Climbing Mt. Fuji | 5 Tips + My Fails

Comments · 207

• TO

  @TokyoLens · 8 years ago (edited) · pinned

  What are YOUR thoughts on Climbing mt. Fuji? Want to do it? Already did it? No Way!? lol - Let me know in the comments!!<br>I have also linked a bunch of gear and info in the description &nbsp;box! So feel free to check &nbsp;it out!<br>AND... Did a podcast episode for this too! <a href="https://bit.ly/2zMDUMN">https://bit.ly/2zMDUMN</a>

  24

• AN

  @AngelMercury · 8 years ago

  Aw man, story time. I went to climb Mt Fuji with part of my exchange class a good while back. I was, I thought, in decent shape but not aware of what to expect. Thankfully our teacher took care of us getting started, bus to .5, chill out for a while, got some light rain gear cause a storm was coming in, and of course walking sticks. I didn&apos;t have much cash on me though and probably not enough water to start. <br><br>The plan was to climb to .8 or .9 sleep, wake up early to catch the sunrise on top so we all knew where to meet. As we started the climb people moved at their own pace a bit and we ended up getting spread out. Climbing the volcanic rock dust is hard. I ended up in the rear with two of the guys and after a bit the sun was starting to set. We realized we were going too slow and figured we should stop at the next inn and then try to hike up the next morning, or wait for our class to come down, but when we got to the .7 inns they were all full. Our only option at dusk in what was turning into a wind storm was to keep climbing. <br><br>It took us a long time to get to the next inns. We lost the trail in the dark and ended up following the light to the next station. When we got there we had just enough money to rent bed space for the three of us and get some instant noodles to share. It got very cold, the futons were very thin, and one of the guys was terrified by the raging wind storm. We huddled up and tried to sleep as much as we could.<br><br>At dawn there was a lot of fuss as apparently the top of the mountain was closed due to the storm which up top had been a snow storm. Lots of people going down. One of the guys talked to this marine who was on leave and was like &apos;we should follow him.&apos; As we stumble our way back down I notice the lakes seem to be moving below us to be.. not where they were when we went up. We weren&apos;t just going down we were going around too. When we got to the .5 we were on the Tokyo side of Fuji (Having come from Kyoto). We had to wait until our teacher was back in cell service, for him to tell us how to get back to everyone else. Getting back was a challenge as our Japanese was still somewhat minimal and this was before the age of smart phones.<br><br>It was a crazy adventure but I will say in some ways we lucked out. Because of the storm the rest of the class was freezing and miserable at the top, but we had a perfect view in the morning of the sky between two layers of clouds. There were even rainbows. It was pretty stunning and I do hope to go back again one day with my partner and actually make it to the top. <br><br>TLDR: Got Lost with classmates and ended up on the wrong side of the mountain after getting caught in the dark in a storm.<br><br>If you read that block of text, nice job and thanks ^.^

  70

• TH

  @TheKaiTetley · 8 years ago

  I attempted my first climb of Mt Fuji this year. &nbsp;I ascended on the 5th of July. &nbsp;Due to bad weather, I was advised not to climb any further than the seventh station. &nbsp;I was told the wind is so bad, I may get blown off the trail. &nbsp; The view was blocked by a thick layer of cloud, &nbsp;but I found the mountain to be stunningly beautiful. &nbsp; I am overweight and almost never exercise, so I found the climb exhausting. &nbsp; I was shocked when people younger, fitter and faster than me gave up. &nbsp;I found the climb exhilarating. &nbsp;It took 3 hours to climb from the fifth station to the seventh station, but felt like 30 minutes. &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><br>It was a wonderful experience. &nbsp; The beds at 7th station are warm and comfortable. &nbsp;The ramen was the most delicious I have ever eaten. &nbsp;It was pure ambrosia.

  13

• SO

  @sonjamartinez8274 · 8 years ago

  I followed the Japanese saying! I climbed it once and never again! Lol! BUT I did the first open season weekend in July and it was snowing , windy, raining , freezing cold! I went with a group of 30 people. 3 women, 27 men. I was the only women who made it to the top, and my husband was only 1 of the 12 men that made it summit with me. It was so brutal!!! But it’s an experience I will never forget! <br>My husband however went on and 2 more climbing seasons later ended up being a Fool and has been up and down summit of MTN. Fuji 10 more times. Haha!

  4

• KA

  @kathrynmerrill3184 · 7 years ago

  I climbed Mt. Fuji for my 50th. I climbed the Subashiri trail, but didn&apos;t realize until now that it was one of the harder ones... I just thought it was hard for me! I chose that one because my brother was a tour guide for years and that was the trail he took. I made it up - slowly. I was passed by so many people, including a man who had a camera man following him. On the way down, I slipped on the rocks and sprained my ankle so my boyfriend had to help me down. Suggestion - bring an extra pair of hiking socks for the way down. The ones I wore on the way up were nasty so I changed in to a pair of regular socks and got blisters on the way down.

  3

• AL

  @allisonh1408 · 8 years ago

  I would LOVE to climb Mt. Fuji some day!I enjoy hiking so much. And I definitely know how important pace can be. One brutal summer (108 heat index in humid Alabama, USA) 5 friends and I went backpacking. BUT instead of hiking back out the next morning, someone decided to take the loop of around 10 miles (maybe?) and then walk back to our cars. Unfortunately, someone got sick (from bad water) and we almost didn&apos;t make it back before dark. Not good with spotty cell service to say the least. We made it back tired, dehydrated, and covered in poison oak... and seed ticks. I wouldn&apos;t trade the experience though. It will always be one we remember!

  2

• SI

  @SimonsLivingroom · 8 years ago

  I live vicariously. I climb mountains, take great photos and play a mean shamisen. All vicariously😁

  1

• DA

  @dattmay · 3 years ago

  The fact that you made it down the mountain with a ripped shoe AND broken bone is wild. You’re a far tougher man than me; that sounds like it was exceedingly painful!

  1

• NI

  @nickjcal2819 · 6 years ago

  Climbed Mt Fuji early &apos;80&apos;s ran into a big storm around Sta 7....but needed to get to Sta 8 where we was to stay overnight. it was pitch black out, couldn&apos;t see hardly anything in front of us. the wind swept rain/sleet didn&apos;t help at all. after a while all we could see was lights from Sta 8 Huts. it was now thundering and lightning, could not see the trail now. so we just crawled/climbed/trekked straight up towards the Hut Lights at Sta 8. We were the last to get to the Hut from our group. We were soak and wet freezing too. many had gone to sleep in the bunks, rest was hunkered around a fire pit. About the time we got close enough to the fire to warm up, most everyone went to sleep. <br><br><br><br>There wasn&apos;t enough bunks to go around, so us unlucky ones had to sleep on a wooden floor near kitchen section. heck maybe it was the kitchen!! We were bunched like matchsticks, I &nbsp;couldn&apos;t sleep at all, clothes still wet and cold! About 2 or 3 am Japanese girls were waking everyone up, so we could start going up to the Summit to watch the sunrise. I wasn&apos;t budging, still in wet clothes, hadn&apos;t slept a wink. The girls kept coming back to get us up...yu miss sunrise!!! told my friend, man! I ain&apos;t in the army now, I&apos;m not going. Glad I stayed....it was so over cast couldn&apos;t see the sunrise anyway. Later on going down the mountain those lil rocks these guy talked about were like small ball bearings. it was harder going down then going up. One guy kept sliding...showing off....the fool almost slid off the path...from then on he stayed on the mountain side away from the edge. <br><br><br><br>Though it sounds like a terrible experience, I&apos;ve been through worse 12 yrs Army and I&apos;m glad to have had that experience. &nbsp;Several yrs later found myself back in Japan, friends wanted to climb Mt Fuji, told them...been there done that and there is a Japanese saying: “If you never climb Mount Fuji, you&apos;re a fool; if you climb it more than once, you&apos;re a crazy fool.” All in all, once was enough for me! P.S. at Station 5 you can get Fuji Sticks with Flag and bells and each Station you can get a stamp burned on the stick to show you had reached that station. Beware when you reach the overnight spot, hang on to your stick. most ppl were leaning their sticks against corner walls. before you know it... you won&apos;t know who&apos;s stick belongs to who. Just make sure you grab a stick, if you hadn&apos;t kept yours safe. One more thing, those bells on the sticks, after the first 15 mins on your trek, those bells will drive you crazy, everybody takes those bells off the stick and toss them off the mountain. If you go...HAVE FUN! Loved Japan, The People and Mt Fuji.

  1

• GO

  @gorecrux · 8 years ago

  Ahh climbing Mt.Fuji would be so cool! My two boys LOVE hiking. I hope someday we can visit there someday. These were interesting and great tips. Even for someone not even interested in the topic would find this video interesting and educational.

  2

• RE

  @Ren_Brands · 3 years ago (edited)

  Great Video, useful Tips if i ever get the Chance to climb Mt. Fuji i will definetly keep them in mind.

  1

• SA

  @sasuke1243 · 3 years ago

  Climbing mt. fuji is absolutely one of my bucket list items! Thanks for the tips!