Shirakawago Village Japan

Shirakawa is a small traditional mountain village located in Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is best known for being the site of Shirakawago showcasing a building style known as gasshō-zukuri. It is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites with Gokayama in Nanto, Toyama. The Shirakawa village was formed on July 1, 1897 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Shirakawago has population of around two thousand people as most of the population is in its river valley.  This region was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time. The Gassho-style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The villages have a strong sense of community. Their traditional social systems and lifestyle customs have sustained their associated historic environments, management systems, and the level of authenticity is high.

Shirakawago total area is 356.55 km2, bordering Ishikawa Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture on the Ryōhaku Mountains. The village's area is 95.7% mountainous forests, and its steep places are characteristic. In between the mountains flows the Shō River, which continues to the north into Nanto, Toyama. One can reached at Shirakawago within 50 minutes from Takayama by using of Hida Tunnel. Earlier it takes three hour drive, and only an hour to Nanto in Toyama. The large houses with their steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only examples of their kind in Japan. The village does not have any passenger railway service. Moreover, it has one combined public elementary/junior high school, but does not have a high school.

Shirakawago nearby Attractions

There are many natural attractions nearby. The most famous is Mount Haku, which is Japan’s Three Famous Mountains, surrounded by a virgin forest at its foot. Also three gorgeous waterfalls: Taka falls, Naka falls, and Ki falls, can be seen along the pass leading to the Amo highlands. Another waterfall, Hakusui Falls, pours from the artificial Hakusui Lake, that was formed by a dam at an elevation of 1,260 meters. To take a rest from hiking and relax a little, the area also has several hot springs, such as the Hirase hot spring bathhouse.

Shirakawago Weather

Shirakawago has a humid climate, features four distinct seasons with winter is being most recognized. Shirakawa village is one of the snowiest places in Japan, averaging snowfall amounts in excess of 10 meters with snowbanks developing well over 2 meters tall. As a consequence of the frequent heavy snow, characteristically thick thatched roofed “Gasshō-zukuri” houses were created. These sites are major tourist attractions due to Hakusan National Park mountain ranges as a background.

The seasonal tourism boosts the economy of Shrakawago. They came to see the gassho-zukuri ultimately improve the financial condition of villagers. The area has further improved once the village became a UNESCO site. The increase in traffic resulted damaging the area from pollution. Thus, local inhabitant’s life standard enhanced and they converted their homes into hostels, gift shops and parking lots. So every good thing has bad effects also. The fast growing visitors change the charm of village simplicity and fundamental Japanese scenery.

Shirakawago Accommodation

Shirakawago’s landscape is home to gassho style houses, old-style Japanese inns, and hotels to outfit any visitor. Further, there are more than forty different options for accommodation. By staying in an old-style gassho style guesthouse, guests can experience the simple practicality of ancient Japanese life. Moreover, the characteristic features include rustic roof beams, tatami flooring, and traditional sunken hearths. Also, you can relish the local specialties and exclusive dishes that make up Shirakawago’s regional cuisine. For other accommodation choices, rooms are available both without and with meals, and few guesthouses offers dormitory beds. In all cases, you have to make reservations in advance. Source - 

CP

Ketil Mountain, Greenland

Greenland 39.000 kilometer coastline, cut glaciers into the slice from bedrock, left behind myriad numbers of summits and walls, which are tower thousands meter from the surface. There is a massive peak in the east coast of Greenland. That is called Ketil meaning “Shell Mountain”. Ketil Mountain is 2,010 meters high in Kujalleq municipality.

Its granite walls are alike to Tiningnertok’s another huge mountain in this area. Ketil is part of massive large unglaciated Rocky Mountains in the peninsula on the eastern side of Tasermiut Fjord. Ketil Mountain is a bit lower than Ulamertorsuag. However, in terms of popularity, it is the most Favourite Mountain of climbers due to its 1000 m sheer western granite wall. Ketil Mountain is considered the most challenging Big Walls on planet earth.

Ketil Mountain is a hard-won view due to its remoteness. The trekking to Mountain provides a true wilderness experience literally to die for.  To getting there is an arduous task, as lack of trails, stinging insects, poor mapping, brutal terrain, hordes of biting, make it a hidden paradise. The Southern Greenland weather never stabilized it can abruptly change. 

So, climbers have to be ready for weather change at any time. As off now, Ketil routes are not documented and climbers wanted Tasermiut should be preserved as a record less adventure area to following in the footsteps of others.

Source: Charismatic Planet

Isla Incahuasi - Peru

Isla Incahuasi is a beautiful hilly and rocky outcrop of land and Former Island in Bolivia. It is situated in the middle of Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Isla Incahuasi elevation is 3,656 meters. It is located in the Potosí Department, Daniel Campos Province, Tahua Municipality, Yonza Canton and 80km west of Colchani. This hilly outpost is surrounded by a flat white sea of hexagonal salt tiles. The cacti grow one centimeter per year and most of them are more then two meters high.

Isla Incahuasi is a Spanish name where “isla” means “island”, “Inca” means for Inca, and huasi is derived from the Quechua word “wasi meaning house”. The circular walk to the top starts slightly to the east or left as you face the island. Though this does afford superb views, their is some scrambling required? The route down is on the west side and is much easier.

Incahuasi has a total area of 24.62 61 acres and hosts gigantic cacti and a tourist center. This area is one of the best highlights of Salar de Uyuni also known as Inkawasi. Their are strange and flimsy coral-like structures and deposits that often consist of fossils and algae. The area is the top of the remains of an ancient volcano. That was submerged due to a giant prehistoric lake, approximately 42,000 years ago.

This is an island of Trichocereus cactus that rises up in the middle of the salt flats. Climb to the top of the hills and you can see 360 views of Salar. It is a surreal feeling watching centuries old cacti grow in all directions.

It is an opportunity to take impressive photos with the surrounding salt flats. The light was beautiful before sunset.  Try to avoid the wet season when the Salar is flooded, the island is inaccessible. This is one of the most popular destinations and resting place for tourists and geocaches alike. Read More – The Mysterious Manpupuner Rock Formations

Hanging Lake Colorado

Almost 1,000 feet up the steep walls of Glenwood Canyon, a natural hides away a basin full of water the color of Paris green, waterfalls roaring near the brittle shoreline of travertine. The bottom of lake is fully visible through crystal clear waters. This majestic lake is unearthed by a gold hunting prospector.  Hanging Lake was a private homestead and family retreat until falling into the hands of Glenwood Springs in 1910.

This is well protected by the White River Forest Service; this is a popular stop for those willing to take a short but steep hike to see the trout-filled, glacially formed watery haven seemingly suspended from the side of the canyon. Just a few hundred yards behind Hanging Lake is yet another waterfall, Spouting Rock, which jets through holes in the canyon walls.

The discovery of the lake tells of a man searching for gold in the canyon. The man found a dead horse at the opening of a gulch. When he followed the gulch up through the steep hillside through the canyon he came around the backside of the lake. This is how he first saw the small bowl-like basin hanging onto the cliffs below. As the time goes, the area served as a homestead and a private family retreat until it was purchased by Glenwood Springs after the Taylor Bill was passed by Congress in 1910.

Following the acquisition it started its extensive history as a public tourist stop. In the 1940s there is hosted a resort and cafe until the construction of Interstate-70 commenced in 1968. Hence, in 1972, the trail and the lake were returned to the protection of the Forest Service as part of the White River National Forest. This has been a progressively popular tourist destination since.

In 2011, the lake was named a National Natural Landmark by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. The brittle shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of travertine, created by dissolved limestone from the Mississippian Period Leadville Formation is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.

Hanging Lake is located on a fault line and was formed when roughly an acre and a half of the valley floor sheared off from the fault and dropped to what is now the shallow bed of the lake. The turquoise colors of the lake are produced by carbonate minerals that have dissolved in the water. You'll also have several benches to relax and soak in the sublime beauty of this 1.5-acre lake.

Hanging Lake is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Colorado approximately 3.2 miles round trip, and two hours of hiking time. Behind the lake, hikers will discover Spouting Rock, a much larger waterfall that flows from a set of holes in the limestone cliffs of Dead Horse Canyon. Hanging Lake receives over 131,000 visitors per year. Because of the high amount of traffic, Hanging Lake faces the threats of ecological disruption.

Thousands of visitors and their effects of wading and swimming by humans and dogs are having a significant impact on the strange ecosystem of the lake. No dogs are allowed on the trailhead or left behind in cars. No fishing or swimming is allowed at the lake. This precious natural wonder is one we all must work together to protect by respecting the rules. Source: CP