Mount Hakuun (Shikaribetsu)

Mount Hakuun (白雲山 Hakuunzan) (1,187 metres) is a peak in the south of the Daisetsuzan Mountain area. It is located immediately south of Lake Shikaribetsu, within the Daisetsuzan National Park.

Mount Hakuun forms part of the Shikaribetsu Group of lava domes located to the west and south of Lake Shikaribetsu [1], a group that are now inactive, but which may have erupted within the last 20,000 years.

The summit of Mount Hakuun is a massive pile of huge, angular grey boulders that contrasts dramatically with its green slopes.

Contents 1 Flora and fauna 2 Hill walk 3 Access 4 Clothing and equipment 5 Contour maps 6 Google map 7 Reviews

Flora and fauna

Hakuunzan is heavily wooded with many wild flowers. The range of animal life is similar to that in other parts of the Daisetsuzan Mountains, see Daisetsuzan fauna.

Hill walk

The circuit walk from the lakeshore (812 m elevation) to the peak and back again takes about four and a half hours in good conditions. The distance is about 4.4 km.

The first section of the walk is a zigzag climb up to 1,050 m facing to the south (and away from the lake). This is followed by a long, wooded ridge walk east, and then a final steep ascent to the peak (1,187 m).

From the summit, the location of the beginning of the path down the other side of the mountain can be difficult to find - a careful check is required to find the indicators (that include a fading white arrow painted on a large rock!) - and the path itself was overgrown in July 2008.

The steeply declining path veers northeast down to about 950 m, where there is a turning off to the adjacent Mount Tenbo (closed as of July 2008 because of a damaged path). A more gentle incline then leads to the lakeside and a final walk beside the thickly-wooded shore.

The walking season is from July to October.

Access

The trailhead and small car park is on a side road to the east of Route 85 (from Shikaoi), close to the lakeshore.

Clothing and equipment

Hiking boots are recommended, and walking poles are helpful, particularly on the steep descent, also layered clothing for a sudden change in the weather. As always in Hokkaidō you take water and don't drink from streams! Most Japanese walkers carry bells to alert bears of their presence.

Contour maps

• NK-54-2-13-3 1:25,000 (Shikaribetsuko) Kokuto Chiriin (国土地理院) [2]

Google map

Geographic coordinates are 43.263° N, 143.114° W

Reviews

Review
We went up Mount Hakuun at the end of July - hot, humid and lots of flies and midges especially on the summit. (My companion was alas severely bitten!) Also too late in the year to see many wild flowers. A hill for the spring or autumn - when it would be a relatively easy trek. Great views. Simon 19:07, 31 July 2008 (JST)