Hiking Mount Fuji

When I tell people I've hiked Mount Fuji the first question I am generally asked is something along the lines of "why?" Why would I go to another continent to climb a volcano after graduating college instead of jumping into the job search? Was it so I can talk about it in social gatherings to make myself seem cultured? No, that's why I studied abroad. Was it so I can feel superior? No, I drive a Prius so that's covered already, too. To be honest, deciding to hike Mount Fuji was the most spontaneous thing I've ever done.

When I graduated from Longwood University, a small but amazing school in rural Virginia, I was pretty lost. I had an enviable, well-rounded college experience. I graduated in four years, Cum Laude, with a Communications Studies degree and an English minor. I presented my academic research thesis at a conference in Austin, Texas. I worked at my university's writing center and for the Big South Network during the school year and at Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts during the summers. I interned with The Vinyl District and in my campus' broadcast studio. It wasn't until "senior week"- the week between finals and graduation- that I realized I had been so focused on college that I hadn't really stopped to think about post-grad. Suddenly, it seemed like everyone else had their next step planned out and I was hit with a wall of existential dread. So, instead of pounding the pavement and applying for jobs, I avoided reality by taking this trip. But enough about me; if I want to write my life story I'll start a recipe blog and make everyone scroll past my childhood trauma for a super delicious turkey chili recipe that will feed the whole family. Now, onto the real stuff-

As a disclaimer, I am by no means an expert on Mount Fuji- I am simply someone who summited and wants to help future travelers learn from what I did right and wrong. A lot of my advice stems from the guides that accompanied my hike at Fuji Mountain Guides. All of my advice is for in-season hikers (July-Sept).

Before your hike:

Hike as much as you can with your gear. I live in an area with access to a lot of day hiking spots, so I was able to get out and hike quite a bit before my departure, which I believe helped me more than any gym-based training could. Hiking uses different muscle groups than a treadmill or elliptical (and comes with much better views). There is an old hiking proverb that has proven true for me, the ascent is hard on the muscles and lungs, and descent is hard on the bones and skin. Having experience with all of these challenges is the best way to get used to them and ensure your gear is fit for the trek. Depending on where you live you may have to drive a bit, but it is so easy to find hikes in your region with just a quick Google search.

Explore the surrounding areas- but don't go overboard. One reason I chose to hike Mount Fuji is because I have always been fascinated with Japanese culture. I planned to stay in Tokyo for about a week before my hike to acclimate to the time difference and check out the city I had heard so much about. I was so excited to explore Tokyo that after my first day there I had major blisters on my feet from my knock-off Keds. I took it easier after that and wore better shoes and socks, but I did still have some blisters going into the hike. Luckily, there is a huge outdoors store in Shinjuku that sold silk toe-socks that I am convinced saved my life on the hike. I have heard wool socks act similarly, but I am allergic so I can't vouch for them. I definitely learned that I needed to be conscious of what I was there to do: climb a mountain. However, Tokyo was a truly amazing city and I would recommend a visit to anyone, even in the heat of July when the guidebooks tell you not to go.

Shop outlets and sales. I had a lot of gear already from previous hikes but the items I did need to purchase were generally pricier. I found a Columbia outlet and shopped at the REI anniversary sale and saved a ton of money. Hiking gear can be expensive, but there are definitely high-quality, less expensive items if you look around and do some research.

What to bring:

• Hiking pack with a rainfly: Chances are you will encounter at least some rain, so make sure your stuff stays dry. My pack worked perfectly- it has 30 liter capacity with a water reservoir that held 3 liters.

• Food: Two meals were included in the fee for my guided trip; a dinner of curry chicken and rice day one when we reached the station where we slept, and breakfast the next day at the summit, a delicious miso ramen that helped to cut the chill in the air. In addition to those meals, I ate 3 quest bars, 2 bananas, an apple, about 1/2 cup of mixed nuts, and a few handfuls of granola.

• Money: The bathrooms were not nearly as bad as the port-a-potties one generally finds at stateside hiking spots and were located at each mountain hut, but be prepared for a 200-300 JPY fee per use. Another reason to carry some cash is for brandings along the route - each station will brand walking sticks for 200-400 JPY. You can bring your own stick or buy one on the mountain. My brother/hiking partner brought a leather belt with him to have branded and ended up with a unique souvenir that was easier to travel with than a stick. Extra money can also be used to purchase food, tea, water, and souvenirs. I brought extra cash for food and water, just in case, but because I was well prepared I was able to buy myself a souvenir from the summit instead. Everything on the mountain is, unsurprisingly, cash only.

• Hiking Poles: These are an item I did not bring, but wished I had. Although I didn't miss them on the hike up, the hike down was a steeper, more slippery route and poles definitely would have made it easier. Hiking poles are generally lightweight and collapsable, so they could easily be brought even if you are traveling internationally, with limited packing space, like I was.

• Waterproof Camera: I brought my GoPro and my brother used his waterproof Samsung phone and we ended up with some great videos and pictures to document our time. However, another hiker we met along the way ended up breaking his phone from water damage on the descent so make sure not to make this same mistake and ensure any electronic you bring is waterproof and durable.

• KT Tape: Even if you don't have aches and pains pre-departure, durable athletic tape is good to have on-hand in case anything flares up. I have recurring knee pain so I always tape my knees before a hike, but my brother, who had never had knee pain before, needed some tape a short way into the steep and gravelly descent.

What I wore:

Day 1

trekking pants | cap | shirt | sports bra | shorts | hiking socks | silk liner socks | rain jacket | boots

For my expedition the first day consisted of a hike from the 5th station to the 8th station, however, the station numbers are deceiving. There are both original and newer stations along the route, each numbered independently of one another, meaning there were actually 7 stations along this path. The weather, of course, will vary depending on the day but my first day was primarily filled with misty rain. It wasn't particularly cold, so layering a light weight rain jacket over my t-shirt was sufficient all day. Overall, the weather the first day was moderate but wet, so light and waterproof layers were essential.

Day 2

trekking pants | base layer tank | base layer leggings | head lamp | half zip | shirt | silk liner socks | warm socks | hat| sports bra | gloves | mid-weight jacket | rain jacket | boots

The second day, our hike began at 2 AM in order to make it to the summit in time for sunrise, so naturally, this was the coldest part of the hike. Temperatures bottoming out around 0° C (32° F). Having thin but effective layers helps to keep the hike comfortable and not burdened by too much bulk. A headlamp was also essential since there was no light, natural or otherwise, for about 2 hours, and no one wants to carry a flashlight that whole time. Day 2 brought heavier rain than the first day, so even some of the most water resistant layers soaked through, but fortunately my feet and head stayed dry due to my high-quality gear.

During your hike:

Altitude sickness is real, but not deadly, at least at this altitude. The advice our guides gave us to prevent the symptoms is to eat before you're hungry and drink before you're thirsty. When I'm hiking, I generally don't feel very hungry or thirsty until I take a break, so I had to remind myself regularly to keep drinking and have snacks throughout. While I did experience some altitude sickness, it did not prevent me from summiting because I was careful to stay hydrated (and knew I couldn't bear to have come all this way and not make it to the top).

Pace yourself. Staying at a steady pace that your body is comfortable with is another way to prevent altitude sickness, and prevent you from tiring out. Go as slowly as you need to - it's not a race, and if you're walking slower it just gives you more time to enjoy the views as they turn from lush forest to a sea of black volcanic gravel.

Go for the summit, not the sunrise. The most common way, it seems, to climb Mount Fuji, is to plan to arrive to see the sunrise from the summit. This is when people tend to complain about the lines that form that can last hours and move extremely slowly. Luckily, because of the guides I was with, we were able to go up a different path and avoid the line, but the trek up was still slow moving and, of course, pitch black except for the light from our headlamps. When we finally arrived at the summit, around 4 AM, it was too misty to actually see any of the sunrise. For a moment, a wave of disappointment washed over me when I realized that we were not going to see the sunrise I had been expecting, but I took a breath and realized- I HAD MADE IT. I had hiked to the top of a volcano, I was at the crater on the highest peak in Japan. While I'm sure the sunrise is breathtaking, summiting was the real reward.

After breakfast, by the summit marker, with my brother and a hiking companion from our group

There is an old Japanese saying- A wise man will climb Fuji once, a fool will climb twice, so while I may not make it back I definitely think anyone who enjoys hiking would be wise to attempt Fuji.

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