Autumn Colours in the Alps (Mt Shirouma and Hakuba-Oike)
Hike dates: October 9-10, 2026
With everywhere likely to be packed with people for the 3-day weekend, I decided to get a head start on the holiday crowds and begin my hike on Friday. Arriving at the Tsugaike ropeway just before the start time of 8AM I realized that a lot of people had exactly the same idea. Still, I was able to get on board without too much waiting, and before long was at the trailhead, located at the entrance to the Tsugaike Nature Park at 1,860 metres. With time to play with, I decided to enter the park, where the autumn foliage was just past its best. Despite this, I found some trees that were still at the peak of their colours and was able to enjoy some fine views over the next day’s destination of Mt Shirouma. From there I returned to the trailhead, and began the steep rocky climb to Hakuba-Oike and the mountain hut that was going to be my resting place for the night.
The weather was hot, and I was soon down to the same clothing that I’d been wearing in mid-summer. I’d only climbed this mountain earlier in the season when snow was reminding and I was struck by the number of huge uneven rocks on the steep trail to Mt Hakuba-Norikura after the snow had melted. After more big rocks I descended to Hakuba-Oike lake, which was the location of the mountain hut I had booked for the night. It is a busy time and I was packed into a small room with 4 others and little hope of a comfortable night's sleep. It was a bit tight but perhaps inevitable given the fine weather and the holiday weekend.
The next morning I was up early and heading along the long ridge line to Mt Korenge and then Mt Shirouma. Thankfully the crowds were yet to appear so I was able to enjoy the spectacular views over the North Alps and down to the Hakuba-Oike lake and Nature Park in near solitude. I was surprised to find I was the only person at the summit of the popular hyakumeizan mountain Mt Shirouma. An excellent hike was made even better by the appearance of a couple of raicho rock ptarmigans as I returned from the ridge like back to the hut to pick up the back pack I had deposited in the morning.
By the time I was heading down the mountain the crowds were starting to climb up. It was almost a line of people and I was delighted to have got the bulk of my hike in before they arrived. As expected there was a long line for the ropeway heading down, but I was pleased to have had such a fine hike in near perfect conditions.
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