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Shinetsu Mountain Madness - Day 3

The previous day of fastpacking had proven to be an unexpectedly eventful one, but little did we know that the adventure quotient on this...

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Shinetsu Mountain Madness - Day 2

Our run up and down Mt. Kurohime on Friday was just a warm-up for the bigger, bolder adventure we had lined up over the next two days....

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Shinetsu Mountain Madness - Day 1

Shinetsu (信越) refers to the region of central Japan comprised of Nagano and Niigata prefectures. The term is derived from a combination...

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Raicho: Japan's Mountain Bird

The name raicho (雷鳥) literally translates to "thunder bird," and refers to members of the population of Japanese Rock Ptarmigan that...

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Our Go-To Fastpacking Gear: "Go Suit"②

If you've been following along with our series on fastpacking gear, you'll know that so far we've gone through 10 pieces of kit and 7...

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Our Go-To Fastpacking Gear: "Go Suit"①

Over the last two posts we've introduced the 10 major pieces of our trusted fastpacking kit. This time we'll continue to showcase more...

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Our Go-To Fastpacking Gear: Items 6 - 10

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Our Go-To Fastpacking Gear: Items 6 - 10

In the first blog post of this series we introduced 5 major pieces of fastpacking kit; pack, shelter, bivvy, mat & poles. This time we'll...

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Our Go-To Fastpacking Gear: Items 1 - 5

Maybe we need to start off by first answering the question, "What is fastpacking?" REI's excellent article on the subject calls it:...

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Mt. Shirouma & the 'Daisekkei'

Amongst the numerous climbing routes in the Hakuba Valley, one in particular has achieved almost legendary status - the 'Daisekkei.'

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Spring Snow / Edible Plant Hike

Spring is an amazing time to explore the mountains in Japan, with fresh greenery, lingering snowfields, good weather and far less crowds.

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The Salt Road: Jizo Pass & Mt. Ato-Sugi

In a village blessed with nature, history and culture, there is no better way to experience them all than on a hike along the Salt Road.

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Mt. Fuji Sea-to-Summit-to-Sea [Video]

I believe it was 2013 when I first heard of the insane idea... to climb from the ocean to the top of Japan's iconic Mt. Fuji.

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Otari Green Season PR Video

Hike and Bike Japan's base of operation, the small rural village of Otari, is a culturally-rich and naturally-blessed area that we take...

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Attempt on Mt. Yakushi (Pt. 2)

U.L. SLEEPING SETUP I dozed off shortly after dinner, sometime past 8 p.m. In general I'm a cold sleeper, so I went into the evening...

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Attempt on Mt. Yakushi (Part 1)

PLAN A More than a month ago I was contacted by two-time Trans Japan Alps Race (TJAR) finisher Otokozawa-san, who I first became...

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Mt. Karamatsu in Winter [Photo Album]

This week I had the privilege of guiding a fellow American I met on the slopes of Tsugaike last month, up to the summit of 2,696m Mt....

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Ninja Trail Running Race (Part 1)

Trail running has really taken off in Japan in the last few years, and the number and variety of races on offer across the country, as...

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Yake-Dake (Mt. Yake)

We recently came back from a day-hike up to the summit of one of central Japan's most active volcanoes, whose name literally and...

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Fastpacking in the Southern Alps (Part 2)

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Fastpacking in the Southern Alps (Part 2)

We initially set out on an ambitious 3-day blitz of the Southern Alps, but midway through a tough day 1 doubts about the viability of our...

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Fastpacking in the Southern Alps (Part 1)

Paul

Fastpacking in the Southern Alps (Part 1)

I recently came back from a brutally tough, but rewarding fastpacking trip with friends through some of the less-traveled trails at the...

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