Mt. Goryu-dake hiking & climbing route

Route Guide

Head to a gondola station from Happo bus terminal. Ride a gondola and lift. The walk starts from Happou-ike-sanso Mountain hut. Till the second cairn, the trail separates twice. Chose which ever you like. Take a break by Happou pond, which reflects the Hakuba Mountains on its surface. Walk through Betula Ermani forest then continue through Pinus Pumila forest as you gain elevation. Near by Maruyama cairn, the trail passes the tree line and the view becomes wider. An overpowering rock wall of Kaerazu-no-ken will be right in front of you. Karamatsu-dake Chojo-sanso Mountain hut is reached shortly. If you are staying at this hut, it’s better to climb Mt. Karamatsu-dake right away. Follow the ridgeline for 20 minutes and the summit will be reached.
From the summit of Mt. Karamatsu-dake, follow the ridgeline to Mt. Goryu-dake via Karamatsu-dake Chojo-sanso. The trail is trod on by many hikers so it is stable. It includes rocky and graveled zones, so caution needs to be employed. Do not fall while distracted by the great views. Especially from Ushikubi to a saddle of Mt. Daikoku-dake, follow marked stones carefully. After this spot, the trail becomes covered by Pinus Pumila. Mt. Goryu-dake can be seen in front of you.

From a Siratake junction, go straight while looking at Tomi o’ne on your left, which will be used for descending. The graveled road begins. It becomes steeper as you proceed but the trail is stable. The summit is close when the trail becomes rocky. Be careful not to kick off rocks. After passing a short chain, turn right from the ridgeline to Mt. Kashima-yari-gatake. Mt. Goryu-dake will be reached. The summit is wide with a great view. Especially Mt. Karamatsu-dake and Mt. Kashima-yari-gatake are so close that hikers on the summits might be seen.

For descending, walk on Tomi o’ne to Alps-daira. It will be refreshing hiking except during the snow season. There are some steep downhills. Walk carefully. Along the trail, Mt. O-tomi-yama, Mt. Naka-tomi-yama and Mt. Ko-tomi-yama are seen so beautifully that you might spend a longer time on the trail. Enjoy the walk while paying attention to the timeline. From Alps-daira, use a gondola to descend.