Kisokoma (Nagano)

Kisokomagatake 2956m is an intermediate winter hike/easy summer hike. The ropeway makes it much easier for both winter and summer because you can skip a lot of elevation. This is a good hike if you want to get high up and have nice views, but don't want to climb through the forest for hours.

This is also a good mountain to practice with crampons and axe, but the avalanche risk is high in winter, so check the conditions beforehand.

		
⏲︎	Time: 4h
✎	Kanji: 西穂高岳
⚲ 	Location: Nagano
↔	Distance: 4km
✮	Difficulty: Intermediate
ᨒ	Elevation Gain: 490m
☀	Dayhike
☉	Hiking Season: year-round

Access

Car

Park at Ina/Komagane. Parking is 800¥.

Public Transportation

There is a direct bus from Nagoya Meitetsu Bus Center. Or from Tokyo/Osaka.

From thr parking lot/bus stop you need to take a bus to the ropeway station (private road, no car access).

The bus to the ropeway takes about 30 min and runs every 30 min at 00 and 30. In winter only once an hour at 00.

Cost

Roundtrip bus: 1660¥

Roundtrip ropeway: 2030-3050¥ prices change depending on the season/day.

Trail description

Start at the ropeway station and walk towards the right, then head pretty much straight up the mountain. In summer, there are little stairs and switchbacks, in winter you just go straight up. After reaching Tenguso hut (about 1h), keep going towards the right to Nakadake and then Kisokoma. Total time to the peak should be around 1.5h, depending on snow level and speed.

I hiked this twice, once in mid May and once at the end of October. Both times there was snow, but in October only at the top. May had deep snow everywhere.