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2-day crack / trad climbing in Hokkaido

2-day crack / trad climbing in Hokkaido | undefined

Yasuko, a local JMGA mountain guide, takes you on a 2-day rock climbing trip to Mount Ishigaki and Sounkyo area, in central Hokkaido, where you'll find varied routes for some crack climbing!

Daisetsuzan

2 Days

Jun - Oct

High

Intermediate


Description

Would you like to enjoy the freedom of trad and crack climbing in Hokkaido? If your answer is yes, you should definitely join this 2-day climbing trip!

We'll be climbing on Mount Ishigaki and also in Sounkyo area. Both are great spots in the island of Hokkaido to enjoy crack climbing.

On this trip, we use some passive protection and learn how to climb natural cracks by using hand and feet jams. This is a great way of expanding your climbing repertoire!

We'll depart from Sapporo at 7 a.m and drive for 2.5 hours to Ishigaki. On the way, we'll stop by at a convenience store to buy some snacks and lunch. Then, we'll hike on a trail for over 1 hour to approach the crag.

Once we get ready, I'll give you a short brief and we'll start climbing! It'll be on top rope. Crack grades vary from 5.8-5.11, with varying lengths from 10-30 m. They are mostly single pitches. Crack sizes vary from 'finger cracks' to 'off widths'. It's really varied and so much fun!

We'll climb in the morning and in the afternoon, and have lunch in between. At night, we'll stay at a camp site.

The following day, we'll drive 30 min to Sounkyo area. From the parking spot, there's a 40 min approach to the crag. There, we'll climb all day, enjoy an Onsen (hot spring) afterwards and return to Sapporo around 7 pm.

Please, contact me if you want to join me for this 2-day climbing trip. I'll be happy to show you some great spots for climbing in Hokkaido.

If you've never been rock climbing before, you should consider this rock climbing course for beginners.

Price includes

  • Guiding fee
  • Mountain guide expenses

Price details

  • The following items can be rented:
  • Harness JPY 1000
  • Helmet JPY 1000
  • Belay set (ATC / Slings / Carabiners) JPY 2000
  • Whole set JPY 3000
  • Camping gears (sleeping bag / sleeping mat / bowls etc.) JPY 2000
  • * Please let me know in advance if you need to rent. Depending on your shoe size, it might not be possible to rent them in Japan.

Details

More info

Temperature in Hokkaido from June - Sept is around 15-25c. Sept - Oct is autumn in Hokkaido and there are days when it's lower than 10c.

Gear list: Climbing Gears: helmet / harness / climbing shoes / chalk bag / Belay device / 2 screwgate carabiners / 1 60cm sling / 1 120cm sling / belay gloves. You also need approach shoes / day bag which you can fit all the climbing gears in / Taping tapes or crack climbing gloves.

Recommended clothing: Trousers (3/4 length recommended) but something which you can bend your knees easily in. No shorts / t-shirt or long sleeve shirts / insulating mid layer e.g. fleece / waterproof jackets / sunglasses etc.

Meeting point

Sapporo station (North exit) or I can pick up from a hotel in Sapporo.

About the guide

Guide profile image

Yasuko

4.7

(27)

Mountain Guide

JMGA Mountain Guide
I was born in Kitami city in east Hokkaido. I grew up loving outdoor sports, skiing, and mountain climbing. I now lives in Sapporo and I have been a guide for the last 15 years.
I have accumulated vast experience in mountaineering in both Japan and abroad. I have served on the Canadian Ski Patrol and I have a wealth of experience skiing, rock climbing, and mountain climbing all over the world including Europe, North America, and Nepal.
I pride myself on my skill and experience rock climbing during the summer and backcountry skiing in the winter months. I have climbed Mt. McKinley in the U.S., Mt. Manaslu and Mt. Ama-Dablam, in Nepal, The Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Chamonix, in Europe and Insubong in Korea.
Please contact me if you want to experience Japan walking, climbing or skiing! I will be very happy to guide you here.

Languages

Japanese | English

Certificates

JMGA

Request more information

What people are saying about this trip

Joanna

This trip was great! Yasuko was very helpful and friendly and brought us to a beautiful crag with many climbs that were an appropriate difficulty for us to try. The climbs were extremely fun; the approaches were totally reasonable; and the crag was shockingly uncrowded. Yasuko also found us an inexpensive but delightful campground and did everything to make our trip successful and fun.


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