As my father never grew tired of reminding me, going for a hike at higher altitudes means preparing for three different seasons: the current one, the previous one, and the next one. Since the last three days in Kamikochi have offered both spring-like and winter-like conditions (no sign of summer yet), this is good advice to follow.
These pictures from the National Park Guide website show you how drastic the difference between two days can be:
The scene on Wednesday. Lovely blue skies and the promise of springlike weather…
Aaaand the next day. The lack of sun makes for much colder temperatures and diminished scenery.
This should serve as an elegant reminder of how important it is to check the weather before heading out to Kamikochi. If you have a choice between a clear day and an overcast one, the difference is like night and day.
Rewinding to happier times, these images from Wednesday give a good impression of current conditions on the paths. Recent visitors have also reported contact with monkeys which is always exciting (just don’t get too close or make eye contact).
Spring thaw is a gradual process, but it’s well underway!
“You talkin’ to me?” Kamikochi’s sometimes surly simian population is out in force. Taking photos is of course permitted, but keep your distance.
Once again a big thanks to the bloggers at NPG who are doing almighty work to keep visitors from all around informed about current conditions in Kamikochi. day after day, your efforts amaze!
And yes, since we are required to say this in every post, please remember to dress warmly if you visit in the near future.
Source of Information:
National Park Guide Kamikochi Blog: https://npg-alps.net/blog/today/16520 and https://npg-alps.net/blog/today/16533
