Korean Job Discussion Forums

[BS.Dos.]

I've been really enjoying the Everest thing on the discovery channel and just wandered if anyones climbed Japan's Mt. Fuji. I've not been across to Japan yet, but am giving some thought into tackling the mighty Fuji.

I've no climbing experience but If anyone knows how experienced you'd generally need to be to successfully climb and, more importantly, get back down again in one piece, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

[RufusW]

Well apparently hundreds of people climb it, so it should be a piece of p*ss for a healthy person. And it's only 3776 meters. If you're careful (don't go up more than 1000m vertically) in a day then you shouldn't get altitude sickness. Need to time it right with the seasons though...

[RufusW]

From Wikipedia - "200,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year" - yea, very easy.

[Enigma]

I've climbed it twice, both times at the end of August. It's more of a steep hike than a climb. You don't need any technical experience, however I wouldn't say it was easy. You're working the whole way up. It's mostly a bunch of switchbacks.
The first time I started about 8 at night to make it to the top for the sunrise. The second time I started early in the morning. Both have their advantages/disadvantages and I'd look into the weather before I start. I don't think I'd want to do it at night if it's pouring rain.
If you are hiking through the night to see the sunrise, make sure you bring lots of warm clothes. It was really hot and humid in Tokyo when we left, but it was freezing at the top at 3 in the morning with the wind whipping up the mountain while we waited for the sun to come up.

[pandapanda]

Easy climb and a very ugly mountain. Biggest issue is basically to do with timing. If you are doing the night climb, do you want to stay in a hut to sleep or are you just going to hike through the night and put up with sitting outside in cold heavy winds near the top?