Well, I guess it is like fishing, it is bound to happen sooner or later. Somehow I always find activating in Europe a lot easier than in Japan for some reason. I originally thought it was because Japanese stations were shy to answer a foreigner even with a Japanese call sign but I saw on the same day a JM8 station struggling to get enough QSOs to activate his summit as well. I did get spotted on 20m but right away (like 2 seconds) after being spotted a QRO station out of New Caledonia comes on the QRG and crushes me… Oh well it was not meant to be. I got to the summit too late as well and did not have enough time to persevere and that is only my fault. We left the summit at sunset and got to the car as night was falling. Very tricky snow conditions (super heavy mud like consistence) and tons of trees/bushes made the hike and the riding down very challenging. In normal conditions this summit should take 3 hours but it took us slightly more than 6 to reach the summit. Boy am I glad I was carrying all my radio gear . Thankfully the views made the whole thing still worth it.
On the way up after a fresh layer of snow:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01258.html
Bunny tracks:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01273.html
The easy part ends, the bushwhacking starts:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01273.html
Ok, we’re finally on the ridge:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01292.html
Nearby summits come into view:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01304.html
Summiting under a slight cloud cover, will the solar panel be enough?
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01310.html
Chris happy to have reached the summit. Naeba-san (JA/NI-005) in the background, Tashiro/Kagura ski resort in the foreground:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01312.html
Somebody forgot his sunscreen lotion:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01313.html
The sun is setting, time to go back. Sennokura at 2023m on the left (not a SOTA for some reason) and Tairappyo on the right:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01334.html
Long shadows. Makihatayama chain on the left, Shigekuradake on the right (near SOTA Tanigawadake) :
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160316/original/DSC01340.html
1Mio+ hams in Japan, where were they on wednesday?
I should have stayed there:
http://www.japanpeuf.com/20160304/original/DSC01123.html
73,
Arnaud