"He who hikes Mt. Fuji is a wise man. He who hikes it twice is a fool."
-Japanese proverb
Just over a week ago Korea celebrated the Chuseok holiday (think Korean Thanksgiving). Unlike most hagwons, ILS didn't make much fuss over it. Although I would have liked to have seen my kiddos dressed in their adorable hanboks, I quickly got over it because Chuseok meant something even more important than cultural awareness ...a five day break! As most of you know from my Facebook/ Instagram feed, I spent my break in Tokyo. I enjoyed many things about Japan, but the highlight was definitely my trip up Mt. Fuji.
Standing at 3,776m tall (that's 12,389ft to us 'mericans) Mt. Fuji is Japan's highest peak. Its climb is divided between 9 stations with mountain huts at each station. The vast majority of climbers start their ascent at Fuji's fifth station. From there there are ten trails to take. We took the most common one -Yoshida.
We climbed Fuji on September 8th. Mt. Fuji's official climbing season is July to August. After that the weather gets colder and a bit hazardous. On the upside, it is also less crowded. Although we did encounter some less than desirable weather, I think we went at a perfect time because we didn't have to deal with as many people. Towards the top it did get crowded so I'd hate to imagine it at peak season! Luckily, most mountain huts stay open until September 14th, so we were able to purchase water along the way.
We took the last bus of the day from Tokyo to Fuji and arrived at the fifth station around 7pm. Since we were planning on starting our hike around 10 (to be at the summit around 4:30 for sunrise) we had a few hours to kill. We spent the time looking at cheesy/overpriced souvenirs and playing cards.
Mt. Fuji cookies
At about 10pm we set off on our trail. We were in great spirits. Once we got moving the weather felt perfect. We were the only ones on the trail. And our path was beautifully illuminated by a nearly full harvest moon.
Starting the hike. I promise the fake smile is only because of the flash!
As we climbed higher, it became clear that I was begining to suffer from altitude sickness. The trail wasn't very difficult at this point, but my breathing was labored at best. It became so hard to breathe that I had to stop every few minutes to catch my breath. I remembered seeing a sign at the begining of the trail saying something like 1 in 13 people quit climbing due to altitude sickness. I remembered thinking "no way am I going to be one of those people". This mantra coupled with the mesmerizing view of the city lights peeking through the gap in the clouds far below me encouraged me forward. I think that first hour was the hardest part of the hike for me. After that I sort of got used to being unable to breathe deeply any time I moved.
Taking a breather with my $6 cup of ramen.
The thing I found that made the hike easier was the mountain huts. They acted as checkpoints for our progress. Of course these huts are made for hikers who want to shell out $50+ to stay the night, so I sort of just stared longingly in the window at the warm people sitting by the fire. One cool thing about them was that they each had a 'stamp' (like a cattle brand) that you could get burned into the Mt. Fuji sticks they sold that station 5.
Getting my stamp slash enjoying the 30 seconds of warmth it bought me.
Despite my early struggle, we maintained a steady pace through the 6th and 7th stations. We were passing others and we were ahead of schedule! Of course, the higher we climbed the colder it became. I think I finally succumbed to the cold and slipped into my new winter coat around the 8th station.
The first 8th station. Almost there!
After the eighth station our peaceful climb became a bit crowded as we were joined by dozen of sleepy hikers who had emerged from the warmth of their mountain hut slumbers in hopes of reaching the summit by sunrise. The crowd continued to multiply as lines slowed our progress and hikers who had left the fifth station after us caught up to the group. By this time I was so tired that I felt as if I was walking up the mountain on autopilot. I kept telling myself that every step was one step closer to the top. Left. Right. Left. And so on.
Finally we reached the ninth station. By now my hands and ears were numb so I quickly made my way to one of the shelters. My dreams of warmth were unfortunately dashed as I was told that they had been rented for the tour group use only. Cold, but happy to be able to rest for a bit we made our way over to the makeshift benches. We might not have gotten a seat in the shelter, but waiting out the last 30 minutes or so in the cold did have its benefits -we got the best seats to view sunrise!
Move this up!
We sat huddled together eagerly awaiting sunrise. At that point at part of me didn't even care much about the view, I just wanted some heat from the sun's rays! However, all that cold was so worth it. Because slowly but surely the sun rose over the clouds and made way to the most beautiful view I've ever seen. At first it was some reds and blues against a black sky but then the sky lightened up and the sun was painting the clouds red and pink and yellow. I wish I had a better camera so I could have captured it better, but until I pay off some student loans or stop traveling (yeah right) my phone camera pics will have to do.
After the breathtaking sunrise we crammed into the shelter for a bit of warmth. After about 20 minutes of rest we emerged to whiteout-like conditions. Gone we the beautiful fluffy clouds below and the blue skies ahead. They were replaced with foggy white skies and some sort of snow/hail hybrid that cut into my face.
We quickly made our way down, only stopping briefly to take a few pictures. The way down was easier in the sense that it was down, but it was definitly less fun. In addition to the snow, the trail was very steep and rocky. Mt. Fuji's terrain is different from any I've ever encountered. This is understandable though, after all it is a volcano. Fortunately, as we got lower the weather improved and the skies cleared enough for beautiful views.
We made it down in really good time and got our first view of the fifth station in the daylight. It is beautiful!
Mt. Fuji was an amazing experience. The view from the top was easily one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It was a dream come true! Despite the harsh weather and altitude sickness, Mt. Fuji will probably always be one of the best things I've ever done. Another thing checked off my bucket list!
