2014 08Aug25 - (Day3) - Climbing Mt Fuji

Stone look at 3.30am in the morning

Tried to sleep at 8pm but not like that is possible.

Estimate hiking start time was 5.30am, when the sun rise.

Breakfast that I had bought at a combi.

Rather difficult to consume a heavy meal so early morning but I needed the energy.

 

Started our hike a little later than usual due to the rain. 

Good thing we were prep with raincoat. Don't really like wearing it because eventhough it keeps you dry from the rain, but makes you sweat inside.

After around 20-30mins following the path up from Sato-goya is covered with trees, you'll see a split to descent back down to base or summit.

When you start seeing other hikers, you know you are going the right direction.

KS took a pic of myself (white raincoat) & Ray (black jacket).

Initial climb was sandy. I was practically shuffling at each slow step.

Usually, I could run a distance 4.3km in like 25mins but hiking is a totally different story.

 

I prefer rock climbs. It keeps the mind more active.

Reaching the 7th Station with mountain hunts such as Hana-goya, Hinode-kan, Tomoe-kan etc.

KS waiting for us. Taking a short breather.

Passing Hinode-kan mountain hut

Looking down at the climbers.

We are already above the clouds.

KS mimicking Zoro's Santoryu style from One Piece =D

More rocks to climb. Yeah for me!

Some climbs were challenging. 

Especially when holding hiking sticks.

Honestly, the view climbing up Mt Fuji isn't that fascinating.

Toilet now is no longer 100yen. Raised to 200yen. 

So stock up your 100yen, just pay double.

Another 3.2km to the summit

Still at the 7th Station, we see the Torri-So hut,

Keeping track of time. 

Been climbing for about 2.13hrs for 3.28km

And then we saw a bunch of KIDS!! SHIT!!

They must have climbed the day before & overnight at a hut.

Catching up to the crowd in front of us

Ray wasn't feeling well.

It's been hours since we started hiking but he didn't have the stomach to eat anything. 

Woohoo!! Reached the 8th Station (Part1)

Mountain huts such as Taishi-kan, Horai-kan etc.

2.7km to the Summit

We took about 20mins from the 7th station (Part2) station to the 8th Station

Since it rained in the morning, the route became slightly soft but thankfully not muddy.

Show-off KS went ahead of us. 

That's him as a speck.

8th Station (Part2) with mountain huts Hakuun-so and Gansomuro.

Only 1km from the 8th Station (Part1)

Time check. 3.11hrs & climbed 4.51km 

This bloody tori gate was such a spoiler.

I was like "Have we arrived?" NOT! 

Stamping on stick has price increase.

Price hike in everything now.

KS doing the duck face to such a beautiful cloudy scenery.

Ray slow & steady leaving a few "momentos" behind. 

"I'm good! You guys go ahead" 

Starting to get chilly as we went higher.

Need to cover my ears. My hiking cap actually had a flap on the back to prevent sunburn on my neck.

Which isn't that helpful with the current weather.

Management prevention on landslides. 

And then to our left, we see people descending.

We don't descend the same way as we ascent, but that looks kinda easier than climbing up. 

Hello, 8.5th Station.

Mountain hut Goraiko-kan.

900m to the summit 

And then after 400m, we reach the 9th Station.

Wearing my 2nd jacket already. 

This is sight for sore eyes.

Another 200m to the summit. 

Starting to get misty as we are about the reach the peak.

We can officially said that we hiked Mount Fuji (Tori gate behind us)

No idea why ppl stuck coins on the tori gate post.

 

Can anyone translate the words behind us? 

After a few hiccups, Ray joined us. 

See, the pillar again. 

We couldn't see the crater due to the clouds/midst/rain etc.

And it was cold, so we left after like 20mins. 

The torture begins.The descent was sandy and so steep that the risk of falling was so high.

Was so tempted to ask the tractor driver to give me a lift.

Don't forget the descent split between Yoshida Trail & Subashiri Trail. 

Make sure you go down the correct path.

KS was having a tough time descending due to his ankle injury.

I fell on my bum twice. 

 We were going zigzag so often until I saw the map.

Unlike climbing, I'm sweating alot more.

More work going down than climbing. 

The surface is crazy. So slippery. 

Suddenly we got hit by the clouds.

The all important toilet break. And this is only the 7th Station.

Current time is 12.30pm. Lunch time but no stopping. 

Walking into a tunnel then a tractor came passed us.

That's the reason why. 

Flat ground was joyous for the legs.

Ray was way ahead of us. 

Met up with bunch of hikers. 

We're heading down towards 5th Station base. 

This would have been us if we hiked in the afternoon.

Not exactly the ideal weather to hike

Current time is 1.28pm.

Woohoo! The fork between the climb & Sato-goya turnoff. 

This really sucks actually.

Had really wanted to see the base from the turnoff but still need to walk another <1km .="" span="" style="text-align: left;"> 

This is when the mental hits.

Smell the horses, then you know you're home. 

Current time is 1.42hrs 

We took 8,53hrs and climb/descent 14.83km. 

After all the cleaning up and food, we went to the bus stop to catch our bus back to Kawaguchiko station. 

ZzzzzZzzzzzz

Day 0 - Adelaide / Tokyo

Day 1 - Tokyo / Kawaguchiko

Day 2 - 5th Station Kawaguchiko - Sato-goya Hut

Day 3 - Climbing Mt Fuji