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Thanks for all the tips everyone.

I guess I should also ask,IMOA, if you didn't stay at a hut, did you just start at 7 or 8pm and hike through? If you don't stop to sleep at a hut will they let you sit and eat something? I really can't imagine I would actually sleep that much but who knows.

Further comments / suggestions welcome.

Both times I went straight up. First time I flew overnight from australia, spent the day in tokyo, bus out in the afternoon and started about 8pm and got destroyed by a storm about 2/3's of the way up. Bit of a disaster really as we weren't well prepared (it was one of those things we decided to do in the pub a few days before the trip).

Second time we were out of season and left about 9. We were being dropped off at kawaguchiko 5th station by a member of our group who had done a knee a few weeks before the trip so when we got to the toll gate just after 8pm the guys there told us it was a 45 minute drive each way and they were closing the gate at 9pm so we didn't have enough time. We explained we were the nissan sports car club from australia, were driving a nissan and would be just fine (made it by about 10 minutes). We started that night just before 9, had a pretty relaxed walk up with a couple of decent stops along the way and had around an hour up top waiting for sunrise

At the spots where the huts are there will be an area you can sit down and eat some food. You can buy hot noodles and the like on the way up but iirc the huts higher up only sell hot food to those staying (happy to be corrected on that one). That said, if you're not staying in a hut I would plan to carry the food you want to eat and treat anything hot you can get as a bonus. If you do walk up I would plan to get to the summit an hour or so before sunrise to beat the crowds which pour out of the huts as the trail can turn into a pretty tedious queue

Thanks again IMOA for the info. Got my bus ticket today so I'll head up on Saturday and we'll see what I can see!

If my calculations are correct, you just saw the sunrise 3 hours ago. How was it? How was the climb?

It was a great experience. I did not make it to the top by sunrise, but did see it from one of the many points labeled '8th station'.



Here's me at the top:



Some comments:

1. It was really really crowded at the top. I think (having seen the sunrise once) I would hike during the week rather than on a weekend if I were to go back.
2. I've hiked a lot, but this was really quite challenging. More from the altitude (thin air) than the hike itself, but definitely some hard work.
3. I had no real map and ignored the warning on the brochure I carried, thus ended up on the Subarishi trail on the descent (wrong turn at 8th station). On the plus side, I bounded down the sandy trail full speed and it was incredibly fun (and fast). If you take that trail, get on the bus to Gotemba and a quick train back to Shinjuku. Don't do what I did. For some reason (sleep deprivation?) I got off and switched to another bus to Fujiyoshida, then ended up on the so-called 'Resort Express' -- stuck in traffic on the Chuo expressway for hours!
4. WEAR GAITERS for the descent or your shoes will fill with sand and rocks.
5. Bring clear plastic goggles for the sand/wind/dust.
6. Next time I would bring less food and carry less water -- both are plentiful and expensive but not horrible. I've paid more for water at a sporting event.

Thanks again to all for the tips and info!

[QUOTE=CarlTheWebmaster;12061808]It was a great experience. I did not make it to the top by sunrise, but did see it from one of the many points labeled '8th station'.



Here's me at the top:



QUOTE]

Glad you had fun. I went last year and planning to go next year again. I slept in a hut the last time, so I plan on a night assault this 2nd time.. But I'll start at 6pm or so.. WHat time did you start climbing?

I went really slowly. I started actually walking around 8:30pm from the 5th Station, saw the sunrise at around 4:00am from the 8th station, and got to the top around 6:30am. The info I had says it is 6-8 hours total, maximum, but I dawdled at each station to take photos and videos, drink water, etc. Also at many points I had to wait and inch along behind large crowds.

I think if you start at 6pm, you will have no trouble at all being at the top well before sunrise -- particularly if you go on a weekday from what I understand.

And, consider the Subarishi or Gotemba trails for the descent -- it was REALLY fun to run down the sand/gravel slopes for a couple of hours.

-C

I'll try the Subarishi descent next year.
Was it cold when you climbed? When I was up there last year, it was below 0C and the wind was mad!!

Seems like a lot of people are dying on it this year too!!

SHIZUOKA �
A man was found Friday in critical condition near the peak of Japan�s highest mountain, Mt Fuji, local police said Friday. The man is thought to be Takeshi Nakamura, 27, one of two climbers who went missing after going to climb the 3,776-meter mountain Saturday along with other company colleagues, Shizuoka prefectural police said.

The other missing climber, Jerry Yu, a 30-year-old U.S. national from Tokyo, was found collapsed and later confirmed dead Thursday. Yu was not breathing when he was found Thursday afternoon, Shizuoka prefectural police said.

Yu and Nakamura went to the 3,776-meter mountain with other colleagues on Saturday but went missing after they began to climb down separately from the others early Sunday morning. Yu climbed Mt Fuji in July last year while Nakamura had no mountain climbing experience, according to police.

My daughter and I attempted the climb in 2006. We took the bus from Shinjuku to the Kawaguchiko 5th Station, and hiked the Yoshidaguchi trail. The weather was pleasant through most of the evening, but around midnight we encountered strong wind gusts. We and a few other hikers waited next to one of the huts for the wind to subside. After 30 minutes the wind was still blowing, so we decided to get some sleep in the hut. I woke up around 4:00 AM. The skies were mostly cloudy, so I did not get to see the sunrise, but still got some nice pictures as the sun broke through some openings in the clouds. My daughter slept until 6:30 AM or so. The weather was fine as we continued on our hike. We added layers of clothing as it got cooler. As we got closer to the top, we started getting some rain. The temperature dropped, the rain turned to sleet, and the wind started gusting strongly. Just as we started up some stones and steps, we could see the faint image of the torii through the mist and sleet. The gusts were now up to 35-45 mph. The steps were slippery, and I was concerned that the wind gusts could blow my 70 lb. daughter off the trail. At that point I made the decision to turn around. We were disappointed, especially since we were so close, but I believe that I made the right choice and don't regret it.

We were very lucky that we didn't encounter the large crowds that are often mentioned in other posts. In the hut, there was one other person in our area. I don't think there were more than 10 other people staying in the hut. We did the hike during the week, on Tuesday, July 11 to Wednesday, July 12, 2006. My understanding is that school was still in session through that week, and they were expecting the large crowds to start that coming weekend.

Yeah, school is still in at that time. Earlier in the season like when you went, there are much higher chances for rain. You can always go back!

So I'm thinking of climbing Mt. Fuji in the middle of September, most likely the weekend of Sept 18th. The most challenging hike I've done was the Grouse Grind... how's Mt. Fuji compared to the Grind, besides the height difference?

Well, have fun. September 18th is past the season, which means that transportation is limited, most of the huts will be closed, and I wouldn't be surprised if temperatures at the summit are well below freezing, with some chance of snow.

As for comparing it to the Grouse Grind, considering the summit of the Grouse is at 1,100 meters with a vertical climb of 850 meters, and Mt. Fuji is 3,776 meters, which is altitude sickness territory, I would say the Grouse isn't even in the same league.

But go ahead, just leave your contact details so they may search for you when you don't come back after 24 hours.

hiked mt. fuji on aug 14-15.
started at the fifth station at 4ish.
it had some rain between the 7th and 8th station. we were quite wet
and found a place to rest after we passed the 8th station.
it was 6500 yen per person. (with my dad in 60s and my younger sister.)
so. we rested from 9pm to around 2:30am? and then started to hike
was hiking very slowly as my sister hadnt really slept for 2 nights.
got up to the summit at 8:30 but we didnt go to the highest point as it took another hour. my sister was in no condition to hike further up.
so. after some rest, we got down.

it was a nice hike. tough, but not that tough.

i did top to bottom in grand canyon in one day. it was definitely much more difficult then mt. fuji.

i will go back again to reach the highest point in the future.

I'm thinking about climbing Sep 3-4. Is that too late? I know "official" climbing season ends August 31, but it will be difficult for me to get there before Labor Day weekend. Should I make the extra effort to get there Aug 30-31, or is Sep 3-4 OK?

Would you like assistance if you have a fall? Would you like the shops and facilities to be open on the way up? Or are you a confident and independent hiker/climber?