Successful trip to Mt. Fuji summit on Thurs., Sept. 9, 2021

by Greg
(Osaka)

My 14-yr old daughter and I summitted around 5 am on Thurs, Sept. 9th, 2021. We drove to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, leaving there at 2 pm. We climbed to the Taishikan mountain hut (8th Station), arriving at 5 pm, and passed the time until 1:40 am, at which point we woke up and completed the climb up. It rained the entire time and were unable to see anything for the entire trip.

A big thank you to Gary Wolff and all of you who've shared your experiences. Despite the weather, it was a terrific bonding experience for my daughter and me.

A few recommendations for climbers:

1) Bring an extra pair of pants or shorts if you're staying at a hut so you can move around in a clean pair. Your outside clothes will likely never dry regardless.

2) Bring an extra pair of gloves, preferably waterproof. No matter how "waterproof" your gear is, it will eventually succumb to the rain if it lasts the entire trip

3) Bring an inflatable mat if you're staying at a hut---terribly hard surface to sleep on (it's not tatami).

4) If at all possible, go when it is absolutely not raining or even cloudy. I imagine it makes a world of difference!

5) If bullet climbing, I personally would go up the "down" trail for the Yoshida route--you will likely climb much much faster (and more safely).

After seeing about 50% of the climbers not summitting (my guess), it suggests that they're simply not prepared (either physically or materially).

Thanks again to Gary. Love this site.

Greg