Winter Hiking in Mt. Mokoto

The mountains are completely surrounding Lake Kussharo in eastern Hokkaido Prefecture. It's here you'll find a field to fully enjoy winter activities. This time, two Irish enjoy winter hiking on Mt. Mokoto with an altitude of 1,000 meters. As they go deep into the snow-covered mountain, they spot some evidence of wildlife. There, a mysterious landscape unfolds as the result of snowfall and strong winds. They are ready to have some fun they can only try out in a deep snow-covered mountain.

Transcript

00:01

Mountains surround Lake Kussharo,

00:04

the largest caldera lake in Japan.

00:07

It's here you'll find a snow field to enjoy Hokkaido's winter season,

00:13

and a variety of activities

00:14

to make the most of the harsh natural environment.

00:24

In this episode,

00:25

we enjoy hiking on snow-covered Mt. Mokoto by Lake Kussharo.

00:35

Wild Hokkaido!

00:41

Lake Kussharo, in eastern Hokkaido,

00:45

is a caldera lake formed by ancient volcanic activity.

00:51

Its 57-kilometer-long perimeter is completely surrounded by mountains.

01:02

One of those peaks is Mt. Mokoto.

01:05

With an altitude of 1,000 meters,

01:08

it's the highest of all the peaks here.

01:18

Mid-March.

01:24

Ryan Gilbride from Ireland

01:26

has arrived at Mt. Mokoto as the snow begins to fall.

01:33

So it's not really any trouble to us.

01:39

We've been in some really bad blizzards.

01:43

At least today the wind's not too strong,

01:45

so it should be fine, I think.

01:50

Ryan met Mark, who's also Irish, six years ago here in Hokkaido.

01:57

They've been all-season hiking buddies ever since.

02:06

Whenever they go hiking on snowy peaks,

02:10

they wear personal radio transmitters.

02:13

A potentially life-saving piece of equipment in case of an avalanche.

02:23

The next piece of equipment is...

02:28

a child's sled!

02:34

Although Ryan has hiked Mt. Mokoto many times,

02:38

he's decided to try something a little different today.

02:45

OK, are you ready?

02:46

Let's go.

02:48

If I get tired, you can carry me, OK?

02:50

No worries!

02:51

On the sled.

02:55

They set off for the mountain's ridge.

03:04

The carpark from which they started has an altitude of 600 meters.

03:10

Even in winter,

03:12

they should be able to reach the peak in around two hours.

03:16

Both are familiar with the mountain.

03:23

But the snow can be heavy and treacherous at this time of the year,

03:28

so they will still proceed with caution.

03:33

- OK, are you ready?
- No problem, my turn.

03:37

Let's go.

03:43

It's quite deep, so it's quite tiring to break in.

03:51

They each take turns in the lead to conserve their strength.

04:03

In the snow-blanketed forest, they come across an unexpected find.

04:12

You can see the footprints of a squirrel

04:15

that just ran past a few moments ago.

04:21

Ran to that tree and then the next.

04:24

Mark, who has a wealth of knowledge about wild animals,

04:28

has recognized the footprints as belonging to a Eurasian Red Squirrel.

04:33

It appears to have been searching for food

04:35

when it ran off through the snow.

04:42

It's been an hour since they started hiking.

04:53

The trees surrounding them have changed.

04:56

The taller trees have disappeared,

04:59

and have been replaced by shorter Mountain Birch trees.

05:04

Once they pass through here,

05:06

they should have a clearer view of their surroundings.

05:12

But everything has become shrouded in fog.

05:23

I can't see anything.

05:29

So, we've reached the ridge,

05:32

and the wind picks up pretty strong.

05:35

Also, there are less trees.

05:37

The trees that are here are pretty small

05:39

and they grow pretty crooked due to the influence of the wind.

05:46

Visibility's low but feeling good!

05:53

The moment they reach the ridge,

05:55

they're greeted by a gusting, icy wind.

06:06

But the landscape here still offers some spectacular scenery.

06:20

See the icicles?

06:22

It's about an inch thick here.

06:24

It's really beautiful.

06:28

As the bitter winds blow, the trees become coated in snow and ice

06:34

that cling to the branches and trunks.

06:44

Even in such severe, cold conditions,

06:46

they spot more evidence of wildlife.

06:54

What is it?

07:00

This is a Mountain Hare's droppings.

07:05

So they eat the bark off the trees and the young saplings and grass.

07:12

It's incredible that they can survive in these conditions.

07:17

They don't hibernate either.

07:20

No, no. Tough animals.

07:28

It's about another 20 minutes to the summit.

07:44

It's just beyond this slope.

07:51

But more difficulty awaits.

08:00

Buried beneath the snow is a forest of Mountain Birch trees.

08:06

They keep sinking into the gaps as they struggle to climb.

08:15

Ryan pulls himself up using his hands and feet,

08:19

and finally scrambles free to reach the slope.

08:38

Good work.

08:40

Good job.

08:42

- We made it!
- Made it to the summit.

08:48

We did it.

08:50

Good work.

08:51

A thousand meters above sea level.

08:56

On sunny days, there's a majestic panoramic view

09:01

over Lake Kussharo from the peak of Mt. Mokoto.

09:08

On the mountain slopes, countless white objects appear.

09:13

They are Sakhalin Fir trees, covered completely in ice.

09:18

This landscape is the result of heavy snowfall

09:22

and extremely strong winds blowing through the forest.

09:33

We're back with Ryan and Mark, and they're ready to have some fun.

09:41

This is practice for the Irish Olympic

09:44

- sledding team.
- That's right.

09:46

We're hoping to get on there in four years' time.

09:51

They retrieve the children's sleds

09:53

and are ready to slide down some snow.

10:02

Let's try it.

10:03

I'm going to give this a go here.

10:05

- OK.
- Wish me luck.

10:06

Good luck!

10:12

Being from Ireland,

10:13

the two have never tried sledding in such deep drifts of snow before.

10:21

All right, feet up.

10:24

Here I go!

10:34

He manages to keep his balance on the sled as he glides...

10:42

then stops.

10:44

Do you want a push?

10:46

Mark steps in to help.

10:55

Watch out for all the trees.

10:59

You positioned OK?

11:00

I'm ready, I'm good to go.

11:01

Legs up.

11:08

Now he almost flies down the hill.

11:22

- You OK?
- Yeah, totally fine.

11:25

It's fun.

11:27

It's a recommended method of transport.

11:35

They have the whole mountain to themselves as they sled down.

11:40

Ryan is enjoying being a big kid.

11:49

Barrel roll.

11:51

Still going!

11:56

Nice technique!

12:01

I don't think they'll let you on the Olympics yet, though.

12:04

I've got a few more years of practice time.

12:09

Ryan has found a different slope to try.

12:16

Mark is mapping out a course for him.

12:20

Try and go straight down the slope.

12:25

Here I go!

12:47

Mark can't help but laugh as Ryan ends up covered in snow.

12:54

Are you OK?

12:56

What?

12:57

Are you OK?

12:58

Oh yeah, it went exactly like I planned.

13:06

I don't believe it.

13:07

I'll shake off the snow.

13:11

Shall we stop for a cup of tea or something?

13:14

Yeah, where's good?

13:16

It's been a fun-filled day of sledding.

13:22

Now it's time to take a coffee break.

13:39

It's just a nice temperature.

13:43

I needed that.

13:46

The two of them have rediscovered the thrill of playing,

13:50

even in the harsh conditions of the snowy mountains.

13:56

I like coming out to the mountains even on these kinds of days

13:59

when it's kind of challenging.

14:02

It's also fun, I think. I enjoy that as well.

14:07

It's a pity, normally I would like to eat lunch up at the peak

14:11

and enjoy the nice view,

14:15

but today I just couldn't see anything.

14:18

That's a pity, but this is pretty good.

14:22

It was a very interesting and stimulating experience.

14:27

So that was interesting to see the real winter,

14:31

and Mt. Mokoto on a real wintry day.

14:41

Midwinter on Mt. Mokoto.

14:45

It's yet another great place in Hokkaido

14:48

to try out a wide range of fun outdoor activities.