Mount Tanigawa, Mountain peak in Minakami, Japan
Mount Tanigawa is a peak in the Japanese Alps near Minakami and sits on the border between Gunma and Niigata prefectures. The granite walls rise steeply and offer views across valleys and forested slopes in the surrounding area.
The peak became known to climbers especially from the 1930s onward and quickly attracted alpinists due to its steep walls. Because of many accidents the authorities later introduced safety measures and monitoring systems.
The name Tanigawa roughly translates to valley river in Japanese and refers to the many streams flowing around the base of the peak. Hikers and skiers use the slopes throughout the year and experience changing landscapes between bare rock faces and deep snowfields.
A cable car brings visitors within minutes from the valley up to a midway station and shortens the ascent considerably. Weather conditions can change very quickly and require warm clothing as well as some experience in dealing with alpine terrain.
The peak sits where continental air masses meet moist currents from the Pacific and thereby produces extreme snow amounts in winter. The drifts sometimes form overhangs of snow that extend several meters beyond the rock edge.
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