Two-day hike to Mt Jii and Mt Kashimayari
Updated: Aug 3
Hike dates: August 1-2, 2026
This weekend I carried my tent to Tsumetaike camping site for a 2-day hike to Mt Jii and Mt Kashimayari. It's one of my favourite hikes in the North Alps, although this time I was not blessed with the views or good weather I've had on previous visits. Anxious to avoid the high mountain hut charges I carried my tent up the steep Kashiwarabara Shindo trail and was disappointed to see that the weather forecast of cloud and sunny weather was correct apart from the sunny part. In addition, I realized I had forgotten my rainwear. There were strong winds and very limited visibility on Mt Jii and the ridge line.
I finally made it to the camp site and set up for the night in strong winds. Because of the conditions, I decided to climb Kashimayari on the next morning rather than on the first afternoon as originally planned. In the night I was woken by something snorting and grunting around the tent. I had breakfast not 20 cm from my head, so I was relieved when what I think must have been a bear moved away.
The next morning I climbed Kashimayari peak as planned. There were glimpses of views but the visibility didn't improve as hoped. However, my spirits were lifted by a couple of raicho (rock ptarmigan) sightings and it turned out to be a tough but rewarding hike. In the end there were a few drops of rain, but I was relieved that forgetting my rainwear did not prove to be a serious error.
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