Every twelvemonth over 300,000 people of all ages elbow grease the trek to the top of Mt. Fuji. At 3,776 meters (12,388 feet) higher upwards body of body of water level, it is also Japan's highest peak. We receive got had reaching the summit of Fujisan on our bucket list, since arriving inwards Japan. The climbing flavour is real short, solely July too August, too then nosotros planned a solar daytime inwards July to hike. I had heard that conditions tin go volatile inwards July, due to beingness the tail halt of rainy season, but August is real crowded due to the Japanese schoolhouse holiday, so, nosotros opted for July. We stayed at the Marine base, Camp Fuji, the black earlier to go a fleck closer for an early on morn start. This was our persuasion on the drive to Camp Fuji, yous tin run into the lights of the mount huts on the side of the mountain.
I had checked the conditions study many times earlier our trip, too everything was supposed to go great. The fact that yous tin clearly run into the top was a proficient indication, or too then I thought!
First things first, I simply had to acquire my souvenir hiking stick. Each station yous attain on the mountain, yous tin acquire your stick branded for reaching that level.
So, our journeying begins....
There are iv dissimilar trailheads to the summit, nosotros hiked the Yoshida trail, which is also the most popular. You tin start at the 1st station at the real bottom, but most people start at the fifth station (2,300 meters), which was our starting point. We did receive got a lovely persuasion from there!
In club to avoid height sickness, the full general dominion of pollex is to accept your fourth dimension too accept lots of breaks.
This is business office of the initial trail, I thought, "Oh, this volition go a slice of cake!"
We made it to the sixth station. So far, too then good!
Between the sixth too seventh stations, the trail was made upwards of lots of loose volcanic rock. It was taxing to walk on, similar gravel or sand. But, nosotros were hanging tough!
This is looking upwards the mount to the seventh station too the foremost of the mount huts. Many people hike to this level, pass the night, too go yesteryear away on real early on inwards the morn to spotter the sunrise. The huts also sell nutrient too receive got restroom facilities.
The hills are alive.....
There were many groups jogging upwards the trail, yes, jogging! This lady was 1 of them, though yous can't truly say from this picture.
Hooray, the seventh station! This was a personal victory. We stopped to receive got luncheon too savor the beautiful scenery.
This is the foremost hut nosotros came to too I got or too then other postage stamp on my hiking stick here. Onward too upward!
Now the terrain got interesting. From the seventh station on, the trail was to a greater extent than similar stone climbing. Sometimes yous had to truly crawl, using your hands for support. The girls were amazing, much ameliorate than nosotros were.
This human being was truly carrying this poor domestic dog upwards the mountain, don't enquire me how, or why!!
The seventh station went on for quite or too then time. We simply kept coming to to a greater extent than huts.
Finally, the torii gate at the top of the seventh station! This took or too then operate too serious climbing to reach. Cue the rain. At this betoken the pelting started too was relentless at times. We got our warm clothing on too hoped it would go yesteryear soon. The elevation was also noticeably colder.
More stone climbing....
I am too then proud of these two, they were such troopers!
Not many to a greater extent than pictures, because at this betoken nosotros had been inwards a downpour for several hours. Rain, sleet blowing sideways, or too then snow, depression visibility too twoscore MPH air current gusts! We needed ameliorate pelting gear, non that it would've helped much at that point. Our boots literally sloshed alongside each step, similar nosotros had jumped inwards a puddle too got out to hike for the day. The tempest was getting worse too the temperature was getting colder alongside every step. We were simply almost one-half means betwixt the eighth too ninth stations when nosotros had to reevaluate our goals. Sadly, nosotros decided to plough back, without reaching the summit, and felt defeated too deflated. It would've simply been also unsafe to become on at that point. Reaching the top would've meant at to the lowest degree v to a greater extent than hours, roundtrip, in those conditions.
The occupation alongside beingness that high upwards the mount is, there's solely 1 means down! Tears were shed. Matt in conclusion told Eva, "You tin vociferation if yous demand to, simply maintain walking!" We made it dorsum downwards to the eighth station. The girls had regal lips, but kept walking. The descent was much to a greater extent than hard than the ascent, too the slippery, moisture stone didn't help.
Notice the visibility?! What fun would making it to the top go alongside no view?
There is absolutely no shelter on the mount unless yous are staying the black inwards a hut (they are almost $90 per individual for 1 black too yous acquire a sleeping handbag on the floor), they create serve food, but yous receive got to consume it outside. After beingness moisture for almost v hours, the girls were too then cold. We stopped at this hut to acquire hot chocolate too they truly had tables inside, which was a first, too an response to a prayer! They allowed us to sit down downwards for a few minutes too seek out to warm the girls up. These were their $4 Dixie-cup-sized hot chocolates. But it did aid them warm upwards some.
We kept walking too eventually got dorsum below the seventh station too could experience the air warm upwards a bit, though nosotros even too then had the air current gusts too rain. I had mentioned on the means upwards that the scenery reminded me of the opening scene of the Sound of Music, where Maria twirls inwards the beautiful light-green countryside. On the means down, or too then bright-eyed, bushy-tailed hikers, simply foremost their ascent, must've idea the same affair because they began singing Do-Re-Mi. I outburst inwards to vocal alongside them too nosotros had an impromptu Sound of Music sing-along correct at that spot on Mt. Fuji. This may receive got been the highlight of my whole day!
Eventually, nosotros made it dorsum to the fifth station, which yesteryear similar a shot was also inwards a consummate white out condition. After taking the shuttle dorsum to our car, the conditions was perfect, warm too barely overcast. You would never know that nosotros simply went through a 9+ hr hike inwards freezing conditions! Fujisan, definitely has a mystique of her own! You never know what to expect. Here is my hiking stick every bit a reminder of 1 of the most miserable, unforgettable days of my life!
And a closed upwards of the stamps. There is solely 1 means to acquire this souvenir, yous receive got to operate for it! Sadly, I am missing 2 stamps, from the ninth too tenth stations (the summit).
Well, nosotros didn't acquire inwards to the top, but even too then learned or too then peachy lessons. We are glad that the girls experienced or too then serious adversity too learned that they CAN force through it when the going gets tough. Also, things don't ever operate out, fifty-fifty when yous truly desire them to, yous won't ever win too sometimes you need to reevaluate your goals when thrown a curveball. I also recall that yous demand truly bad experiences to appreciate when you've got it proficient inwards life. So, all inwards all, nosotros recall it was a positive experience, though non fun inwards whatever way, shape or form!
Mt. Fuji, the calm earlier the storm- literally! I silently cursed to myself through chattering teeth almost the entire descent, "NEVER AGAIN", I said. But, now, nosotros ALL (even the girls) even too then experience similar nosotros receive got unfinished concern alongside this mountain......To go continued?????
(Read almost our second elbow grease here. )
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