This is a view of Mt. Fuji from where we live. It looks so peaceful doesn't it?
Now before we go through all the pictures let me just say this is honestly the hardest thing I have done. Yes ladies even child birth, at least for me. I didn't say as painful as child birth but as far as hard work, this was so hard. NO way I could have done this without my husband. Yet I am so thankful I did it. What an accomplishment.
So we left our sweet little home at the wee hour of 2:00 AM in order to get to the Mountain by 4:30. The hike can take from 6-12 hours (unless you are my husband who when climbing it by himself did so in 3 hours) so we needed an early start because I am not my husband and would need all the time.
Here we are at the start of the trail. We are so happy even though I received maybe two hours of sleep. Yay I'm thinking I have my own cool Mt. Fuji stick and I'm going to climb a Mountain.
Of course watching the Sunrise in Japan from the start of the trail of Japans highest mountain was a reward. Wow, so neat. Most people climb at night so they are at the top when the sun rises. I figured I didn't need the added difficulty of climbing in the dark.
Here comes the Sun!
Then we were off! The trail starts out deceiving you by actually going down before going back up.
Meet Brandon and Henriquez from Jebs work.
Me walking alongside our friends Shane and Amy. I'm glad we went with them it made the experience better with friends.
Happy still as we begin the ascent. The view is breathtaking already and the weather is perfect!
It was like a sea of clouds below. Somewhere under that sea of clouds is our home. You can also see how far we have already came up the mountain to get to this stop which I think was the 6th station.
As we keep going up I look up and think, wow this Mountain is bigger then it looks, I'm getting tired. Maybe I should eat.
It was really neat though the clouds seemed to just follow us up the mountain. They would just float by the side of us. So pretty.
A little further up, still thinking this is neat but not quite as smiley......
Up we go some more, the trail not just a walkway anymore.
You can all thank Jeb for the nice picture of my behind. :) However the tori gate that we pass through for next station was just to neat. I love Tori gates.
Brandon telling us to look at this next bit, Yay we are getting excited now.
Shane and Amy being awesome! They were great hikers.
At this point you will notice Jeb has on two backpacks. That's strange right? Yes this is about when I start to struggle. By struggle I mean I couldn't breath so well. Yes I got altitude sickness. I didn't expect it but oh was it so hard. It felt like someone was in my chest squeezing my lungs tight. So my husband being as amazing as he is took my backpack and carried two the rest of the way. No easy task I might add. Have I ever said how much I love him?
In case you forget, Mt. Fuji is the holiest mountain in Japan, one of the main Gods. So there were religious people making trips up as well. We later found out this group included one of the highest priests of the Shinto religion. Everyone was making a big deal out of this group, then when we asked why we found out.
This is Bryce our other friend just hanging out about the clouds.
Right about now I'm wondering why I thought this was a good idea and why I was so excited. We have been climbing around 4-5 hours.
Nothing like an old Japanese guy making it up the Mountain to keep you motivated
I think this might have been the 7th station. Not sure, but I did have a surge of energy thinking I can do this.
Maybe it was just the amazing view that made me feel that way. The skies were the clearest blue I've ever seen.
Then we started to climb again. We can ALMOST see the top. Then I just settled into this mode of just doing it one little switch back at a time.
Up we go, the clouds are catching up to us. I am starting to see stars and have tunnel vision due to lack of oxygen. It was lovely.
Good thing my husband was so patient with him as I stopped and rested again and again. JEb was holding the little can of oxygen for me to give me a little pep to keep going. I wanted to just sit still and enjoy but we pressed on.
WE are almost there!!!! Between the 7th and 8th station (the top) is the shortest distance but it takes the longest. Why? Because you are ascending so much and the oxygen is so thin. I nearly passed out so many times. But Jeb kept me going, helping me, letting me lean on him. Have I said he is a great husband?
Are we having fun?
This is it. The last gate. The Top. We did it. 9 hours of hiking! I think everyone should have to do something that hard! Its just amazing.
WE are now at the top of Mt. Fuji and welll its wasn't all that great. The smell from a seasons worth of outhouses from the thousands of people, kind of ruin it. Of course the complete exhaustion makes it so you just want to lie down. Please notice the sleeping people in the background I became one of those shortly after this photo was taken. Yes I have slept on the top of Mt. Fuji.
Jeb however has done something more amazing he has cooked on top of Mt. Fuji. His awesome hiking stove, which is tiny, allowed him to cook a hikers dehydrated meal of beef stroganoff. Let me say it was better then the Ramen noodles looked. :) Once again my husband is just great!
Sleeping on the top of Fuji.
Can you see way down there? Thats where we used to be.
We must now start our long trek down. Which other people said was the worst and the hardest part. For me the climb down was SOO easy in comparison. Why? With every step I took I could breath again. We zoomed down the mountain in a speedy 3 hours.
OH Mt. Fuji I will forever respect you. I will also never want to climb you again.
