The Rest of the Fuji Story

Although we did "go to bed" at 7pm, we awoke at midnight to shuffling in the hut and people getting ready to leave. The sleeping arrangements required you touch the shoulder of the person next to you, even if it was someone you didn't know. If one person sneezed, we all felt it. We wondered why the early risers were getting up so early, since we didn't plan on waking up until 2am.

The midnight risers knew something we didn't. The trail would be packed at 2am, they were going to beat the rush. At 2am, the trail was packed, walking was like doing an extremely slow waltz up the hill. Step, together, step, together, except in this dance there was no room for twirling. It took us 2.5 hours to finish the hike to the summit when it should have only taken half that time.

As we gazed up and down the hill on the way up in the dark, it was like looking down the interstate at night during rush hour, seeing headlight after headlight, bumper to bumper, all the way up AND down the hill as far as they eye could see.

During one of the many traffic jam pauses, I looked back and started to see a reddish haze above the clouds before 4am. It was the beginning of the sunrise that all the hundreds (if not thousands) of people were trying to scurry up the hill to see.

We regularly looked over our shoulder the rest of the way up to see the colors over the horizon. When the traffic jam reached the top of the hill, there was little space to enjoy the moment. One had to start walking around the crater to get a little space and soak it in without worrying about running into another hiker.

After the glorious sunrise, dodging the crowds at the few souvenir stands, it was time to escape the madness and head down the hill.

The hike down was much more challenging than I thought it'd be, especially with the loose volcanic soil. It was like walking down a hill of soft sand 12 inches deep. If you weren't paying attention or were not coordinated, you'd end up on your rear (hiking sticks were extremely helpful). It seemed as if it would be easier to run down the hill than walk. The only downside to running down the hill is that you are like a freight train and you would take down anyone that unintentionally ended up in your path that you could not avoid.

Although Fuji is only officially open during a few months in the summer since it is covered with snow the rest of the time, I would be up for hiking it again and recommend it to anyone willing to taken on the altitude. The sunrise is worth it.