Photos from the weekend

Aki and I went together up the mountain on Sunday for what could well be my last chance to climb high this year. Snow is forecast soon, and I'm not sure if there'll be another chance to climb before the snowpack settles next year. Well, it was a great climb at least, even though it was a tough one, especially for Aki who only had tiny crampons attached to her shoes in thigh high snow. We didn't manage to get all the way to the top, but Akakura dake was good enough for us both that day.



The high point in this shot is Akakura dake, with perhaps a sign from the gods telling us to venture no further. We didn't.



The first thing Aki does when we reach a place of rest is clear the ground with her ski pole so that she can sit down. Caught in the act.



The first thing I do is mill around.



Our divinely inspired end point for the day was a cold Akakura dake; no end of snow, and no end of beauty.



The remainder. I know it looks like a lot, and it probably would have taken the best part of an hour or so to climb, but on good days I've done this last stretch from Akakura to Iwaki in little over 30 minutes. Aki wasn't up for it, and after some talk of hot springs and noodles I decided that neither was I.



One girl who never goes anywhere without combini food.