Off-Season Training Report - Shiretoko Pass (Trans-Shiretoko Highway) 3

K participated in this training. It was 7 degrees Celsius at the Shiretoko Pass. The travelled distance was 57km. It's the end of June. K had planned to ride on the Trans-Shiretoko Highway at the end of April. However, due to huge amount of snow which was out of season at the end of April, the Trans-Shiretoko Highway was closed until the 1st June. Usually this route is opened to traffic at around the end of the April after the long closure during the winter. 1st June is the latest opening record we have ever had after the implementation of current system (opening the road with restriction during the hours where the road surface might be frozen). So K had to wait until June to ride this route. Moreover, he hadn't time to come here until the end of June. So he rides on this route 2 months later than the plan.

Before reaching the training site, K passed the Sekihoku Pass (1050m) in car. And he had chance to witness a beautiful sunrise there.


25 kilometres from the summit of the Shiretoko Pass, K commenced to ride.

Passing picturesque coast of Utoro.



This is the day where the restriction is cleared. From this day, you can pass this route even during the night as there is no risk of freezing. Staff is clearing the facilities.


You have a high probability of encountering deers on the Trans-Shiretoko Highway.


Unfortunately clouds are low this day. We can't see the summit of the Mt.Rausu (Mt.Rausudake) which is the most spectacular element of this route.


He enters the cloud approaching the summit. There's still some snow at this altitude.




K passed the summit of the Shiretoko Pass without stopping.




At this point, he turned around and heads back for the summit.


At the Rausu side, there's more snow than the Utoro side.



He's climbing to the Shiretoko Pass.




There's still such a snow in the snow-covered valley.


This time, he stopped at the summit of the Shiretoko Pass. Usually, we can enjoy superb view of the Mt.Rausu from the summit of the Shiretoko Pass. But this day, we see only clouds.




After passing the summit, clouds at this altitude cleared up for a while.


But we still can't see the summit of the Mt.Rausu. He did interval training several times around the summit at the Utoro side.






This forest still preserves natural state. It's almost untouched by human.



The Mt.Rausu is still cloud covered.


K descends for Utoro.


Utoro.