Mt. Fuji! Finally!

For two years I have been putting off climbing Mt. Fuji. The first year I signed up for the trip, but then got scared and backed out. The second year I insisted I wasn't going to go. Finally, in our third year of living in Japan I was ready to try and make the climb. The climb is short, distance wise, only about two miles to the summit of Mt. Fuji from the starting point. However, you ascend roughly 4,800 ft. The 5th Station (starting point) sits at about 7,500 ft the summit is about 12,300 ft above sea level.

With the rising elevation comes thin air, making it hard to breathe and function the higher you climb. Some people feel sick from the altitude and it can lead to headaches, dizziness, and nausea. When I was young, I visited Pikes Peak in Colorado. That peak looms above the earth at over 14,000 ft. I didn't climb, but instead was "rocketed" to the top by a railway. At the top I felt like all the air had been knocked out of me and I couldn't catch my breath. It was that experience that lead be to being timid about climbing Mt. Fuji. Not to mention that everyone who has climbed Mt. Fuji says it was the hardest thing since childbirth.

John and I took the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) day trip offered by the Navy base. They tell you to get plenty of sleep before climbing Mt. Fuji, but I don't understand how that is possible when the trip leaves at 2 am. We arrived at the mountain at 5am and started our climb at 5:30. We didn't have to climb as a group, but were told we had to be coming back down the mountain by 1 pm.

The view from the 5th Station, the starting point of our hike.

Mt. Fuji as seen from the 5th Station.

Goofing around before starting on the trail.

John at the starting point.

The climb starts at the 5th Station. The 5th Station is a tourist area filled with little shops and restaurants. One of the more iconic souvenirs you can buy is a Fuji walking stick. Between the 5th Station and the summit lies about 10 to 12 more stations where you can have your walking stick branded with each station's logo. You can see the walking sticks in our hands in the above pictures.

The trail starts easy enough with wide roads and an easy slope. Soon though it becomes a steeper and the trail becomes more rocky. Some parts we had to climb over rocks and boulders using our hands and climbing sticks. John and I had a plan of pressing on at a quick pace until we absolutely needed to rest. Doing a day trip with MWR means we had to meet certain checkpoints at certain times to ensure we were able to meet our departing bus on time.

A lower altitude. The vegetation is still visible.

Not quite so high yet.

Enjoying a brief rest.

Getting our Fuji sticks stamped.

Even climbing over boulders we were able to keep ascending pretty quickly. However, the trail eventually became steeper and the air thinner. We were forced to start taking a slower pace and take more rests. At some of the higher mountain huts we stopped for ten or fifteen minutes to catch our breath before we pressed on. While I didn't get altitude sick, I did find myself getting tired quickly and at some points I had a splitting headache. I took some Motrin to help with the headaches and it seemed to work,

I think this was the 7th station.

View from high on the mountain.

We could see a helicopter below us.

Getting a little delirious, but only a few meters from the top.

One of the shrines near the top.

Tired and still climbing.

Top of the world!

The trails to the top.

I thought the hardest part of the entire trip was the final climb to the summit. From the last station you had a clear line of sight to the summit. You could even see the outline of people relaxing at the top. However, between where we were and the summit was still another hour and a half. The trails were extremely steep and covered in slick lava rocks. For every step we took, one foot would slide back and need to retake the step. The air was noticeably thinner and all I wanted was to take break after break. About halfway up our final push we sat on some rocks to catch our breath and find energy to make the last few feet to the top. John was tired and was nearly falling asleep where he sat (another effect of altitude). We finally found the energy to push on and made it to the summit in plenty of time to look around, have lunch, and start our decent.

So far from the summit yet so close. You can see the outline of people who have already made it to the top.

Finally at the top!!

Woo!

Victory celebration!

Clearly in a demented state!

Lunch!

Looking into the volcanic crater.

Lunch on the top was delicious. We hadn't eaten much all day because we were so consumed with the climb. We even had enough time to lay down for a little bit and relax. The trail down was just as brutal as the way up in its own way. It was unrelenting downhill terrain covered in silt and gravel. Everyone was slipping and sliding down the mountain, some people even stumbling and falling. It really starts to hurt your knees as you try to prevent yourself from falling face first into the mountain for three hours.

So, that's our Fuji trip! I would never do it again, but I'm glad I was able to do it before we left Japan. I can't believe I almost missed this experience because I was too scared to give it a try.

One more bucket list item down!