Climbing Japan’s Mt. Fuji

My climb in Mt. Fuji last September 6-7, 2018 was perhaps one of my most unforgettable climbs. We were hooking on a last-minute schedule because Mt. Fuji’s climbing season ended just last September 10 and considerably our choice of dates were almost positioned in the so-called “danger zone”. Plus, our trekking was scheduled in the evening considering the travel time from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji station and then all the way to the 5^th station.

  

Mt. Fuji is an active volcano about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. Commonly called "Fuji-san", it is Japan's tallest peak at 3,776 meters. A pilgrimage site for centuries, it is considered one of Japan's 3 sacred mountains, and summit hikes remain a popular activity. Its iconic profile os the subject of numerous works of art.

At first glance the weather was just normal in 5^th station prior to the trek. My three colleagues (Pare Dokie, Pin and JP) had some casual trekking in an open trail from the 5^th station up to several mountain huts going to the 6^th station. Mt. Fuji has open loose sand and rocky tracks in most of the trails which made us all really comfortable and relaxed. We met several local and foreign trekkers along the way, some of them were instant friends.

Trekking in Mt. Fuji in the evening enabled us to see the glorious cityscape view of Tokyo lights, an added attraction along the path and maybe one of the very few good things that I experienced when climbing this mountain.

As we approached 7^th station the rain started gushing, turning the temperature a lot colder than the time we started jumping off. All the while I thought the rain was just auxiliary to the foggy atmosphere in the area, but the small drops turned into a strong torrent of rains associated with cold winds. We tried to stay dry by seeking refuge to the huts but we were prohibited to do it, or were being asked for certain amount of money in exchange for using the hut as shelter stopovers. We had no choice but to continue trekking, our stuff starting to get wet as we approached the 8^th station.

Pin and JP decided not to proceed anymore and stayed in 7^th station until in the early morning. Pare Dokie was stucked at the 9^th station. I was in a hurry to reach the summit with the rain pouring very hard. I was afraid I could not withstand the cold but I managed to make it just in time in the summit but had to descend back along with some other climbers because the weather was not really bearable. When I get back to 9^th station I learned that rescue teams were not allowing climbers to trek any further than the 9^th station, or 900 meters from the summit.

After minutes of staying wet in 9^th station I and Pare Dokie decided to trek down to the 5^th station where we reached at around 9:00 AM. We were able to reunite with Pin and JP in 5^th station by 11:30 in the morning.

If there is one lesson I learned in Mt. Fuji it is about underestimating the mountain. I have always been saying this one to newby friends in mountaineering, but this time I was hit right into the face. I was thinking it was just an effortless climb but it turned out the other way. Details and information from google, as well as from blog posts should not be considered conclusive and basis for preparing a major climb. Every mountain has a unique character that separates it from other mountains in the world. Whether just a minor climb destination or a huge heaps representing as highest in a certain locality, a climb should be prepared seriously in order to avoid unforeseen dilemma. Afterall, when you are trapped by struggles above and you lose a life, there is definitely no turning back.