Fuji FAIL
I have climbed tha mountain four times previously. It was horrible each time (though certainly none were as bad as the first, where I suffered exposure and violently shook for three hours). But this time...the fifth...was by far the worst experience I have ever had.
First, the good: It was the first day of the hiking season, so there weren't hardly any people. And the rain kept the horrible red dust from kicking up. Those may be the only good things.
Now, the Bad:
~ First thing, as soon as we got off the bus, the wind wailed on us. Crazy, angry wind like a typhoon. It never stopped the entire 13 hours on that mountain. It whipped pebbles at us, stabbing my legs through my jeans. It hit so hard that Kar3n honestly believed she would be thrown down the mountain as we climbed the steep boulders between stations. And it ripped apart our plastic covers protecting our bags from the rain like tissue paper.
~ Speaking of which...the rain. It started before the first of the 7th Station stops. It stopped for maybe an hour and then never let up. Everything was soaked: the bags, the clothes, our souls...and even my railpass (more on that next post). Our shoes were not just wet, they were completely waterlogged. Every step pushed water out every pore of my shoes. They were literally swimming in cold pools of water. For 13 hours. The wind would kick the rain up so hard that Kar3n thought it was hailing and we just could not look up. How we did not get pneumonia, I don't know.
~ The list of FAIL: First, Kar3n's bag wouldn't fit into the locker (we are getting her a real travel backpack like mine for the future). Then, my iPod died after two songs. That should have been a sign. My raincoat was too small and the buttons too weak, so it was highly ineffective. My goggles, which were holding the raincoat hood on my head, blew down the mountain in the dark after a strong gust hit. All the shops were closed or empty and no 'hotels' would let us in. Finally, the greatest FAIL of all...the top was closed. Like, not just closed, but shut the fuck down. Snow piled up on the walls of the shops and they were boarded up. And the vending machines I promised Kar3n that would be full of hot coffee cans to save us? Gone. Just...gone.
~ The last stretch from the final 8th station stop to the top station was pure unadulterated hell. We were quoting Sam & Frodo as we forced our feet to move in short bursts. My mask kept my face warm, but the thin air made it hard to breathe, so I would take it off...then my face would freeze and I would put it on. Every step on the loose volcanic rocks I slipped, and then membled "fuck THIS!" Every step.
~ And then it happened. We came to the descending trail, the one that was all switchbacks...smooth sailing down. But no. It was roped off. Covered in snow and ice. I lost it then and just started shouting a stream of profanity as Kar3n, and then I, slipped on ice and landed on our asses. I caught the moment on camera by accident when the fall turned on the video. Through my pocket you hear me shouting and Kar3n sobbing. It was bad. Within about five seconds, I had regained my strength out of anger and got her to move...we were going back down as fast as possible to the last open shop we saw. Two hours earlier...
~ We made it, and the guys that ran the place turned out to be total assholes. They allowed you 15 minutes in the empty shelter to rest once you finished your ramen. They also harrassed a Chinese couple, clearly picking on them for no reason, telling them that they both had to pay for ramen even though the guy was leaving her there. And then telling her the 15 minute rule. All very loudly.
~ Because the descending route was closed, we had to go down the same way we came up...including scaling the steep, wet, boulders with chains. I have no problem with that, bounding down them like a goat. But Kar3n...she has a problem climbing down things. Like a cow. (I'm not saying she is a cow...just shares the trait) I had to hold out my arm for her to grab onto and balance herself down every single step. She slipped a couple times and hurt her knee and ankle, but we continued. I told her we had to get down and that was the only way out of this.
So, in the end, nothing good happened. The promise of a sunrise that would make it all worth it was ruined by the deep white cloud we were in. The top station was a barren wasteland of snow and flesh-ripping winds. All of our preparations for cold weather were ruined by the typhoon we stumbled into. This was my fifth time...and definitely my last. I had heard stories from friends who climbed during the rains...and now I have also experienced it. I'm done, thank you.
And now...pictures:
Next, a happy ending. Luxury hotel, Chinese foot massage, hot onsen baths, and a rant on the inability of the Japanese to build a clothes dryer that works.
First, the good: It was the first day of the hiking season, so there weren't hardly any people. And the rain kept the horrible red dust from kicking up. Those may be the only good things.
Now, the Bad:
~ First thing, as soon as we got off the bus, the wind wailed on us. Crazy, angry wind like a typhoon. It never stopped the entire 13 hours on that mountain. It whipped pebbles at us, stabbing my legs through my jeans. It hit so hard that Kar3n honestly believed she would be thrown down the mountain as we climbed the steep boulders between stations. And it ripped apart our plastic covers protecting our bags from the rain like tissue paper.
~ Speaking of which...the rain. It started before the first of the 7th Station stops. It stopped for maybe an hour and then never let up. Everything was soaked: the bags, the clothes, our souls...and even my railpass (more on that next post). Our shoes were not just wet, they were completely waterlogged. Every step pushed water out every pore of my shoes. They were literally swimming in cold pools of water. For 13 hours. The wind would kick the rain up so hard that Kar3n thought it was hailing and we just could not look up. How we did not get pneumonia, I don't know.
~ The list of FAIL: First, Kar3n's bag wouldn't fit into the locker (we are getting her a real travel backpack like mine for the future). Then, my iPod died after two songs. That should have been a sign. My raincoat was too small and the buttons too weak, so it was highly ineffective. My goggles, which were holding the raincoat hood on my head, blew down the mountain in the dark after a strong gust hit. All the shops were closed or empty and no 'hotels' would let us in. Finally, the greatest FAIL of all...the top was closed. Like, not just closed, but shut the fuck down. Snow piled up on the walls of the shops and they were boarded up. And the vending machines I promised Kar3n that would be full of hot coffee cans to save us? Gone. Just...gone.
~ The last stretch from the final 8th station stop to the top station was pure unadulterated hell. We were quoting Sam & Frodo as we forced our feet to move in short bursts. My mask kept my face warm, but the thin air made it hard to breathe, so I would take it off...then my face would freeze and I would put it on. Every step on the loose volcanic rocks I slipped, and then membled "fuck THIS!" Every step.
~ And then it happened. We came to the descending trail, the one that was all switchbacks...smooth sailing down. But no. It was roped off. Covered in snow and ice. I lost it then and just started shouting a stream of profanity as Kar3n, and then I, slipped on ice and landed on our asses. I caught the moment on camera by accident when the fall turned on the video. Through my pocket you hear me shouting and Kar3n sobbing. It was bad. Within about five seconds, I had regained my strength out of anger and got her to move...we were going back down as fast as possible to the last open shop we saw. Two hours earlier...
~ We made it, and the guys that ran the place turned out to be total assholes. They allowed you 15 minutes in the empty shelter to rest once you finished your ramen. They also harrassed a Chinese couple, clearly picking on them for no reason, telling them that they both had to pay for ramen even though the guy was leaving her there. And then telling her the 15 minute rule. All very loudly.
~ Because the descending route was closed, we had to go down the same way we came up...including scaling the steep, wet, boulders with chains. I have no problem with that, bounding down them like a goat. But Kar3n...she has a problem climbing down things. Like a cow. (I'm not saying she is a cow...just shares the trait) I had to hold out my arm for her to grab onto and balance herself down every single step. She slipped a couple times and hurt her knee and ankle, but we continued. I told her we had to get down and that was the only way out of this.
So, in the end, nothing good happened. The promise of a sunrise that would make it all worth it was ruined by the deep white cloud we were in. The top station was a barren wasteland of snow and flesh-ripping winds. All of our preparations for cold weather were ruined by the typhoon we stumbled into. This was my fifth time...and definitely my last. I had heard stories from friends who climbed during the rains...and now I have also experienced it. I'm done, thank you.
And now...pictures:
Next, a happy ending. Luxury hotel, Chinese foot massage, hot onsen baths, and a rant on the inability of the Japanese to build a clothes dryer that works.