What's new

Love 峠 ???

Philip

Philip

Speeding Up
Feb 15, 2007
765
11
If you like climbing - you have got to take a look at this website :cool:

http://cchp.dion.jp/cgi-bin/passguide.cgi

The author has cycled over hundreds of tooge (mountain pass) throughout Japan. He has mapped them all on Google using a GPS unit. Each tooge has a map, amenities and photographs. If your looking for route ideas, this is an ideal resource.

Enjoy,

Philip
 
Thanks Philip!

I do love 峠 -- nice find!

I noticed that in his comments on Mikuni Toge in Yamanashi Prefecture, he states that the average gradient is 12% and calls the climb "laughably steep" (or something like that).

Jeez, no wonder it gave me such a hard time on my trip back from Shizuoka! I don't feel like such a wuss now.

Here's what I wrote about Mikuni after the Shizuoka trip:

"From Fujieda, I took route 1 to Numazu (with no wind, I was cruising along at speeds of 35-40kph -- a significant improvement), then turned onto route 246, following that up through Gotemba until I reached the little-traveled route 147. This road leads up to Mikuni Pass and then down to Yamanakako. Never before has a climb wiped me out so completely. There were relatively few switchbacks, meaning long stretches of straight, steep climbing -- one sign read 16%. It took me over an hour to reach the summit, and I had to stop three times. As a matter of (perhaps juvenile) pride, I make it a point to never stop on a climb -- but Mikuni had me shouting "No mas!" more than once. Damn. I'll be back in the spring to show that mountain who's boss."

Maybe it's time to start plotting my revenge.

Deej
 
Credit TOM . . .

Please credit TOM. I discovered the Tooge Guide from a link on TOM's excellent blog.

Cheers,

Philip
 
Hi Deej . . .

Deej said:
I noticed that in his comments on Mikuni Toge in Yamanashi Prefecture, he states that the average gradient is 12% and calls the climb "laughably steep" (or something like that).

Jeez, no wonder it gave me such a hard time on my trip back from Shizuoka! I don't feel like such a wuss now.

Maybe it's time to start plotting my revenge.

Deej
Click to expand...

If you found it challenging I may have to go compact before taking it on :D

R147 is the road Travis wanted to link up with from Tanzawa-ko - if you remember our last ride before Christmas - the "Tanzawa Reconnaissance" - we discovered we could not get through. Now we have more daylight, we could do the same ride again except use R246 from Tanzawa-ko to reach the base of R147 to complete Travis' original route past Yamanaka-ko and back down R413. That would be a hard days ride ;)

When is your next Saturday free??? Christoph is back in town next weekend.

Philip

Phil - if you want to see some (real) hills why don't you join us???
 
Right, credit where credit's due: thanks to TOM for the original find! I've been fiddling around with it and some of those Tohoku climbs look like fun, if not as challenging as the Minami Alps routes around Nagano.

Philip said:
Phil - if you want to see some (real) hills why don't you join us???
Click to expand...

Real hills? You mean that Boso climb didn't count???? :(:D

Seriously, many thanks for the invite and I'd love to join you guys out there, but it does look at the edge of my range (3 hours by car to Atsugi?)... I'm determined to do it though, so let me know if you guys settle on a date.
 
Philip said:
When is your next Saturday free??? Christoph is back in town next weekend.

Philip

Phil - if you want to see some (real) hills why don't you join us???
Click to expand...

I will be able to ride on Saturday, March 15. Maybe we could plan for something challenging that day. I thought I heard Cristoph mention that he would be back in Japan that weekend but unable to ride, though I can't remember the reason. It would be nice to have him along to carve out a nice wind-free path for us. :)

And yeah, I'd love to have Phil join us Westsiders, though I of course understand how far it is for you. Phil, I'll PM you and maybe we can figure something out to improve the situation.

Deej

P.S.

I know this is blasphemy, but by hopping on my train at Kyodo station around 7 a.m., I could be at the foot of Mikuni (駿河小山 station) before 9 a.m.
 
Deej said:
I know this is blasphemy, but by hopping on my train at Kyodo station around 7 a.m., I could be at the foot of Mikuni (駿河小山 station) before 9 a.m.
Click to expand...

If you get the train to Fuji Yoshida you would not even need to take your bike.

Philip
 
Loop the loop

I have found out about a second climb inside the Tanzawako-246 loop. It looks as hard as the limb to Tanzawa-ko.

I will post specifics later, but basically the idea is like this:

Shibusawa to Tanzawa-ko - around the lake- back the way we came. Then do the inner loop. Comes to about 75km and three major climbs, not counting the approach and/or return.

Could be fun. More later.
 
Hi Pucci . . .

Do you have a spiritual connection with the mountain gods where you discover all these secret passages :D

We are looking to do this ride March 29 or later because of the chance of ice on the mountain roads - last week Tom was forced to walk across Suzugane-toge due to ice.

https://tokyocycle.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/2291/size/big/cat/

So you have plenty of time to investigate the "Loop the Loop"

March 15 we are planning a ride along the Green Line - where we played in the snow on the Shiropan tour. And guess which route we are going up??? :D Hope you can make it???

Cheers,

Philip
 
chazzer said:
I notice that Norikura is ommitted - the mother of all climbs in Japan. Here it is. I could not get up it two years ago and I am determined to do so this August. If there is interest I know a good pension etc.

http://www.kancycling.com/Destinations/Norikura/Norikura.html

Charles
Click to expand...

This is the climb you were talking about last Sunday, right? Hm, it looks like an excellent and fun(?) way to get away from the Kanto summer heat for a weekend...
 
Correct...

and if you like onsen (who doesn't !) then there are some excellent places dotted around.....perhaps I will organise this one ?

Charles
 
Charles . . .

That looks fantastic! I would like to join the ride if you are putting one together. If you don't mind me asking, how high did you fly? (sorry it's Friday afternoon - what elevation did you reach?)

Cheers,

Philip
 
Philip said:
Do you have a spiritual connection with the mountain gods where you discover all these secret passages :D

We are looking to do this ride March 29 or later because of the chance of ice on the mountain roads - last week Tom was forced to walk across Suzugane-toge due to ice.

https://tokyocycle.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/2291/size/big/cat/

So you have plenty of time to investigate the "Loop the Loop"

March 15 we are planning a ride along the Green Line - where we played in the snow on the Shiropan tour. And guess which route we are going up??? :D Hope you can make it???

Cheers,

Philip
Click to expand...

That stupid hill from 吾野 （Agano)? You couldn't keep me away! Now was it from 吾野 or 東吾野？　 If we ride up from Hanno it won't matter. We pass them both.

I suggest starting from Hanno and finishing there. That will give us maximum play time in the hills. I will check with the mountain gods to see what else would be fun up there.
 
How High ...

well I reckon about 2000m which was half way up. I was really unfit then and heavier too and did not have the lowest gears either. The altitude definitely has an effect but it was just lack of base fitness and zero preparation that did me in.

Charles
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom