Climbing Mt. Fuji

As a temporary resident in Japan, I felt more than compelled to make the hike up to the top of Mt. Fuji. I think anyone with the opportunity has to do it because the reward is well worth the effort. So, my trek began at 740pm in the evening, and lasted for about 7 hours throughout the night, until my arrival at the summit at 230am. A pack full of warm clothing, rain gear, cameras, water, food, oxygen, and a head lamp gave me all the essentials I needed for my long journey. I was definitely winded for much of the climb as I scaled the steep terrain with a group of friendly Aussies that I met along the way. There are 10 stations along the Mt. Fuji trail and most people start at one of the several 5th stations. We made really good time as we reached the 8th station in about 1.5 hours, however, we decided to walk with a tour group after that to kill some time. The summit has temperatures below zero, and the last thing you want to do is stand still in weather like that. So, we decided to take a few long breaks at rest stations and keep a slow and steady pace the rest of the way. Id have to say that the last 2 hours of the hike uphill were the worst due to the extreme cold, strong winds, and wetness in the air. At times I wondered if the trail would ever end since all I could see were ongoing winding paths with no seeming end. However, the finish finally came into view and our reward came about 2 hours later. The sunrise was truly amazing and captivated the attention of hundreds of hikers at the top. You are standing above the clouds and all of a sudden you see the colors of the sun shine through as it rises above the clouds, beautiful! After a couple of hours of picture taking and amazement, I decided to head down for my final descent. Four more hours of hiking and I was back on a bus to Tokyo. Dirty, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. Nevertheless, satisfied that I had finally experienced what only 3 or 4% of the native population here ever experience, a truly memorable event. Climbing Mt. Fuji really was a rewarding experience and my pictures will only describe part of the fulfillment. However, there is a saying in Japan regarding the climb, "A wise man climbs Mt. Fuji once, and a fool climbs Mt. Fuji twice". That my friends, could not be more true...it was a very taxing adventure composed of 11 hours of total hiking on no sleep. So in final, my pictures will help remind me of the wonder, and my legs will help remind me of the torture! haha, enjoy!