Conquering Fuji

While on vacation in Japan my friend and I decided to hike Mount Fuji, the highest mountain (actually a strato-volcano) in Japan.  Mount Fuji was simply incredible, and it almost didn't happen.

Mt. Fuji is located about 80 miles outside of Tokyo, or a 2.5 hour bus ride to the 5th Station.  While we knew it wouldn't be impossible (tons of people attempt it) we also knew it wouldn't be easy (not everyone makes it to the top).  And we wanted to enjoy this, not have a "how long 'till I'm done" death-march.

Doesn't look so big from down here!

The Plan

We were going to take a bus from Shinjuku area of Tokyo in the morning, to arrive at the base of Mt. Fuji around noon.  Once we got started it would be a 5-6 hour hike in daylight to the 8th station hut, where we had a reservation that included dinner and breakfast.  Everyone goes to bed at like 8pm there, and gets woken up at 2:30am.  After breakfast we would hike the final bit to the summit in time to catch sunrise at 5:20am.

Mt. Fuji is near the center.  Tokyo is in the far upper right.

The Reality

The plan seemed doomed from the start.  We went out a little too late the night before and slept in that morning.  We then found out that the bus rides needed to be reserved ahead of time.  There was space on a 1:30pm bus so we high-tailed it to the bus station, but ended up missing that bus by about 10 minutes.  So we reserved spots on the 2:30pm bus and waited around for that.  We bought some extra water in nearby stores and I bought a "pocket jacket", kind of a heavy duty poncho since I had forgotten my rain-shell at home.  To make matters worse, we spoke with our Station 8 hut and, convinced that we had no chance to make it in time, they strongly urged us to cancel our reservation to which we obliged.

We were able to store the bulk of our belongings in lockers at the bus station and reduce down to only day packs.  This ended up being a big advantage to hike with maybe 10 pounds of gear total rather than the 30 or 40 pounds that most other people seemed to carry (there was some serious over-packing going on from most hikers).  We boarded our 2:30pm bus and were off to Mt. Fuji!  I took advantage of the 2.5 hour bus ride to catch up on some badly needed sleep.

The Ascent: part 1

We arrived at the 5th station, the main drop off point for people climbing Mt. Fuji.  We new we had to be hasty here.  After a few pictures, filling up our water bottles, and buying some last minute supplies, we embarked on the trail.  It was still light out but the sunlight was fading fast.  The trail was flat and wide for about the first hour, but soon turned steeply uphill and thinned out.  Darkness was starting to set in so we switched on our headlamps.

I had heard its slow going in many sections, but mostly due to crowds getting backed up at certain parts of the trail.  Lucky for us it was no longer the high season and most people that were hiking today had already been through.  We should have been feeling hungry but small snacks and water breaks were enough to sustain us.  The 5th station was around 6,000 ft in elevation, and approaching 8,000 ft a few hours up the air was thinning and we were breathing hard.  This did at least kill most if any of our appetite.

I was worried, we had limited supplies with us, clothing that wouldn't really hold up in a rainstorm or if the temperatures fell dramatically, and [worst of all] we did not yet have a place to stay for the night.  Trudging on past the 6th aid station, snack shacks, and ranger stations, we reached the 7th station.  There was a hut here, the Toyokan Inn, and we agreed that if they had space we would stop.

We were in luck - they had plenty of room so at around 8:30pm the first leg of our journey was over.  Couldn't have been happier to have a place to sleep!

The Stay

The hut was nice and clean, albeit slim on luxeries.  There was a front room for hanging out, presumably used for meals otherwise, where we could go through our things and get organized.  The entire facility looked modern and sturdy.  From the looks of the bunk areas they might have been at 50% capacity.  The bunks were 2 stories, platforms with sleeping bags on thin mattresses.  There was enough space between each one to make it private and extra curtains to keep the light out.  Laying down at 9:00pm I slept like a rock.

We woke at around 2:30am debating if it was worth leaving so early while the sound of pouring rain made use decide wisely to sleep longer.  Around 3:30am we awoke again to an alarm.  After surveying the weather we decided it was time to go.  After packing up and suiting up, a few drinks of water and some snacks, we headed out well before sunrise.

The Ascent: part 2

We set back out at around 4:00am in total darkness but with our headlamps on.  The ground was wet from the aforementioned rain but the skies were clearing up.  We were extremely happy to have slept through the rain, which may not have been an option if we had stayed at the 8th station hut as previously planned!

The hike started out slow, climbing and clamoring over rocks and holding onto guard chains.  Lucky for us there were very few other people on this part of the mountain so we could go as fast or as slow as we wanted.  We trudged on, through narrow, rocky passes, and then the trail gradually opened up into a section of switchbacks where we could collect ourselves mentally.  It was still a little misty out now but the skies were clearing.  While it was getting light out we were still about 15 minutes from sunrise and hoped for a clear sky soon.  Then, miraculously, the clouds did not so much clear as they appeared to lower and we were able to see out onto the horizon.

Steep, rocky terrain on the way up.

The Sunrise

Shortly after the mist settled and we could see out over the clouds the sun began to poke through.  It felt like looking out your airplane window but then you look down at your feet and realize you are standing still; most incredible sunrise I've ever seen.

Sunrise on Mt. Fuji at 5:02 am on August 27th.

We still had about 2 hours to go but this was a huge mental boost and we almost felt as though we could "coast" to the top.  The terrain continued to be steep and barren, but the climbing was less technical and a steadier pace resulted.  The sky continued to clear up though some lingering clouds remained above us.

The ascent was steep and barren.

The Top of Japan

The top of Mt. Fuji is the highest point in Japan, at 12,388' (3,776 m).  The volcano last erupted in 1707.

As we arrived the clouds were clearing,  a huge
 rainbow emanating from the crater.

On the top of Fuji was one last hut which we ducked into for some coffee and to trade high-fives with some fellow trekkers.  There were some clouds and mist still obscuring our view, but as it began to clear rainbows started to form.  There is actually a trail all the way around the rim of the volcano.  We didn't have the time or energy to fully circumnavigate, but we wanted to explore some and savor the moment.

As we started to traverse the crater the weather was clearing up and we came to the full realization that this wasn't just a mountain, its a volcano.  Fortunately for us its considered dormant.

Another issue we had been concerned with was the weather.  We were light on supplies and I bought a "pocket-jacket" (kind of like a poncho but a little heavier) for wind and rain protection.  Although the climbing season had officially ended it was still warm enough out for us.  While it was more humid and around 75 at the base of the mountain, it was probably around 40 and very dry at the top.  We were a little cool but dodged any bullets of extreme wind, rain, or snow blowing in.  When the wind would calm down it was actually quite nice sitting in the sun.

Some Japanese guy (and his buddy taking the picture) had been hiking along
side us for a few hours and wanted a picture at the top.  We were happy to oblige!

Public trash cans are not common in Japan and we knew going into Fuji that any trash we accumulated would have to be carried with us, yet another reason to pack light.  To my delight and amazement, there was absolutely no litter or trash on the mountain.  Even with hundreds of people traversing it every week and no trash cans.

I can't emphasize enough how glad I am that we packed light.  It would have been nice to have a little more clothing layers and food, but packing light (while hiking or on travel in general) makes staying mobile so much easier.  We passed hordes of people struggling to move (either up or down), carrying over 40 pounds of gear; shell jackets, gaiters, hiking boots with ankle support, trekking poles, and some even with hiking stoves and fuel!

A panorama of the inside of the Mt. Fuji crater.

The Descent

This was the hardest part in retrospect.  It took us about 7 hours total to reach the top, 3 the first day and 4 the 2nd day, but you need to hike the downhill portion all at once, which took about 5 hours.  While you aren't as winded descending, your legs start to burn as your quads and knees begin to tire.  There must have been over 70 monotonous switchbacks; all you can do is continue to count them down and trudge on.

Small CAT trucks with tank treads are used to transport gear up and down the mountain.

So we descended on, into the mist, back to vegetation, taking only short breaks at some rest huts.  Soon enough we made it back down, booked our bus tickets back to Tokyo, and ate a well deserved lunch in the 5th station restaurant.  I have no idea if it was really "good" food, but it was one of the best tasting meals of my life, hearty and hot!

Its up there!

Near the supply shops and souvenir stands, there was a small post office where you could send post-cards from, and they had a neat stamp where you could mark your passport.

While my entire trip to Japan was great, hiking Mount Fuji made it unforgettable.  Even if the rest of the trip was a wash, this made it worth it.  While I realize many before me have hiked Fuji, and many after me will, its more the personal sense of satisfaction that really stuck with me.  To travel so far from home and conquer something you never expected to see in person.

I still can't believe how well it went, considering our haphazard start.  Others we talked to who timed things perfectly ended up getting caught in rain and wind, and having their views obscured by clouds.  Since so many people attempt Fuji I might not have given it credit at first.  While it wasn't super difficult, but it certainly wasn't easy, and at high-altitudes even being "runner fit" isn't enough to make this a cake walk.