Jeff Climbs Mount Fuji, Japan (with 2-Part Video) 21-22 August 2005

On our way moving back from Okinawa, Japan to Virginia Beach, VA, we stopped for a few days in Tokyo.  While Jenny went shopping in Harajuku District with all the crazy clothes, I took a bus from the main train station to the base of Mt. Fuji.  On the bus I met Tim who was from Neenah, WI near where my father and cousins grew up.  We decided to climb together, which turned out to be a good thing for both of us.  Tim was much more prepared than I was with his equipment for staying warm and dry, plus he let me use his father-in-law's bed reservation at Fuji-san Hotel rest shack on the mountainside since his father-in-law was ill and couldn't make it.  I was able to contribute my encouragement and all my pictures and video becasue Tim discovered all of his video and pics were destroyed by the weather after he got back dwon to civilization!

It took us about 8 hours total climbing time to the summit and 4 hours to get down.

  We rested from 8 p.m.-2 a.m. at the Fuji-san Hotel at 3,200 meters elevation near gates 7-8.  At each gate you pass, you get your climbing stick branded with a seal that proves you made it that far.  Fuji-san Hotel is a rustic shack on the mountainside and people are crammed in on 3 "bunkbeds" to sleep, but at least they serve you a warm meal, have tanks of oxygen for sale, and I even got a beer!

We climbed near the end of the 2-month climbing season which was a big mistake.  The weather was horrible due to 2 typhoons off the coast and localized weather due to the altitude.  There was blowing volcanic ash, rain and red dust everywhere near the summit.  Mount Fuji is actually 3 volcanoes melded together.

I may try to summit Mount Fuji again in better weather.  Be prepared--I recommend taking Immodium AD because you have to take back down what you bring up--including used toilet paper at the 100 Yen ($1) outhouses.

  One person I know who climbed wore his brand new Oakley sunglasses which was a big mistake since they got all pitted by the volcanic ash blowing across his face.  Fortunately, Oakley was kind enough to replace them for him.  I just wore a cheap $5 pair with UV/Blue Blocking/polarized plastic sunglasses which I had to keep on at night to keep the dust out of my eyes.

Tim asked me to hike Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in 2007 but I declined.  Maybe I'll try that in 2009-2010 after we move to Stuttgart in 2008.

NOTE:  Video 1 of 2 at the bottom of this page.  Video 2 of 2 at the bottom of the next page.