Stomping Grounds: Fuji san

Mount Fuji is massive. I climbed it last week, and we even cheated. But it is HUGE.

We drove up to 5th station - about halfway up the mountain - and started climbing around 9:30 pm. Up, up, up. Lots of loose gravel, careful maneuvering, and boulder scaling. To 6th station, 7th station, 8th station, and all the little huts in between that offered to put stamps on our walking sticks. It took us 7 hours just to get that far. Thank the good Lord we couldn't see how far we had to go.

Overnight, we could see the city. Yamanashi was at the base of the mountain, and Tokyo was further away, along the bay. There were stars and lightning and city lights everywhere. It was simply amazing.

We watched the sunrise from 8th station at 5 am, and continued on in the heat through 9th station. Still up, up, up. Climbing and resting and climbing and water breaks. And climbing. When we finally walked through the torii gate to signify summit, it was about 7 o'clock in the morning. Oh glorious. Realizing we still had to get ourselves down the mountain, we quickly laid eyes on the volcanic crater, got our stamps, rested a bit, and started down.

Oh the way down!

Zig zag. Left and right. Loose gravel. And thoughts of impending death. Ok, maybe it wasn't that bad, but a clutz on a mountain scaling downward? Bad idea. I only fell once. Yes, I pride myself on that. But I wish I could've just fallen my way down that mountain. With each step you take, you become more exhausted and robotic. Step. Step. Step. You feel your knees and your hips. You dread taking off your boots and seeing what your feet look like.

From the looks of the map, after the zig zags, things seem to level out. You find hope. It's not until you keep going in the downward direction that you realize it was false. When the ground finally levels out, 5th station - your sweet destination - is fleeting. You keep turning corners thinking you're there. Only to find more rocks. And gravel. And paths that never end.

Wah waaaah.

Along the way, I passed fresh looking climbers, ready to scale the mountain and reach the top. I wanted to shout at them. No! What are you doing? Turn back! But I thought better of it.

After over 12 hours of movement. I finally sat down in the car where my husband and mother-in-law were already resting. And I kid you not, I was broken. Emotionally. After wallowing and weeping a little, I was better. And ready for get some rest.

It's funny that only after you climb do you realize that people would have to be crazy in order to trade a good night's sleep to climb a 12,300 foot mountain. Who does that?!

It was glorious to arrive home, take a shower and 4-hour nap, wake up only to go out for Indian food, and crash until the next morning. Believe me, the views and the accomplishment were worth it. Rarely have I laid eyes on such beauty - it was breath-taking!

Would I do it again? Never in your life.