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Published: September 12th 2009
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Fuji Hike by the Numbers:
a) Elevation at summit is 3,776 m/12,388 ft.
b) Yoshida Daguchi Trail vertical climb is ~3,000 m/9,800 ft. One-way distance is 19 km/12 mi.
c) 38 km/24 mi over 1.5 days. 16 km/10 mi day 1. 22 km/14 mi day 2.
d) 8.75 hiking hours to summit (excludes lunch and overnight at Station 7).
e) 7.75 hiking hours to descend (includes 1 hr for "exploring" a side trail).
f) 16.5 total hiking hours punishing my feet.
As the Asia travel itinerary was and is a loosely based plan on places to visit, I knew Mt Fuji would come into play in some shape or form. After reading more about Fuji, I learned that there are a few routes in which to reach the summit. The most popular route is taking a bus from Lake Kawaguchiko up to Station 5. The less traveled route is the 1,000 year old Yoshida Daguchi Trail, which starts at the Fuji Sengen Shrine in the little town of Fuji-Yoshida.
There are ten Stations on Mt Fuji, number one being at the lowest elevation and number ten being a few hundred meters lower than the summit.
Reading the
Lonely Planet Japan guide book, I see that the Yoshida Daguchi Trail is 19 km/12 mi base to summit. I think, hmm, sounds doable. Further reading reveals that the distance is over a 3,000m/9,800 ft vertical climb. Again, I think, hmm, that's a lot of vert, but since it's over 19km, why not.
Truthfully, I still wasn't sold on the idea, that's a long way up and down, but further reading of the guide book closed the deal. As mentioned, the alternative is to take a bus to Station 5 (after which there are no roads), and hike the remaining 6 km/4 mi up to the summit. Again more thinking, what a sissy way to hike Fuji you lazy cheaters! And so it was done.
Monday, Sep 7, departure from Tokyo's Shinjuku bus station for a two hour trip to Lake Kawaguchiko, one of the towns near the base of Fuji. Monday night was spent at a backpacker's hostel, K's House, and the hike started Tuesday morning. Never did meet K.
Tuesday started with an early rise and breakfast, walk to the train station, and a quick train ride two stops over to Fuji-Yoshida. Getting lost on
the walk from K's House to the train station would likely damper the enthusiasm of a lesser ego, but I was happy to have one minute to spare as I boarded the train.
After a five minute train ride to Fuji-Yoshida, another five minute ride follows. This one by city bus to the Fuji Sengen Shrine, which marks the beginning of the Yoshida Daguchi Trail and my hike up Fuji-san. I take in the sights -temple, gates, other stuff I do not know- and do the purification ritual from the water spouting dragon fountain at the shrine. Grab a ladle, right hand rinses left hand, left hand rinses right hand, and drink.
The hike officially begins at 08:10. The hike to Station 5 is deserted and I only see three others (locals I think) hiking parts of this trail for my first 13 km. Thick forests, humidity, shrines, statues, and "watch for bear" signs (nothing I read mentioned bears!) highlight this portion of the hike. The final 8 km of this portion was much steeper than I anticipated so reaching Station 7, my Mountain Hut sleeping quarters for the night, would prove challenging. I reach Station 5 four
hours later at 12:10, elevation 2,300 m/7,500 ft. I saw no bears.
An udon noodle lunch at Station 5 refuels the climbing machine, and I'm off at 13:00. Around 20 minutes into this area of the trail and the number of people increases substantially as this is where the lazy cheaters start. Climbing gets more difficult as the loose, rocky terrain is steeper and the air thinner. Closer to Station 7 the hike turns into rock hopping and climbing over lava rock terrain. I reach the first hut at Station 7 in one hour, and I'm feeling great about my manhood as this section is supposed to take approximately three hours. I was climbing fast, but that fast? No. The end of Station 7 is another few hundred meters of climbing very much up. Legs burning, lungs burning, but still pushing through I reach the Toyokan Hut at 15:15, two and one-quarter hours after departing Station 5.
Dinner was a beef patty, some sort of tasty sauce, and rice. Dessert was coffee and a bag of M&M's. None of these things had ever tasted so good.
A very early departure was planned to reach the summit for
a 05:15 sunrise. Early to bed and a very early rise to start the hike at 02:00. The nighttime temps near Station 7 were around 45F and the westerly wind was gusting in the 25-35 mph range from the start. Stocking cap, gloves, multiple layers, wind breaker, and headlamp were donned for the final climb to the summit. The last leg saw snow flurries, increasing wind, and hints of altitude sickness which required a reduced pace to rid the nausea. The minor headaches just came and went a couple times during the final leg to the summit. Closer to the summit a winter coat was also layered over the existing layers.
04:30, so this is Fuji.
Unfortunately, I beat the sunrise by 45 minutes, and it's cold and windy. The temp was around 20F and at the crater lip the wind was gusting at 60+ mph. At this point I went down a hundred meters to hide behind some shelters from the wind and wait for sunrise to get closer. Ten minutes before sunrise I hike back up to the crater lip and wedge myself as much as possible behind a small rock ridge to block some of
the wind. There were only three of us on the crater lip due to the crazy wind, but I just hiked 19 km, and damn it, I'm having my moment!
One and one-quarter hour later after making the summit, I've had my moment, snap some departing pictures, and begin the descent at 05:45. Traveling the same route I came up, hopes were to make the descent in about six hours. I think, hmm, seems reasonable, it's all downhill from here baby!
Summit to Station 5 goes well and is complete in three hours as we arrive at 08:45. We is UK Girl and me. She and her friends attempted a night hike starting at 21:00 the night before. They were very surprised to learn that it's really cold at night high in the mountains. She was also disappointed that there were not more places to stop, rest, and warm up along the mountain. I really wanted to tell her that she wasn't at Disney World and Fuji was not Space Mountain, but figure Natural Selection will take care of business. I get UK girl back to Station 5 as she was not sure where it was located and
head on my way.
I'm moving along well as I get 4 km past Station 5. Strange thing though when you are hiking that long by yourself is that you tend to daydream. Standard stuff like forest nymphs, whip cream, and chocolate syrup so I won't bore you with the details. So mid-daydream, I take a wrong turn and hike about 30 minutes before nothing looks very familiar and after checking my compass heading it reads ENE while it should read S. Deep, calming breath and I back track the last 2 or so km. Not fun as I end up back tracking about 5 km. I think, hmm, not too bad, and head down the proper trail.
A few minutes down the proper trail, and the blisters I knew would be forming from all the downhill hiking presented themselves to me. "Hello Bitch," shouted the blisters and they morphed to zombies with each step down the trail and the undead in my shoes gnawed at the heels and balls of my feet seeking my toes to eat like little brains. Only 8 km more, my pace has slowed dramatically, and now I really just want to finish.
During the next 8 km, the trail recedes from its dirt surface and progressively turns rocky. It is over this surface I continually look down to ensure that I am still wearing shoes. Really? Yep, shoes still there. This, and not much else, goes on until I reach the base at Fuji Sengen Shrine at 13:50.
I hobble through the Shrine to the city street and, humbled, wait for the bus.
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