is the tallest mountain in the Kitami Mountains

Kitami Mountains

is a mountain range of Hokkaidō, Japan. Unlike much of the rest of Japan, the Kitami Mountains are not very seismically active.The Kitami Mountains are north of the Ishikari Mountains and east of the Teshio Mountains. A depression separates the Kitami Mountains from the Yubari Mountains. The...

. It is located on the border of Shibetsu

Shibetsu, Hokkaido

is a city located in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 22,859 and the density of 20.4 persons per km²...

 and Takinoue

Takinoue, Hokkaido

is a town located in Monbetsu District, Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 3,320 and a population density of 4.49 persons per km². The total area is 766.89 km²....

, Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It is the source of the Teshio River

Teshio River

The is a river in Hokkaido, Japan. At , it is the fourth longest river in Japan.The name of the river derives from an Ainu word meaning "fishing weir."- External links :*...

.

History

On January 6, 1978, Mount Teshio and the surrounding region was designated the .

Flora and fauna

At the base of the mountain there are abundant Black Woodpecker

Black Woodpecker

The Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius, is a large woodpecker, 45–50 cm long with a 64–84 cm wingspan. Body weight is approximately 300-400 grams on average. It is easily the largest woodpecker in its range...

s as well as Japanese Red Fox

Red Fox

The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...

es and Hokkaidō Brown Bear

Brown Bear

The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...

s. Near the summit, Pika

Pika

The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae . One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species...

 can be found.

Prominent alpine plants are Rhododendron aureum Georgi

Rhododendron

Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...

 and Diapensia

Diapensia

Diapensia lapponica is a plant in the family Diapensiaceae, the only circumpolar species in the genus Diapensia, the others being mainly in the Himalayas. It is a circumboreal arctic-alpine species which grows on exposed rocky ridges that are kept free from snow by high winds .It is a small...

.

Climbing routes

There are three climbing routes up the mountain. is 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) and 3.5 hours to the top. is 9.1 kilometres (5.7 mi) and a 4 hour climb over Mount Mae Teshio. starts on the Mount Mae Teshio trail and branches off. It is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) and 3.5 hours to the top. This trail is only for experienced climbers.
There is a connecting path between the new trail and the other two trails.

External links

• Mount Teshio Prefectural Natural Park Trail Map, Official Hokkaido website.