Kameyama 7za "What is Mt. Usukigatake?" Introducing highlights, parking lots, and climbing courses
掲載日：2022.02.25
Usukigatake is a mountain with an altitude of 697m, and the observation rock near the top is a spectacular view point that overlooks Ise Bay! There are many ridges along the mountain trail with great views, and there are many sights to see, such as the granite rock from which the mountain takes its name. This article introduces the parking lot and climbing course at Mt. Usukigatake.
Fugamaru-chan from the Mie Travel Camera Club delivers information that will make you love Mie even more! This time, the theme is ``Usukigatake'', one of Kameyama's 7 troupes.
table of contents
What is Usukigatake?
Usukinegatake is a mountain with an altitude of 697m, and is characterized by a granite rock ridge dotted with countless exposed rocks and rocky peaks.
It is located next to Mt. Usuki, which has an altitude of 630m, and the climbing course introduced in this article will take you to the summit of both Mt. Usuki and Mt. Usuki.
Highlights and charms of Mt. Usukigatake
We will introduce in detail the highlights and charms of the mountain climbing courses introduced in this article. *This is a climbing course that starts from the Mt. Usuki trailhead.
Spectacular view from the observation rock
The observation rock near the summit of Mt. Usukigatake is one of the most spectacular viewing points among the 7 Kameyama mountains! You can see the townscape of KameyamaCity City to TsuCity in Mie Prefecture and Ise Bay, and you can also see the Shin-Meishin Expressway that cuts through the mountains below.
The view from the top of the mountain is good, but the area is surrounded by trees, so if you want to get a closer look at the spectacular view, we recommend Observation Rock! It is about a 3 minute walk from the summit to the observation rock.
Granite from which the mountain gets its name
Along the mountain trail, there are ``Usu-iwa'' and ``Kine-iwa'', which are the origin of the mountain's name, and the sight of the huge granite towering over it is a sight to behold! The view from here is also good.
Ridge road with nice view
If you walk for about 30 minutes from the Mt. Usuki trailhead, you will reach a ridge with great views, and there are many observation points. You can see the Shin-Meishin Expressway and the townscape of KameyamaCity not only from the mountaintop, but also from the ridgeline♫
Furthermore, you can also enjoy the field climbing of Kameyama Shichiza and view Mt. Sengatake.
Climbing course overview
In this article, we will introduce a climbing course that follows the route of the Kameyama 7-za trail map! The course time is approximately 3 hours, with a break time of 1 hour and 20 minutes, making the climbing course approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes in total.
Climbing course plan
Mt. Usuki Start from the parking lot, enter the Mt. Usuki trailhead and aim for the summit of Mt. Usukigatake. Along the way, you can enjoy admiring the ``Usu-iwa'' and ``Kine-iwa'' rocks from which the mountain's name is derived, and the route also takes you to the summit of Mt. Usuki.
After climbing Mt. Usukigatake, we will take a lunch break while enjoying the spectacular view from the nearby observation rock.
[Climbing route] Mt. Usuki parking lot (8:40) ➞ Mt. Usuki trailhead (8:41) ➞ Kineiwa/Usuiwa (9:50) ➞ Mt. Usuki summit (10:05) ➞ Usukigatake summit (10:37) ➞ Observation Rock (10:40)
Downhill course plan
After taking a lunch break at Observatory Rock, descend the mountain the way you came and return to the parking lot to reach the finish line.
[Down route] Usukigatake summit (11:40) ➞ Usukiyama parking lot (13:10)
Course difficulty level: Intermediate to advanced class
After walking for about 30 minutes from the trailhead, the trail continues up a steep ridge, and there are rocky areas with unstable footing, so I think the difficulty level is intermediate to advanced.
Descending from a rocky area is especially dangerous, so if you have no experience of descending from a rocky area, you may want to descend from the summit of Mt. Usukigatake via Kamoka Kogen to Anraku Pass, then return to the Mt. Usuki parking lot via the Tokai Nature Trail. The descent route is safe.
The ridge path has many areas with good ventilation, so be careful when proceeding in strong winds to avoid falling.
- Precautions and tips for mountain climbing
- ① When climbing, give yourself plenty of time and choose a mountain that suits your experience and physical strength.
- ② Make a climbing plan in advance and submit a climbing report to the nearest police station or mountain climbing post by the day of the climb.
- ③ Make sure to check the weather information beforehand.
- ④ Prepare clothing that can handle sudden changes in temperature, including rain gear.
- ⑤ Bring water and portable food, take precautions against heat stroke, and take adequate breaks.
- ⑥ When climbing the mountain in winter, be sure to bring snowy mountain climbing equipment such as crampons. Even if there is no snow at the foot of the mountain, there may still be snow and ice near the top of the mountain.
Parking location
For this climbing course, we will use the ``Mt. Usuki Parking Lot'' located at the Mt. Usuki trailhead. There is a parking space right near the trailhead that can accommodate about 4 cars.
The red pin on the map above is the Usukiyama parking lot, which is a 5-minute drive from Sekisuikei Campsite.
This is a place that is not registered on Google Maps or your car's navigation system, so please refer to the red pin on the map above, or use the map on the Kameyama 7-za Trail Map as a reference.
There are no restrooms in the parking lot, so it's best to do so in advance.
The nearest toilet is the one located at the bungalow site of Sekisuikei Campground, which is approximately 3 minutes by car from the trailhead. This toilet can also be used by climbers. *Click here for the location of the toilet at the bungalow site.
Climbing course explanation
The photos introduced here are a combination of photos taken on October 15, 2022 and November 28, 2022. Please use the course times as a guide only.
Usukiyama parking lot (8:40)
Park your car at Mt. Usuki parking lot and start climbing! The parking lot is located at the trailhead, so you can get on the trail right away.
Walk: about 1 minute
Mt. Usuki trailhead (8:41)
At the trailhead, there is a sign that says ``Mt. Usukigatake ←→ Trailhead,'' so use this as a guide to enter the mountain trail.
Walk: about 20 minutes
Steep climb (9:01)
After walking for about 20 minutes from the trailhead, the steep ascent begins. *Sudden climb: A mountain trail with a series of steep slopes.
Walk: about 5 minutes
Observation point (9:06)
We arrived at an observation point overlooking the townscape of KameyamaCity and the Shin-Meishin Expressway. You can see this kind of scenery just by walking for about 25 minutes from the trailhead.
Walk: about 10 minutes
Steep climbing ridge path (9:16)
The ridge road continues for a while with rocks and cliffs. There are some parts where the footing is thin, so proceed with caution.
Walk: about 30 minutes
Rock Ridge (9:46)
After walking for about an hour from the trailhead, you will reach a rocky ridge with a nice view. From here, there is a rocky area that looks like a cliff, so proceed with caution. This is a well-ventilated area, so be especially careful during strong winds. Descending the rock ridge is more difficult than climbing it.
Walk: about 4 minutes
Kineiwa/Usuiwa (9:50) *10 minute break
This is the place where two granites are lined up, which is where the mountain's name comes from. There was a series of steep ridges and rocky ridges, so I took a break here for about 10 minutes.
Walk: about 5 minutes
The summit of Mt. Usuki (10:05)
It took about 1 hour and 20 minutes from the trailhead to reach the summit of Mt. Usuki. There is an observation point nearby so I will move there.
Walk: about 2 minutes
Observation point of Mt. Usuki (10:07)
There is a rocky area with trees growing near the top of Mt. Usuki, and the view from here is excellent.
A short break of about 10 minutes
Viewing Mt. Usukigatake (10:17)
You can see the summit of Mt. Usukigatake from the observation point mentioned earlier. The rocky peak beyond the summit is an observation rock, where we will take a meal break.
Walk: about 20 minutes
Usukigatake summit (10:37)
After walking for about 1 hour and 40 minutes from the trailhead, we arrived at the summit of Mt. Usukigatake. The footing is wide and the view is good, making it the perfect place for a meal break. This time we will take a meal break at the observation rock ahead.
Walk: about 3 minutes
Observation Rock (10:40) *1 hour meal break
Arrived at Observatory Rock, a spectacular view point of Mt. Usukigatake. There is a space where 3 to 4 people can take a break, so you can take a meal break while enjoying the view. After eating, go back down the mountain the way you came.
Walking: Arrival at parking lot in about 1.5 hours
What did you think
We introduced the charm of Mt. Usukigatake along with an introduction to the mountain climbing course.
The appeal of Mt. Usukigatake is that you can enjoy a wide variety of mountain climbing, including steep ridges, rocky ridges, and the ability to climb two mountains.
I think this is a mountain that intermediate mountain climbers can step up to, so please give it a try.
Enjoy Kameyama 7-za Trail
Kanko Mie has released a special website for the Kameyama 7-za Trail. We introduce the charms of the 7 Kameyama mountains and the climbing courses for each mountain.
In addition, ASOBISIA from the Mie Travel Camera Club has written an article about the charms of the Kameyama 7-za Trail. You can see all the attractions of each mountain on one page, so please take a look.
Latest information on Kameyama 7-za Trail
KameyamaCity 's official homepage provides the latest information on initiatives and events for the Kameyama Seven Trails.
It clearly states where to download the mountain climbing registration form and where to submit the mountain climbing notification, so if you are going to Kameyama 7-za, please take a look. You can also download the Kameyama 7-za trail map.
About the author of the article
Fugamaru-chan (article production)
He is a member of Mie Tourism's Mie Travel Camera Club and is active mainly on Twitter and Instagram as a photographer who takes pictures of Mie. We operate the Mie Photo Gallery, which distributes Mie's scenery for free, and the Mie Eetoko Tour, which disseminates Mie's latest information.
kazenami (photography)
Fugamaru-chan's father. A mountain man who has climbed all the mountains in Mie Prefecture and not only does trekking, but also rock climbing, ice climbing, and shower climbing. My hiking records so far are now available on YamaReco.
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