Minami Alps Day 4 Part 1: Year of the Panda

I awoke in the morning filled with regret. Had I really given into momentary weariness, wussed out, and cut half of my trip out - simply because I didn't want to "go down and back up"? I felt as though I was not even worthy of the piece -of-crap-fallen-apart-after-one-summer-cheap-ass boots I was wearing. How could I make up for this?

Starting just before sunrise, with the hopes to make it to the next clearing to take some photos, it soon became clear what I could do to once again "feel good about myself". Just keep hiking. I had not realized how much elevation gain and loss the ridge between Hoouzan, at 2840m and Kaikomagadake, at 2967m actually had in between the two peaks - it was far from "wussing out". It was also extremely beautiful.

By noon I had about twenty photos of Kaikomagadake because every time I came to a clearing it looked different, better, beautiful. I had fewer photos of Kita-dake and the area I had come from - not because it was any less spectacular, but rather the sun was hanging low on the horizon to the South, making it difficult to get anything other than silhouettes. Had I followed my original plan the day before, I would have missed this section of the trail.

As I began my decent of Kaikomagadake, I thought the highlights of the day were all behind me. But I was wrong. Somewhere along the way (I remember the exact location but am withholding that information in the name of endangered species preservation) I heard a strange sound - similar to a half-bark-half-howl of a dog, but obviously not a dog.

I slowed so as not to startle whatever it was, and coming into a clearing I saw it. A panda bear - right there in front of me. Granted, it was moving very quickly into the woods, but what else could have been so big, so fluffy , so black and white? It stopped once it had found shelter in the shadows at the edge of the forest. I slowly walked toward it, coming within about fifteen meters, when it made it's escape, clambering down a steep slope into a valley out of my sight.

I spent the rest of the night pondering what this means... either this panda had escaped from a zoo - something I would have surely heard of. The other possibility is that this panda is a relative of the pandas in China, havingbranched off long ago, when what are now Japan and Korea were still connected. Given the steepness of the terrain, it is entirely possible that they have lived for thousands of years without being discovered. Until today.

But what should I do? If I publicize my find I will no-doubt be famous. They may even name this species of panda after me. But to make known their existence would most surely guarantee their extinction as thousands of tourists flock to this remote spot each year, degrading the pandas natural habitat. On the other hand, perhaps this is a great opportunity to study the "Japanese Cameron Panda", providing official and needed protection to their species...

What would you do?