THE CONQUEST OF FUJI-SAN....or, who forgot to call the Sherpas???

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet….I know that I’ve learned my lesson. All of those stories featuring hordes of grandmothers, small children, and women in 4 inch high heels summiting Mt. Fuji are definitely urban legends… and, depending upon where you start your climb, four hours is not a realistic climb time. When we finally reached the crest, the “clothes de jour” were hiking boots and warm REI-type duds….It was very windy, wet, and cold, but needless to say, the exhilaration of being THERE, ON THE TOP OF MT. FUJI is an experience I will not ever forget. I recommend the experience very highly. I also have a few other recommendations if you want to survive and enjoy the climb.

Suggested requirements are:

1. Experienced mountain guide company (we used Fuji Mountain Guides www.fujimountainguides.com ). There were only 8 of us including our guide versus the HUGE tour groups that we pass on the way to the top. I don’t know how they can ever keep track of their people. For them, it has to be a bit like a kindergarten field trip – always counting their hikers and wondering if anyone is left in the bathroom.

2. Young, handsome, Japanese-speaking, American climbing guide that knows how to strike “epic” mountain guide poses - and is in such good shape that he can not only carry his own pack, but that of some un-named hiker. His motto covers it all: “Look good, and make sure you know where your people are.” He certainly does that. In addition, he is a superlative entertainer and provides us with the Mt. Fuji lore and legends along the way.

3. Proper gear. No high heels, no flip flops, no jeans. This is about comfort. The better your equipment, the more comfortable you will be. Yes, you may balk at buying hiking boots, rain gear, and a comfortable back pack but you will not regret it. Also, bring at least $100 (in Japanese Yen). The amenities get pricier as the altitude increases.

4. Train for the hike. Yes there are thousands of people that climb Mt. Fuji each summer but it is definitely not a walk in the park. Train for the “going down” part, not just the “going up” part. Be prepared for the possibility of altitude sickness. Canisters of oxygen are on sale at the base of the mountain…and bring ibuprofen. Keep properly hydrated and have some sort of electrolyte replacing drinks along the way.



………but now, let’s get to the nitty gritty details of the climb….


THE RENDEZVOUS:

It is 6:00 AM and I find myself sitting in the lobby of the fabulous Keio Plaza Hotel near Shinjuku Station feeling completely “out of costume.” I look as if I am starring in the movie “Heidi Does Tokyo.” It is easy to spot the other “mentally unstable,” excuse me, I mean “intrepid,” hikers that will join me for this grand adventure. They are not yodeling but they have that mountaineering look. They are, as follows:

Patty, from Seattle, WA, who was also my college room-mate. She climbed Mt. Ranier 25 years ago. She should know better.


















Anne and Audrey, my neighbors from Austin, TX. They are obviously in the midst of a mid-life crisis and trying to threaten their husbands and children ….”If things don’t change around here, well, I’m doing something drastic…I’ll go climb Mt. Fuji.”
























Jodie and Shelly from Australia. They are on a mother/daughter bonding expedition. Yes, tribulation does create closeness. The best part of their plan is the weekend at the Japanese hot springs that follows the climb.






















Paul, a Chinese fellow from Australia, who left his wife shopping in Tokyo while he climbs. It would strike fear in the hearts of most husbands to leave their wives shopping for an afternoon in Tokyo, much less two days. As it turns out, this was only a small measure of Paul’s “true grit” for he is the only male in our group - except for our guide....Does he deserve an award or what !!??





Brent, our professionally trained mountain guide, a young man in his twenties and a student at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Brent is the product of American missionaries. He grew up in Japan and is fluent in the language and customs. He is quite popular with the locals that are working in the mountain huts…and he has the savoir faire to handle our motley group of hikers.




THE TRAIN & BUS RIDE UP:


The ride to Gotemba, on one of those wonderfully comfortable Japanese trains, charged our emotional batteries for the coming climb…. On the train we could buy yummy bento boxes and a variety of drinks. Wow, this is great isn’t it??? From Gotemba, we climbed onto a bus for our starting point at the head of the Subashiri trail.

The Subashiri route is a less used path, traditionally taken by Japanese only – probably because all the signs are in Japanese? This enabled us to avoid the huge crowds found on the other routes.







THE BEGINNING: WALK SOFTLY, CARRYING A BIG STICK... AND EATING MUSHROOM SOUP




In the ever hospitable manner of the Japanese, we were greeted at the starting point of our climb by a little old woman that bowed and handed us cups of tasty mushroom broth. This was also where we bought our oxygen canisters. You folks that are used to living at higher altitudes may scoff at the use of oxygen, but remember, Tokyo is at sea level. The change in altitude can be a problem. Then we bought our “sticks.” For a small fee, one buys a walking stick with a bell tied at the top. Of course after about two hours of listening to those ringing bells, we are smiling insanely and stomping them to pieces….actually, there are shrines along the way… leaving a bell at a shrine allows one to avoid the insane stomping bit.





But back to the original purpose of the sticks….they are great hiking aids - but they are also your climb “record keeper.” At each rest station along the climb, the hiker has a brand burned into the stick to prove that they have actually reached that particular altitude of the climb. I buy two sticks, because I have two daughters, and besides I figure I can use the extra help…..Maybe I will give each of my daughters their stick when they have their first child…. I’m not sure they will appreciate the symbolism until then.

"FIGHT - DON'T GIVE UP" ... AND THROUGH THE TORII GATE:











Before any important endeavor, the very Japanese thing to do is to cheer one’s comrades on. We begin our hike with a shout of “Gumbaruzo!” (Fight- Don’t give up!) and answer with a cry of “Oooooh!” In Wizard of Oz style, we then follow the brick road to step through a Torii gate. I love the idea of the Torii gates. They are found at all Shinto shrines and are used for cleansing the spirit. There is a final Torii gate at the top of the mountain and, therefore, the climb of Fuji is really considered a spiritual pilgrimage. If that’s not spiritual enough for you, I imagine most folks invoke the mercy of God Almighty somewhere along the way.










AOKIGAHARA: THE HAUNTED OCEAN OF TREES

The first hours of our walk take us through an ancient forest. It felt a bit surreal, like one of those fairy tales where the travelers follow the path through the woods, only to be lost forever. Unfortunately, this is very close to the truth. If we would have been in a movie, this would have been where the sinister soundtrack would have begun to play.
In Japanese, the loosely translated name of the forest, Aokigahara, means “Ocean of Trees.” It is the prime spot for folks that want to “end it all.” They simply walk into the woods, never to be seen again. In addition to the legends of hauntings by Youkai (Japanese versions of monsters and ghosts), the magnetic iron deposits underground are rumored to cause compasses to spin wildly leaving travelers hopelessly lost. There is an annual search of the area for the bodies of suicide victims as well as the lost. In 2002, 78 bodies were found in the forest, beating out the previous record of 73 in 1998. Officials have also placed signs throughout the area urging potential suicide victims to seek help rather than end their lives. The bad part is, if they identify the body, a fine may be levied upon their family. Obviously, the area also draws a number of thrill seekers who leave “Hansel and Gretel” type trails of tape throughout the forest so that they can find their way back out. There is even a 2004 movie about the forest, called Jyukai – The Sea of Trees Behind Mt. Fuji (English Title). Sounds like a Halloween classic to me.


THE FIRST REST STOP






Making it to the first rest stop feels like quite an accomplishment. We have our sticks branded, and, we can buy water and snacks….and most importantly, we can pay 100 Yen to use the restroom. As we get higher in elevation, the prices of the amenities also go up, thus my recommendation to bring $$ along.




SPEAKING OF REST:

Our guide Brent taught us a great hiking tip, the Rest Step. This involves taking the easiest route up the mountain, not the most direct route. Zigzagging and small steps are easier on the legs. It is also advisable to completely straighten and lock the leg after each step. This gives relief to the part of the legs that are doing the step-up. I loved the Rest Step. In fact, “rest” soon becomes my favorite word. As we get higher and higher, I begin having flashbacks of my ancestors that had to travel over the American plains in wagon trains, and had to cross the Rocky Mountains on foot, and had to chase the buffalo, and had to tote that barge, and carry that water, and hoe that row and, because they did all of that, I could be here at this moment putting one foot in front of the other, trying to see if we in the computer age have retained some semblance of their toughness. I don't imagine they had little stores along the way selling bottles of beer for 735 Yen...

The only excitement to be had at the Rest of the Rest Stops is Jodie’s blister… and it is a big one. Brent, ever the competent guide, takes care of it with expertise. A blister under these circumstances can be very, very bad.








BUDDHIST HELL:

After the Sea of Trees, the terrain becomes volcanic – steep sides, very rocky and dusty with an occasional plant hanging on here and there. There are shrines along the way to commemorate some who have died on our trail. In winter, Mt. Fuji becomes quite treacherous. The snow you see on all those Mt. Fuji postcards is actually a sheet of ice. That’s why the safe climbing season is limited to July and August.











The sound track for this part of the movie would have to be those Buddhist monks that chant in very deep tones, and of course the chant goes on monotonously forever and ever. There are clouds above and below us so that it appears we are going nowhere and progress is an illusion.
Brent, cheers us on – “Only 20 more minutes to the next rest stop.” Of course by then, we know he is lying….only kidding Brent…. To distract us, Brent tells about the famous painting of Buddhist Hell. Ironically, it looks just like where we are, a rocky trail winding ever upward through the clouds, with no way down and no way up. I vaguely wonder if I will reach Enlightenment on this pilgrimage to Mt. Fuji, but mainly I wonder if I will make it to the next pay toilet. Maybe that is Enlightenment….recognizing that we are mostly ruled by the Tyranny of the Urgent.

















THE GREAT SHADOW OF MT. FUJI OVER THE FUJI-SAN HOTEL:




As the day comes to an end, the sun passes behind Fuji and we see the looming shadow of the top of the mountain. This is the hardest part of the climb for me. Someone with no sense of humor has built a series of very steep stone steps up to the Fuji-san Hotel. But, at least my cell phone works here. I call my husband to see if he’s collected my life insurance money yet. We’ll have a hot meal here and a few hours of sleep before waking at 1:30 AM to make the rush for the top, to beat the sunrise.



Brent fixes us a warm and tasty meal. I think it is rice and curry? Sorry Brent, my brain was gone by then. The sleeping quarters are interesting to say the least. They involve a room with platforms above and below. Let’s just call them giant “bunk beds.” On these bunk beds are laid out lovely sleeping bags and pillows, arranged together like sardines in a can – well they looked lovely to me then. We are put in a bunk that is supposed to hold 10 hikers. What a lucky break, there are only 8 of us. I’m trying to figure out where the other 2 would have fit. It is a bit like that childhood song of the “10 monkeys” in the bed – where they all roll over and one falls out.




It is at this rest station that many of the trails converge. We’ve not seen more than 10 other hikers all day but as the night passes we begin to hear some of those 10,000 people a day that try to climb Fuji. In other words, I don’t think we sleep a wink. Meanwhile most of the women in our group are suffering from altitude sickness or knee problems. It is determined that three of our group will stay at the Fuji-san hotel and wait for the rest of us to return from the top.





LITTLE LIGHTS EVERYWHERE ... AND THROUGH THE FINAL TORII GATE:
Outside is an eerie sight. There is a full moon partially obscured by drifting clouds. I have never walked through clouds before. The drops of moisture fly around my face. As the light from my headlamp reflects on the floating drops of water, it makes a bit of an optical illusion. There are people everywhere with head lamps – so we see little dots of light creeping in lines toward the top of Fuji. It is windy and very cold - and I am glad that it is too dark to see what is below me….I’m also glad I don’t find out till later that many people who die on Fuji are blown off the mountain by the strong winds.

I have little memory of the last push, except for passing through the final Torii gate. Halleluiah! I’m cleansed now! It seems quite easy but I’m sure we are buoyed by the exhilaration of reaching the final station.

































The sunrise is breathtaking. Brent gets the final brand on our sticks and mails postcards for us…yes, there is a Mt. Fuji post office. We have a wonderful breakfast of noodles and chat with fellow climbers. I spoke with a Japanese woman from Nagoya. This was her third try. She said her other girlfriends had not made it to the top. Ignorance is bliss….I just assumed that I would finish the climb. The final task is souvenir shopping. I love the Japanese attitude toward shopping – wherever you are, there’s something wonderful to buy. I decide small is better, since I will have to carry it down. I buy a commemorative key ring. As it turns out, that was a smart decision. Down turned out to be the hardest part of the climb for me …..


SKIING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN IN MY BOOTS ON VOLCANIC DUST ... WORSE THAN BUDDHIST HELL ... OR THE THREE STOOGES MEET FUJI-SAN:


OK. I’ll just give it to you straight. This part of the hike is not good for me. It is worse than Buddhist Hell. It is probably more like Catholic Hell.
I had broken my ankle the year before by rolling on rocky terrain. Therefore, I get VERY freaked out by this down movement (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.) Although, when I am not freaked out, it is sort of fun and a bit like walking on clouds.
We are basically skiing through fine volcanic dust. The rest of my group seems to find the rhythm of it – and we even see some Japanese men RUNNING straight down the mountain –but, unfortunately, my legs don’t get it. There is another problem toward the bottom…I find my muscles have said "enough!". I am in no pain, but they just turn to jelly. I realize later that I did not drink my water and I did not drink my electrolyte powder as instructed. They are still in my pack when I reach the bottom. Consequently, the last hours are a monumental struggle. Sorry to my fellow hikers for any delay. We could have gotten to that McDonalds hamburger a half hour earlier, had my nerve not failed me. This is where having the right guide helps. I will never forget Brent’s mantra of “Slow and Steady Wins the Race,” but mostly I’m glad he takes my pack for the last part of the slide down. I am ready to throw it over the edge of the mountain and go down on my bum. Our other savior is Paul. We all begin having varing degrees of the “legs no workie” problem and Paul helps Patty down….after she, Anne, and Audrey trip on each other – or some such scenario. We are not exactly in the same league as the "Three Stooges" but close. I’m assuming that Jodie and Shelley now have a bonding experience to pass down through the generations of their family.

My last vivid memory of the climb is the look of fear on the faces of those hikers who are just starting up the mountain. As they pass us we are laughing hysterically, trying to keep from yelling “Turn Back, Turn Back While You Can!” And suddenly it all ends in a very civilized manner….with another cup of mushroom tea and a bow from the old woman to us, the pilgrims of Fuji-san.

Congratulations to my fellow climbers and my thanks to our guide, Brent. I have to say there was not a “whinger” among the group – I believe that’s Aussie for “whiner.”

GUMBARUZO !!!