Mt. Kentoku 2031m
May 19. We gathered Kumagaya city at 19:00. Our car run thourgh road 140. We arrived Hirose dam at 21:30. We stayed here one night. Next morning we got up 5:30. We took breakfast and departed to Oohira farm 6:30. In Oohira farm we parked, fee 500Yen. We started to walk at 7:20. Today is fine day. A fresh green was very impressive. The route crossed with rough road several times. We met many hikers there. After pretty going up, we reached the ridge, and took a break. From there we saw Mt. Fuji faintly. We saw Japanese Southern Alps Mt. KitaDake. In our front, Mt. Kentoku appears its triangle form. We walked the ridge. Then we arrived the comfortable plain field OogiDaira. There was a big rock stone. We enjoyed on it. From here steep slope was started. The route became rocky. There were many fixed chain, however, it was interrest not using chain but gripping the rock directly. There was a point toWgoing throgh the crack. Long time ago, I climbed this montain. In my memory it was not so long time to the summit, however, this time, I felt long time to the summit. Then finally, we arrived last 25m rock wall.It seemed a heavy work, and we took a break. But it was not so hard to go over the rock wall using fixed chain. We arrived the summit at 9:30 . We changed into 2 group. The Group-A went to Mt. Kurogane. The Group-B did rock climbing 1st ridge and 3rd ridge of Mt. Kentoku.

The first ridge: We went down from just under the summit. It was not so easy to going down. We missed the big terrace point and we went under the terrace. We couldn't find the proper route. Anyway, we started to climbing. We find a piton at the right side of wall. We climbed toward it. The climbing route was not clear. Going over the overhang from the right sode, there was a big terrace. Here was the proper start point of this route. From here, climbing route was easy. This seemed be suitbale for beginner climber.

The third ridge: The approach must be from the northen part of summit, however, we went too much. We descended using a rope. The first pich is a little difficult, however everybody went over by free climbing, and reached a terrace. The 2nd pitch to the summit was easy for us. At the summit, there was amazingly many hikers. It was enogh time until group-A members returning here. I slept there for a while.

4 members of group-A had returned 14:00. They said the view from Mt. Kurogane was very fine. We started to go down at 14:30. When going down , a man was going up to the summit at such late time. He was out group member Mr. Matsunaga. Wow!. He arrived the parking point at 14:30 and started climbing to follow us. He said " Please don't care me and go down. I will go to the summit alone." Anyway we continued to go down and arrived the parking point at 15:30. Then we moved by car to the Mitomi resthouse to eat Ramen. We arrived the Kumagaya city at 20:00. This time the wether was fine and the mountain was lot of fun.
At Break, Mt. Kentoku at front.
Mr. Fukazawa belaying under the overhang at the 1st ridge.
Ms.Funato going under the overhang
Mr. Fukazawa and Ms. Funato at 3rd ridge.
Member:

Mr.Fukazawa, Mr.Sakaue, Mr.Kumagai, Ms.Funato, Ms.Takami, Ms.Mayumi, Ms.Mari, Mr.Kakinuma, Mr.Matsunaga.
Return