First Snow at Kappa Bridge

Once again, this week’s post is exactly what it says on the tin.  Temperatures in Nagano Prefecture plummeted yesterday and while snow has yet to fall at lower altitudes it has made an appearance at Kappa Bridge.  Winter is knocking at the door folks, and there’s no use hiding.

A prelude to the “silver season.”

The snow may be light, but the feeling of cold in this pic is palpable!

The autumn season has been something of a roller coaster this year with rain and chilly weather occasionally clearing up for a day or two of clear skies.  Now, with the skies once again clearing for a spell, you have the chance to enjoy the last of the seasonal foliage along with some lovely snow capped mountain scenes.  Just make sure you dress up and have a good pair of gloves on you.  It’s not much fun snapping pictures when your fingers are frozen.

The karamatsu (Japanese larch) hit their peak last week and will be shedding their needles in the days leading up to closing on November 15th.

Those late autumn mountain views mentioned earlier do make this a great time to visit as long as the weather is good.  Even on the sunniest days, though, warm winter apparel is already a must with morning temperatures now dropping below zero.

The Azusa River, with the snow capped Hotaka peaks in the background. Note the warm apparel of the hikers in the foreground.

As always, we’d like to thank the folks at NPG for their beautiful pictures and valuable info.  It helps keep us all in the loop.

Now that we are at the stage when warm clothing has become an issue of safety rather than just comfort, be sure you take sufficient care to stay warm!

Source of Info and Images:

National Park Guide Kamikochi blog: https://npg-alps.net/