Exploring Mitake San [御岳山]

One of the great demerits of riding out on the weekend is that time is always limited. Sometimes I really would like to stop and explore the area, take photos of buildings and situations are just ride to a point where no steep climb or senseless long ride is required to do before.

Luckily I have broken my left hand and while everybody else is out there training for the Transalp tour or JCRC 2009 series I had plenty of time "on hand" to try something new. So on Tuesday after enjoying a ridiculous assessment center the day before, I went out hiking to Mitake-san in Okutama with Kathrin.

I have passed countless time the entry to Mitake on Yoshino Kaido between Ikusabata and Okutama-Ko but I never could make up my mind to go there. So this time without training, my left hand still numb and without power, we didn't even bother to check if we could climb up the mountain but straight away took the cable car to the top. The peak of Mitake is at app. 930 m elevation, but the shrine and the small village on the top, actually surprising big, is at about 800 or so. So this is quite a difference in elevation to the road below running along the Tanagawa at elevation 300 meters more or less.

We were surprised to see quite a number of Minicars on top so when we were getting ready to return to base, we asked the local guys if there is a trail down. Yes, there is one so we walked about 3 km and 500 - 600 elevation meter down.The trail is quite steep and even walking down gives you an OWI of more than 1 (Open wada Index). And much to my surprise, the whole trail is asphalted and in very good shape.

So, this is the perfect training ground for those of us who are bored with Wada and looking for a new challenge.

Actually you can take your bike up or down with the cable car at extra charge (quite steep). Which might be a good idea because I cannot imagine that riding down there will be much fun.
Let me know if we should include this in in Toge Baka.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/jp/okutama/352124407950438622