A bit of a downgrade from season one HOWEVER that means the show went from excellent to pretty good so I can't complain too much. Season One was 12 episodes each clocking in at 3 minutes. Season Two was 24 episodes at 12 minutes each. This was probably the reason behind the downgrade. Season one had to be concise, trimming the fat so as to fit in the plot, character arcs AND showcase both the trail's beauty and the experience of the climbers. Season two had more time to fill so decided to add the fat and focus on the "slice of life" aspect of the show.We end up with the classic teehee boobs, panty shot, girls naked in the bath. Not as a fanservice scene mind you but as an entire episode plot center. Very meandering and unnecessary.

The show is at it's strongest when it returns to the main focus of mountain climbing and the moments of friendship between the girls. At it's weakest when it attempts to confirm to expected norms, aka anime shows need panty shots & boobs to keep the viewer's attention OR that every woman needs to wear frilly clothes or she's not a woman... I really hated that episode...