Training Report - Mt.Tokachidake (Mt.Tokachi) 37

We are still in April. It's amazing to be able to ride on snow in April so frequently. K participated in this training. It was minus 9 degrees Celsius at the Tokachidake Hot Springs (Tokachidake Onsen). The travelled distance was 15km.

The road was snow covered from the foot of the mountain. It's very rare for April. However, the road wasn't snow removed and the road surface state was like that of Mt.Tokachidake 16. He wasn't very motivated to climb from the foot of the mountain in such deep snow. So he commenced his training at the altitude of 950m.

He is crawling in the deep snow.


Hard rime is beautiful as usual.


He couldn't pass riding the bike the first 140 per mill climb. He had to walk there. After clearing this part, he continues climbing riding the bike. It's easier to climb than Mt.Tokachidake 16 but more difficult than Mt.Tokachidake 26.


He faithfully followed a pair of ruts of a car the next 130 per mill slant. He passed this part riding the bike. However, the ruts entered the hot springs' hotle situated at the altitude of 1200m. From this altitude there is no ruts. K has to climb on his own.

He is struggling with the deep snow.


He has to walk every corner which is steep. But windswept parts of the road aren't covered with fresh and deep snow. He passes those parts without any problems.




Reaching the last super steep hairpin bends, it became almost impossible to pass riding the bike. He had to walk the majority part of the hairpin bends. Two cars passed him. A Forester of Subaru was leading and a van of the hot springs' hotels was fallowing. The two cars were struggling with the deep snow and snow drifts. Clearing hugh snowdrifts is very difficult but finally they have managed to pass the difficult parts and attained the summit.
We have heard afterwards their strories:
At first, the van of the hotel was stranded due to deep snow and renounced to climb farther. However, the Subaru which came after was able to climb in such deep snow. So the Subaru carved out the way and the hotel's van followed the way the Subaru had paved. Subaru cars have good reputation for manoeuvrability on the snow like Audi's. This fact proves that.

Thanks to two cars, it became easier to climb. But he still has to struggle with snowdrifts.



He is stranded into a hugh snowdrift.


He has to walk to clear this part.


The last part of the climb to the summit, he can pass riding the bike.


Tokachidake Hot Springs.



Usual sprint training at the summit. But snowdrifts became much bigger than 10 minutes ago. It became almost impossible to ride the bike. If he had a two-wheel drive winter bike, he would be able to ride normally in such deep snow. But he hasn't.


He renounced the training and he decinded to go back.

But the descent isn't easy either. He looses control riding in such deep snow.


But during the descent, he heard the sound of a snowplough. So he stopped and waited that it comes.



He can now ride normally thanks to the snowplough.


He descended until the altitude of 1150m.


He climbed again to resume the training. This time ha can ride normally without any difficulty thanks to the snoplough.


He did usual sprint training several times at the summit.




He descends up to the bifurcation.






He's heading for the Fukiage Hot Springs.


The road for Bogakudai and the Shirogane Hot Springs which is closed during the winter is now under the snow removal operation.


Heading back.



Sprint training up to the summit of a small hill.


But the velocity didn't attain that of usual sprint training because of the fatigue. So he sat up before reaching the summit.


The descent.