「大峠」 Ootouge circuit from Ome (157.7km, 3163m, 6hr53)
For a longer circuit with similar amount of climbing, you can head to Uenohara by Jimba kaido instead of via Kobu tunnel. To avoid more of R20, stick on R30 by turning right at the dam (46.6km mark). Actually, I planned to stay on R30 but chose the wrong road as it's not obvious until you cycle a few 100m and I didn't bother stopping to check in detail.
The North side of Ootoge has much debris but I found it to be better than last November. However, I had to wait for ~10 mins (to pass a shovel car) and walk over 50m of soft mud at some road works (at the 95.6km mark).
See Kobu tunnel, Otsuki,
Ootoge, Matsuhime, Okutama for GPS data (Garmin Edge 705) and map for this route.
Category: Road: 157.7km, killer climb of 15.7km @ 7.23% ave. to Ootoge and
another tough climb to Matsuhime pass, long downhill
from there.
Route: Ome, Itsukaichi, Kobu tunnel, Uenohara, Otsuki, Ootoge, Matsuhime pass, Kosuge, Okutama, Ome
Map:
TBA. In meantime, you can view the map from the GPS link above.
Profile:
Notes:
Kosuge has a good convenience store, but you need to detour off the route for
just a few metres to get to it - turn left at the T-junction and head towards
Tabayama instead of right towards Okutama and there is a convenience store on
the right and another alternative on the left up farther. If you don't shop here
there's not much choice until Okutama or Kori 7/11.