Kesia's Ultimate Guide to Climbing the Infamous....

Mount Fuji

(Yoshida Trail)

After living in Japan for exactly 1 year 9 months and 20 days .... I finally mustard up enough courage to plan my climb to the top of Mount Fuji's Summit. As with any adventure big and small, I made sure to do my research. I attended the mandatory safety brief through the military base, read a countless number of blogs and online articles, and of course picked the brains of those who have conquered the climb themselves. Although, having done this research, I honestly feel that no-one has truly did this climb any justice...at least from my perspective. As I'm sure you can tell from my other post, I try and provide as much detail as I possibly can so the readers are able to feel and visualize what they are embarking on. My hope is that after reading this entire post, you will feel as though you have taken the journey with me to the top and that you will feel confident in your climb and know what to expect before you embark on your own journey.

First, I feel it's only fair to provide you with some background information about my personal fitness level so you can have an idea about where I'm coming from. What makes this post even more awesome is that you will have two perspectives on the intensity from my point of view and also my husband (Daniel) who was my climbing partner. Tip #1 (I would highly encourage having a climbing partner. Someone who isn't pessimistic, would encourage you, and someone you can be with for a 24 hour period and not get annoyed if they slow you down, or speed up ahead of you...who else is going to take your award winning photos on your journey?)

My Stats Daniel's Stats

Female Male

115 Pounds 215

5"3 5"11

Based on the scale below:

Sedentary--->Light--->Moderate--->Active--->Vigorous

I would describe myself a having a sedentary lifestyle, not very active. The closest I would get to working out on a regular basis is taking trips to Tokyo where there is a lot of walking involved, and the occasional Zumba classes.

Daniel lives a more active lifestyle. He bikes to and from work every day, and works out 2-3 times a week in addition to bicycling.

Fuji 101: A brief introduction to Mt. Fuji

"He who climbs Mount Fuji is wise man, he who climbs it twice is a fool"

-Japanse Proverb

Last Volcanic Eruption: 1707
Elevation at top : 3776m / 12,388 ft/ 2.34 mi
Walking Distance: From 5th station ~ 10mi / 16km
Other Alias: Fuji-san, "The Beast"

Climbing Season:

Before you continue, answer the following questions:

Do you have sickle-cell anemia, carry the trait, or have a family history of it?
Do you have asthma?
Are you prone to altitude sickness?
Do you have acrophobia (a fear of heights)?

If you have answered yes to any one of these questions...you should seriously re-consider your plans to climb Mt. Fuji.

Now on to the fun stuff!

Timeline

(How to plan accordingly on the months/days/weeks leading up to your climb)

Prior to planning...

Make sure to choose a day to climb that is not during Japanese holiday (no surprise there). During the climbing season two major occurrences to watch out for is when school vacations begin and Obon week. Do some research to find out exactly when those two occur the year you are climbing- try to plan around these if at all possible.
If you think you would prefer to do a two-day hike and stay in a hut, you may want to see if there is availability before planning your climb. These sell out quickly and they are strict on letting people lounge around inside if you are not a paying customer, so don't think you can try and squeeze your way in!

A couple months before your climb...

If you are buying a new pair of hiking boots start breaking them in by wearing them as much as you possibly can.
If you are ordering some of your gear online begin purchasing it so it has enough time to reach you.
Create an exercise plan if your like me and you don't work out very often. If you do...then I would put an emphasis on building your legs muscles...with special focus on your thighs...you'll understand why then next day after you climb.

A couple weeks before your climb...

Confirm your reservation with the hut if you reserved a space

A couple days before your climb...

Begin collecting everything you need for you day pack...you don't want to save this for the night before
Drink plenty of water to begin hydrating your body
Check the weather...if it looks like it's storming, raining, and extremely cold...you may want to reconsider

The day before...

Do not party hard and drink alcohol
Do not eat something that you think may upset your stomach or send you running to the bathroom
Get as much rest as you possibly can
Cut your toe nails and finger nails
Take off Jewelry - leave at home

The day of...

Don't bother with make-up ladies...it will come off anyway

After your climb...

Make sure you have nothing strenuous to do for at least 3 to 5 days
You might want to treat yourself to a relaxing spa day and indulge in a massage or two

What to expect!

Expect to see people of all ages climbing the mountain. There was a great number of people definitely over 50 years of age and just as many kids as young as five to seven years old, and everything in between.
English signage everywhere, so it's virtually impossible to get lost. These signs will warn you of falling rocks and other signs will tell you how much farther you have to climb til the next station and then the summit. It will also tell you approximately how many minutes it will take for you to reach rest area.
Almost every station has someone available that speaks English.
Your hair will feel as though you sprayed hair spray in it after you've completed your hike- this is normal...it's just a combination of dust and mist in the airs, and salt from your sweat.

Checklist on what to pack

It would be helpful for you two have two separate bags, your Day-Pack and What I referred to as my "Recovery Pack." Your day-pack is the bag you will be carrying with you during the entire hike. The recovery bag will include everything you will need to strip out of your dusty and sweaty clothes and change into something comfortable and easy to get on your way back home. Feel free to print the two list below! The items in blue can be found at a Daiso (100 yen shop)

His and Her Day Packs

What to Wear

Layering is a really good idea, just make sure none of those layers are cotton. Dry-fit and synthetic materials are the best way to go. I don't think I have to say "No Jeans" but I did see multiple people wearing Jeans (in our group- embarrassing), so...No Jeans...unless you want be extremely uncomfortable.

Things to consider

1 day or 2 days? How to decide which is best for you...

When planning your trip you will need to decide ahead of time if you think you can push yourself to conquer Fuji (going up and down) in one day or over two days utilizing one of their huts. Originally I signed up for a 1-day hike...but couldn't thank myself enough for choosing the 2-day hike instead as I was making my way up.

Simply put...if you are an experienced hiker or extremely fit and athletic, climbing Fuji in a day should be no problem. Everyone else...I would suggest breaking it up for several reasons one being so you can obviously take a break and let your body recuperate before you start hiking again (your feet will thank you). Second, you get a chance to eat a warm meal, change your undergarments (if needed), refresh yourself, repack and organize your bag, and of course SLEEP. Finally, I can imagine that your attitude will be so much more pleasant than if you continued to push yourself.

Book a Tour Vs. Going Solo

Not sure what to expect, we decided to take a tour for a few different reasons. If you agree with these reasons then you might also want to consider going with a tour group...if their itinerary suits your needs. My reasons for going with a tour group is as follows

Did not want to drive or take the train back after the climb - *Most significant reason-
Incase there were any language barriers
Did not want to deal with the hassle of arranging a hut
Felt safer by seeing familiar faces along the way
The itinerary matched my goals for the trip

With that being said...and after experiencing the climb myself...climbing on your own (or with a partner) is totally do-able. Everyone around you is pretty friendly and the attendants at the huts can help guide you as well. As long as you don't have reservations about how your traveling back to your home/hotel after the climb- going alone should be no problem at all.

Important Points

Restrooms

You will know when your approaching another rest areas because the putrid smell from the bathroom will linger and blow its way into your face. The smell if horrific. (Tip # 2: If you have an uneasy stomach from terrible smells I would suggest bringing nose plugs if you can't holder your breath longer than 90 seconds when using the restroom)
All the restrooms are a 200 yen charge. Some of them have turnstiles like if you were about to go on an amusement park ride, and other just have a box where they TRUST that people will contribute. (Tip #3 Bring at least 1000 yen worth of coins with you to make it easier) Either way...there is no bathroom attendant, incase you were wondering.
Based on my prior research was told to bring my own toilet paper, so I packed a ziplock full only to find out that all the bathrooms were in deed equipped with toilet paper. I would still pack some anyway...just incase.
Oh yes...and all of the bathrooms that I saw were American style...some even had the paper you can drape over the seat.

Hotels - (Speaking strictly from my experience at the Fuji-san hotel)

Hotels cost anywhere between 5000-7000 yen a night
You are provided a sleeping bag, thick blanket, pillow, and a hook above yours sleeping bag.
Fujisan looked fairly small inside, but slept a good number of people. I didn't realize it until later, but there were people actually sleep higher up than me close to the ceiling.
You are not to wear your hiking boots inside the hut so they will provide slippers on the outside and expect you to take your boots off and place them inside on a shelf.
I was given a permanent marker to write my initials on the top of my stick and directed to put it in the box at the entrance by the door with all the other sticks.
The center of the room had very narrow tables for eating at and provided floor cushions which were stacked off to the side. The menu was completely in English with pictures.

Sticks & Stamps

Purchasing one of these sticks is a must...you will not regret it. It serves multiple functions: 1) souvenir 2) place to put your stamps, and the main reason 3)assist with hiking both up and down the mountain.
Don't get discouraged by the people with the fancy hiking poles, chances are its not their first time hiking or climbing Fuji.
No-one explain really how to use these sticks, but I found a way that worked from me that sort of looked like I was rowing a boat, but it was great because it provided support and kept me balanced most of the time. When climbing the taller rocks it was helpful to wedge the stick between the rocks and pull myself up using both hands. (Tip #5: This is where gloves may become handy. Because its real wood, splinters are very possible, so try and protect your hands, not to mention you will definitely be doing some climbing and using both hands to pull yourself over the steeper and rockier areas- this was one of the things I was talking about when I say people underestimated the climb)
Don't be afraid to get the bottom of it bruised up by digging it into the dirt, gravel, and rocks. I took it easy for the first hour because I didn't want it to get too messed up or dirty, but you will soon realize that no longer matters. It is actually a pretty tough piece of wood. (Tip #4: Daniels stick got discolored from his gloves from it rubbing up on it during the climb...try not to wear dark colored gloves that are leather if you can help it...mines were latex or cotton).
If the hiking stick is the only souvenir you plan on purchasing then I would highly encourage collecting stamps from as many stations as you can. Whether its a gimmick for them to make more money off the tourist or not...collecting these stamps along the way really gives you a sense of accomplishment as you are making your way up. Another side note: they are not always the same each year, so your stick will be unique.

Trash

You will not find any trash receptacles on Mt. Fuji whatsoever, so plan on taking what ever you eat (unless it's at a restaurant) with you. The hut I stayed in let us dispose of our water bottles, but that was all. At the summit, some places may allow you to recycle your cans there, but only if you purchased a drink from them.
I read many blog that says to "bring a big bag with you for trash." I don't think thats necessary at all, I shoved my trash on the side pockets of my day pack. You could also get a small grocery bag too if you would want to keep all your trash together in one place.

Our Journey

Details:
Climb Date: Sunday, August 18 2013 - Monday, August 19 2013 = Total of 2 days
Goals: (1) Reach the 8th station by 6pm on Day 1 (2) Make it to the summit before sunrise (3) Descend and reach the 5th by 3pm
Starting and ending point: 5th station
Weather: Sunny with no chance of showers
Route- Yoshida Trail
Start time: 10:15am Aug. 17th
End time: 10:12am Aug. 18th

Hotel Hut: Fuji-san

Concluding Thoughts

Soon to come...

Ohayo.Konnichiwa.Oyasumi

Tabs

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Overnight Mount Fuji Hike