雪融けが早い。2月にほとんど積もらなかったこともあって、そもそもの雪の量が少ない。だから一度消え始めると早いですね。季節感は一ヶ月前倒し…どころか、それ以上かも、というのが住んでいての実感です。

そんなわけで、まだ除雪の入っていない猿倉への林道を歩いてきました（記録：220315 24/03/22）。二俣のゲートから猿倉まで約5km。出だしはアスファルトが出ていて20分ほどのブー歩き。今回はAT仕様、VOLANTにATKのビンディング。メタル＆メタルがカッコイイ〜。

さてカッコンカッコン進んで二俣から1時間半ほどで猿倉に到着。この広い駐車場は今シーズンもクローズのままなんでしょうかねー？？

そこから馬尻方面へ。長走沢は雪で埋まっており無い問題。滝上から大雪渓に降りようと試みるも既に沢が出ており降りられず。んー。対岸の金山沢出合はまだ雪でつながっているのだけれど、こちら側が厳しい感じ。

さて尾根上を進み馬尻を上から俯瞰。稀にある雪崩（記録:1 2 3 ）のえぐれなど無くフラットで穏やか。白馬沢のルートも大丈夫そう。ただ、シラネアオイの尾根の岩がもう出ていてやはり積雪量の少なさを感じます。夏の大雪渓期間、また短いかもしれませんね。

帰りはところどころショートカットしながら下山。まだ3月なんだけどな…という景色があちこちに。今夜は雨予報なので雪は締まりそうです。林道の雪が消えきる前に、次はヒールフリーで出かけますかね。

動画は連休前の参考になれば。

The snow is melting fast. We had almost no snowfall in February to begin with, so the overall snowpack is thin. Once it starts going, it goes quickly. The sense of season feels a month ahead… or maybe even moreーthat’s how it feels living here.

So, I walked up the forest road to Sarukura (2022/MAR/15　2024/MAR/22）, which hasn’t been plowed yet. It’s about 5 km from the Futamata gate to Sarukura. Right from the start, the asphalt is exposed, so I walked about 20 minutes in boots. This time I was on an AT setupーVOLANT skis with ATK bindings. Metal on metal… looks pretty cool.

Clunking along, I reached Sarukura in about an hour and a half from Futamata. I wonder if this big parking area will stay closed again this season?

From there, I headed toward Bajiri. Nagashirizawa is still well covered with snow, no problem there. I tried dropping onto the Daisekkei from above the falls, but the stream is already exposed, so no way down. Hmm. The junction with Kanayamazawa on the opposite side still looks connected by snow, but from this side it’s pretty tough.

Continuing along the ridge, I looked down on Bajiri from above. No big avalanche debris（1 2 3）ーjust flat and calm. The route toward Shiroumazawa also looks fine. But the rocks along the ridge where the skunk cabbage blooms are already exposed, which really shows how little snow there is this year. The Daisekkei summer season might be short again.

On the way back, I took a few shortcuts here and there. Hard to believe it’s still March, judging by what I saw. Rain is forecast for tonight, so the snow should firm up. Before the snow disappears too much from the road, I might head out againーthis time with a free heel setup.

Hope the video is useful ahead of the long weekend.