Ascending Mount Fuji in Spite of Typhoons, Lightning, and Incapacity for the Task
Climbing Mount Fuji: A Personal Challenge
For many, climbing Mount Fuji is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For one author, it was a journey filled with physical challenges, personal victories, and breathtaking moments.
The author's journey began on a busy weekend during Japan's summer Obon holiday. With the author at their peak unfitness, they embarked on the climb, ready to face the steep, rocky, and physically demanding ascent that awaited. The climb, described as an intermediate to tough physical effort, demanded good physical fitness, sturdy shoes, and sometimes poles. Even experienced hikers can struggle with fatigue due to the mountain’s steepness and the effort needed to keep balance and steady footing on rocky trails.
The most challenging aspect of the climb was the strenuous vertical ascent, carrying heavy gear, and dealing with the mountain’s verticality and altitude effects. High altitude, weather conditions such as wind, rain, and low temperatures near the summit, and the need to pace oneself and use proper equipment compounded the difficulty.
The author found every step forward a joy, despite the physical torture. They needed the collective goodwill and slow walking speed of the crowd during the climb. As the night wore on, the author added layers as it got cold. The trail felt eternal, but the sight of the final Torri gate, marked by the glow of headlamps passing through it, kept them going.
The author spent the night in a mountain hut somewhere past the eighth station. The rain stopped after an hour, leaving the author hiking beneath a sticky blue sky. No sky has ever looked so pure to the author, as seen from the mountain.
Despite altitude sickness, the author climbed Mount Fuji on their own, with only electronic messages of encouragement from a sister on the other side of the world. The sky in the distance was turning brownish red, a hot glowing rust, promising the approach of dawn. With tears sliding down their face, the author felt a personal victory as they passed through the gate, greeted their guide, and sat down, trembling with cold and effort.
The author had a desire to climb Mount Fuji for years, despite hating hills and exercise. Climbing Mount Fuji was a physically challenging experience, but it was also a reminder that with determination and perseverance, even the toughest of challenges can be overcome.
[1] Source: Mount Fuji Climbing Guide [2] Source: Mount Fuji Climbing FAQ [3] Source: Mount Fuji Weather Conditions [4] Source: Mount Fuji Climbing Tips
[1] The author, drawn by a long-held desire, found solace in the fusion of science and environmental science as they tackled the climate-change impacts on Mount Fuji's ecosystems during their climb.
[2] In the quiet moments between gasps, the author imagined the benefits that a reduction in sports-related carbon emissions could bring to the susceptible environment of Mount Fuji, envisioning a cleaner, healthier mountain for future generations to conquer.
