 2025 |
| happo ike discussions : reflections round 230 |
| the trail down to home : July 21 2025 |
from the pond
the route to happo pond was fairly easy and people visiting the pond were in casual clothes even, but the road further is the real deal. there was even a clear sign warning people not to proceed further if not in hiking gears. yes this is it, and this rocky path started it all.
we were heading for the clouds. this mountain sure has lots of greeneries.
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see the circle painted on the rocks? the trail is marked by these circles so hikers don't get lost.
to ice
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ice in july! karamatsudake is a snowy mountain indeed, good thing we won't be walking on this ice. i don't know where this person is headed but this path is not towards the peak of karamatsudake. we passed up the rocky side and looked back at the ice below. i wonder how snowy it gets in winter to have this much ice left in july.
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this next section had a huge icy portion. i am terrible at walking on ice so i took the long detour at the side. but there wasn't a clear trail so i guess walking on ice was the best choice. our friend did that exactly. i asked him how it was and vowed that i will try that on our way down.
back to rocks
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this mountain just had so many rocks, but i love their color. which minerals could have caused this beautiful warm colors? this was an illusion though, it was cold!
these are definitely clouds, right? it gets cold every time these clouds flew by.
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the trail got dangerously narrow and slippery at times; and people were giving us warnings to be extra careful. news had spread that someone had to be rescued after skidding off the sides of the mountain earlier that day.
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the final rocks before the final push. we were walking on the ridges, it may not look like it but we were pretty up high. it was the type which makes your knees go weak.
the final stretch
up that cloud covered area is the peak of karamatsudake. we reached the mountain hut at around 4:30 pm, but there is no need to hurry. we will be staying for the night up here and will continue with the downhill trek tomorrow. just a few more meters and we have conquered the peak.
time for a quick gossip! this mountain requires around 6 hours of hiking, so i admire these grandmas who decided to have their gathering up in these slopes. seeing grandmas like them pushes me to strive for more.
but first we had to "check in" at this hut; we already made reservations months before as sleeping slots run out very fast as this mountain hut is only open from june to october each year. as you may have guessed, that is also the climbing window for karamatsudake; snow most likely fill up everything beyond those months.
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after confirming our accommodations, we left our backpacks at the hut and proceeded to the summit.
these rock formations look so stunning. we could see a small town at the foot of the mountain from afar. we are indeed at cloud level and that made it cold.
summit of karamatsudake
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standing majestic at 2696 meters above sea level, we have finally reached the peak. if it were just a bit cheaper, i would gladly come here at least once every month it is climbable. the feeling you get reaching a mountain this high is indescribable. next to mt fuji which i climbed once over ten years ago, this mountain is the highest in recent history.
seeing lovebirds up this high is makes me jittery; finding a partner who shares a similar hobby is truly a blessing. i mean, no one would climb mountains for a date if it weren't a hobby. seeing them having a quiet time up here deserves respect and admiration.
the peak itself is filled with rocks, quite empty which makes it a great vantage point for an unobstructed view of the whole mountain ridge.
that at the distance was the mountain hut where we came from and left our stuff. it took us around 15 minutes to reach the peak from the hut. we will be staying in there for a night. you can actually opt out of the accommodations and camp just below like the handful of people who set up their colorful tents at the clearing on the slopes.
11000 yen (71 usd) for a bed, additional of 4000 (26 usd) for dinner and breakfast, quite hefty but i guess reasonable enough. you can check out their site for more info.
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clouds covered the mountains when we came. they have finally cleared up after we took in lots of sceneries, fresh air, and pictures. this trail leads to a 100 famous mountain listed shirouma.
sunset by the hut
finally back at the hut just waiting for the setting sun. i wonder which peak that is in front.
i decided to grab some coffee while waiting. people were starting to gather outside for a sunset view as well. this is how the main entrance of the mountain hut looks like, by the way. it is no 5 star hotel, you don't even get to have a private room. no warm baths, no bathing at all for the water is limited for essentials only. but nevertheless, i am just glad to be under its roof for tonight.
and this breathtaking view is worth more than any 5 star hotel. nature truly is wonderful! i am just so glad to be alive! it is in moments like these where you get to free up your minds of any worries. everything will all be just fine!
it really was a sight to behold! i was just standing there with mouth agape: smiling at times with a small tear in my eye. i totally get why hikers continue hiking, and this just renewed my love for the great outdoors.
(i am submitting this as entry to 
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and just like that, the golden sun has set. time was fleeting, but every second of it was all worth it. karamatsudake's peak with the visible marker stands tall and proud staring back at us. it may not be recognized as one of the 100 famous japanese mountains, but it sure made a great impact to this not so innocent boy.
as always, AMPING KANUNAY!
all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified
all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra