Noboribetsu - Hiking In The Snow

I remembered we walked to the famous Hell Valley on our first day in Noboribetsu, but it was so crowded with tourist and older people that the walk was really slow. We were also losing sunlight, so we headed towards the opposite path instead and up into the hill side. Climbing stairs in the winter snow is not an easy task! Luckily we have spikes on our shoes. Please get spikes if you plan to hike in the snow! Anyway, we came across picnic ground with nobody in them. It was such a beautiful, peaceful, and quiet site as compared to Hell Valley.

The map indicate that this was the national park, and recommended good location for picnic. We don't recommend picnic in winter, but the hiking path look so inviting! OK, maybe inviting may not be the word for everyone, but it definitely looked like something I've never done before. Even the thought of falling and slipping in the snow in the wilderness didn't seems to stopped me. It did ran across my mind. But this was a once in a life time occasion! But sadly, it was getting dark. And we had 2 days in Noboribetsu. So we came back the next morning to hike the path.

This is the start of the path. The sign on the right seems to indicate that there is a big hot spring pool inside. I didn't do my research for this part of Noboribetsu. I thought there was only Hell Valley to see here. I was only planning on soaking in the hot spring and maybe walk the broadwalk of Hell Valley which can be done in less than an hour....But that snow path leading into nowhere, that looked so inviting! 

Here shows a sample of some of the path. Covered in deep snow, and slippery with stairs and slope along the way. Luckily there were ropes around to help you steady yourself and also pull yourself up. Just the one photo was enough to satisfied the hike. So beautiful. This is  my kinda of winter wonderland! Not the Christmas village in Sapporo, not the Christmas lighting! But hiking in the snow into the woods alone. Bucket list item. 

At different section of the path, there are signs to show you where you have arrived, and the scenes best viewed here, or common known as "Photo Spot". We only came across a few people on our hike.

So apparently the big hot spring pool that was mentioned at the entrance leads us here.

Frankly this was better than Hell Valley. It was surreal.  And so I will leave you here for today, with 5 other photos that captured the winter scenes of our hike. This was one of those albums that I wanted to just upload everything to show. Cause coming from a tropical country, seeing snow, especially this much and in the wild, is something very rare for me. So I got to treasure it. 

Trees without leaves in the winter are so beautiful in their own unique way. 

Coloured seeds, browned plants, and snow make such a pretty photo.

Snow on log, with the big hot spring pool behind it.

Hot spring river next to walking path and a slight rainbow. More on the hot spring in next post.

Jizo, protecting us along the path.