A perfect weekend in Hokkaido

Last weekend, May 15th-16th 1999, was a great time for me. I went climbing and flying- two of my hobbies.

Saturday

Together with the members of AACH , my climbing club, I went to The Red Rock- a climbing area near Otaru city (about 40 km from Sapporo where I live). We met at the bus stop on North 18th West 5th Ave. For 400 yen and about 45 min by the highway bus, we made it to Otaru. The price was a discount, because we travelled as a group (more than 10 people). From Otaru we took another bus to the climbing area.

Another 20 min and 200 yen, and we are at Akaiwa-2-chome (the name of the bus stop). From there it takes about 15-20 min walk, a bit uphill and you are basicly "over" the climbing area. You see a gourgeous view with the reddish rocks, blue sky and depper blue sea. Of course, that's only in case you have good weather...as we did. By the way, for more info you can take the time tables of the two busses from Otaru station.

After not at all easy "fight" with the bush and some trees on our way, still carrying the two external tyres (a good load for belaying practice), we reached the place in our plan. It is about 30 m vertical rock face with small overhangs and an inner angle somehow positioned in the middle. There are several routes, some of them quite easy. One of the "older" members binds 4 anchors together about 10 m above ground and still 5 m upper another anchor and pulley on it. Using two ropes- one for belaying and one for lifting the load to 15 m- we have almost set up our system. In this way we'll have a fall factor near 1- a factor that can quite often ocuur under normal curcumstances.

How to rope up a system like that is not an easy question. It should be easy to pull the load up, auto stopping (for it not to fall), should be easy to release the hauling rope completely (to allow free fall) and so on. After a lot of tie/untie excersises I managed to make it do the job with the help of two ascenders, several carabiners and one nylon pulley. Using force doubler hauling system I was able to lift the two tyres, later filled with some rocks up to 40-50 kg, alone. Why I used two ascenders? The second was used as a stopping point for the rope. Well it was not very easy to release the rope from it (some strength was required), but it worked. I gueass I could have done the same job with a tiblock instead.

At this point you'll say "Why the hell does this guy reference only Petzl products? What about others like Black Diamond?"

Well, first Black Diamond does NOT have a web site yet (or at least I couldn't find it). Second, Petzl's website contains lots of useful information on climbing in general. And third and most important- from what I have seen and tried till now, I know that Petzl products are best in their groups! With comparable price, I buy them whenever I can! That's all the Petzl for now...

Back to the story... We did several hours of belay training for the new members using some old ropes. Several "death accidents" meaning that the tyres hit the ground were not very encouraging, but come on, these were just people who touch a rope for the first time! After the belay excersise all the members made two rapells: using their bodies (as in good pioneering times) and Fig8 descenders. Some problems on the way (jammed hair and clothes), showed me that more theory is essencial before the real practice. Most of the time I was hanging in the midle of the wall on a separate double rope. I was using an ATC (BlackDiamond) for going down and shunt + prusik knot for going up or fixing my position on the rope. At the end of that day, together with an OB from the club, we explained how to put protection on the rock. Well basicly with that the active day ended. Up at the base camp ground some "tent techniques" were shown, and I left my friends to catch the bus and go back home.

I am not sure, whether it was just a chance or not, but on the four buses that I used today the announcer's voice was... very pleasant! For one year living in Osaka I've heard may be once or twice something like that. Usually, when you get on a bus or train, you have to "shunt" your ears with an MD or CD player. Otherwise it's too noisy! (Figured out why portables are so popular in Japan? They even have a special setting of the Bass Extesion for train!). The bus was new, very soft riding, good air-conditioned and that together with the beautiful sunset over the shore... Perfect end of the day!

Sunday

Early in the morning, 8:30 a.m. Me trying to wake up while riding to the near Sapporo station. I changed my plan to hitch-hike to Takikawa city in the last moment. I just figured out that I don't know where from to start! Next time I'll have to find a map of the town (Sapporo).

I am taking the 9:06 train that is "normal" (meaning not express, or in other words very very slow) and goes to Takikawa. Still sleepy. I somehow find a better for sleeping seat and... and I missed an hour. Fast check- the luggage is here, also my wallet, the train is somwhere in the middle of the route. The guy is shouting something (may be trying to announce the next station?) in Japanese. Oh, where is my bus now... I ask a woman about the announcement and she explains me that this train has a 35 (thirti-five!) minutes stop at Iwamizawa, a station in between Sapporo and Takikawa. I've never imagined such a thing can happen! Still angry and disappointed I det off. An express is comming, so I decide to take it. But that will mean more mone spent. Aaaa, don't want to wait 35 minutes, so take it. Usually in Japan, if you get on an express train in the middle of the route, a guy comes and you pay the difference between normal and express ticket from that station on. However, FORTUNATELY, this time the guy didn't appear! Yes, I saved some money! May be this day will also be fine.

This is an incomplete story and may eventualy be continued...