Fuji (with overnight stay)

Start: Yoshida trail 5th Station (2300m)
Stay: Yoshida 7th Station (2700m)
End: Fuji-san (3776m)
Return: Subashiri trail 5th Station (2000m)
Time: 1:20 to 7th station, 4:00 to the crater, 1:00 around the crater, 3:00 to 5th Station
Water used: 6l
Temperature: 5-25C
Photos: My Photo album

Being in Japan for the summer, I of course had to climb Fuji. After a lot of communication problems, we managed to all get into a very strange train going to Kawaguchiko, whence we could get a bus.

A prospective Mt. Fuji climber

Four of us then met with another part of the group at the 5th station, though we disbanded again due to lack of agreement on the schedule. A subgroup moved on to the 7th station to rest overnight, while the others remained at the 5th station.

The climb to the 7th station was surreal and a bit annoying, as it was very crowded and there were too many people with completely unnecessary lights (it was a clear night). Most of them seemed to be intent on climbing to the top, whence to look at the sunrise. As the perspective difference is infinitesimal, we thought it wiser and more enjoyable to relax at the hut overnight.

Sunrise from Fuji

In addition, given the crowding and partial queuing already in evidence at the lower, wider parts of the trail, we thought it'd actually be faster to climb in the morning. However, two of our group members didn't agree, one of them planning to get up at midnight to continue to the top and the other suddenly deciding to do the same without telling us. So in the end, our group was reduced to two.

Surviving group member

As you can see, the main question about whether or not you're going to get a good view of the sunrise or not is what the cloud cover is relative to you. A partial sea of clouds somewhere below you is ideal, so that features on the surface are also visible.

At this part of the trail, the mountain itself is quite bare, and under the morning sunlight, it presents a rather Martian landscape.

The north-east face of Fuji

Nevertheless the temperature was not very high. We managed to reach the crater in around 4 hours, and the going was not very tough. Sometimes you had to take large steps to climb bits of rock and use hands for balance. Carrying 4l of water made for a heavy pack. I think I might have felt the lack of oxygen after 3500m, but I was never actually short of breath. We actually climbed at a very even pace of 250m / hour, mainly to reduce the chances of altitude sickness.

For the more photographically keen among you, here are two shots of the same mountain range at dawn (4:30) and later in the morning.

Anyway, we made it to the crater at a reasonable time; it was quite windy there, so an extra layer was necessary. The views from the top were nice.

Kita... I think

Crater porn

Me?

Sand run

We went down the Subashiri trail, which is easier as it's a 'sand run'. You have to descent to 2000 rather than 2400m, but it takes about the same time. The main problem, of course is that darned sand. It seems to have embedded itself in my boots.  Towards the end, the trail enters some greenery, which is a welcome change from the dreary blackness of everything else.  However, there are very few stations on the downhill portion of this trail, so make sure to stock up on water, and the ones that are there are expensive. The cheapest one is a small shed at 2350m offering water for 600 yen / l.

Water: I had 3l with me, but I consumed 1l of water just getting to the bus stop, so I bought an extra liter there. Total 4. Then I also drunk nearly another liter while in the bus and while in the hut, which was warmer than I expected. So I bought another liter plus a coffee. The water consumption was overall not very high during the actual hike, but you should not forget to account for water use elsewhere in the schedule, as buying water on the trail is quite expensive (up to 1000 yen per liter). The temperature was not actually high during the climb itself, and it only got really hot while descending.

Overall, I recommend staying at a hut overnight, waking up just before dawn to relax with a coffee and starting early to get to the top before noon. There is little to gain by climbing up in the middle of the night. I also noticed that most of the people that were doing that were foreigners, while the Japanese seemed to prefer to follow the schedule that we did.

Aka Dake (赤岳) [in Mt. Yatsu-ga-take (八ヶ岳) range]

I had been thinking about it for a while to go to Aka Dake. At 2899m, it's high enough for me to maintain some acclimatisation, and also close enough to Tokyo for it to be doable as a day hike. The other times I wanted to go there, I was either feeling tired or had no wish to wake up at 5:30 to get the train.

Transport is good. The express train (~6,000 yen) takes 2 hours to Chino, whence a bus (~1,000 yen) brings you to Minotoguchi (美濃戸口), at 1500m. There you have a choice of three paths to Aka Dake. The North and Middle paths follow a stream and are the most popular. There is also a South path following a ridge line, which is tougher as it has a lot of ups and downs.

I took the middle path, which follows the stream, and it is cool and shady. It was recommended to me by one of my fellow passengers. After you emerge from the forest, you can climb steeply up to the ridgeline via ladders and chains. Then it is an easy walk to the base of the last climb to the top, which is quite steep and may require the use of hands for balance.

This hike was quite fun, as I met quite a few people at the bus queue, including some which I had already seen in other hikes and I talked for a long time with a retired Japanese trader who happened to live in my neighbourhood. Perhaps we'll go for a beer? Virtually everybody recommended sleeping in the huts, especially on weekdays, as it's not too crowded then.

The weather was quite cool today, so I ended up not needing a lot of water; the tree cover initially and the cloud cover near the top also helped. Sadly, the clouds wouldn't disperse, and a thunderstorm was approaching, so I went back down to catch my bus. On the way down, some people apparently recognised me from another mountain (they were pointing at me and saying the name of that mountain, but I had not met them before as far as I can remember).

This time I took it at a reasonably fast pace, lightly jogging at the more boring flat places, and otherwise moving at a respectable pace. It took me 2:45 to reach the top: the final section was quite a lot of fun.

I arrived in a total of 5:00 after I started (indicated time on the map is roughly double - one could probably do it in less than 4:00, but I took it at a comfortably fast pace); about an hour before the bus, so I took the chance to have a shower, use the onsen, and have a nice big meal while waiting. I also went through half a manga about a high school climber or something of that sort. 

More photos here:  Photo Album