Aizu Komgatake - Autumn trekking

The trailhead for Aizukomagatake is located in Hinoemata Village. From Tokyo, one must get off at the Nasu Shiobara interchange and drive down the road from there for about two hours. It is a bit far to go there just to walk along the Miike Kodo, which is also in Hinoemata Village, so the next day we went to Aizu-komagatake.

It is a continuous climb to the summit. There is no view on the route. We climbed up only with the desire to see the pond at the top of the mountain. Usually, I become warm within the first 15 minutes of walking, but on this day, it took me about an hour until I did not feel out of breath. The first steep climb is the hardest part of Aizu-komagatake, indeed.

However, although it was muddy in places, it was basically well maintained and easy to walk.

Finally passed through the forest limit, and a portion of the open landscape was seen.

Once through this wooden path, we could command a view of…

this. We came all the way here to see this view :D

We are almost to the Koma-no-hut.

It is the same road I will take on the way back, but I don't know if the view will be the same. So I turned around and took a picture.

As we started walking along the wooden path, which was said to be slippery without fail, we saw the hut we had just passed on the other side.

A short time after passing near the top of Komagatake, I looked back.

A wooden path leads up to Chumon-dake.

Let's take another break on that bench over there.

Even when you look back,

Even when you look forward,

And when you look back again,

It's nice you can command the path you're going.

That you can look the path you're going always makes you feel good.

We decided going back as the gas came out and the pace was very slow.

Once again, we were back in this place after successfully completing the often-slippery wooden path.

On the way back, it was still clear and we could see far into the distance.

The Koma no Hut, where we had lunch, was lovely, though I only saw the exterior.

After passing the last area with open views, we headed back down the road we had come.

The way go down felt much longer than the ascent, and it was harder on my body. The incline was so steep that I was impressed with myself for having made the climb.

Aizu-komagatake is not so close that we can casually say, "I want to climb again!". The ponds in autumn, the clear summit with a far-reaching view, the benches where we took a rest at various places were all impressive. We were lucky with everything, and it was one of the most memorable climbs of the year.

奥山に 紅葉踏み分け鳴く鹿の 声聞くときぞ 秋は悲しき

In the deep mountains

making a path

through the fallen leaves,

the plaintive belling of the stag

how forlorn the autumn feels.