Safety precaution of climbing Mt.Fuji

Updated：September 28, 2014

Measures against cold

• Every 100 meters you ascend, the temperature drops about 0.6 degrees Celsius. If the temperature in the downtown area of 0 meters above-sea level is 30℃, while it is only 7℃ at the top of Mt. Fuji. (23℃ lower than the downtown area, the temperature of winter.)

• When the wind blows with a wind speed of 1m/s, sensory temperature of human is lower (1℃) than actual. So, please take warm clothing even in summer, as the weather is extremely changeable and strong winds are not uncommon

Measures to Altitude Sickness

• The symptoms of altitude sickness are as follows；headache, vomiting, anorexia, astomia, or unresponsiveness and so on. Once you get an outbreak of those symptoms, you will never recover or increase in severity unless you descend the mountain. 

• A key to prevention of altitude sickness is tip-top condition with plenty of sleep. When you get to the 5th station by car, you need to take a rest for a while to adapt to high altitude (about 1 hour) and start to climb at an easy pace. If you cool your body after breaking a sweat so much, it is hard to keep up your strength and you will be predisposed toward altitude sickness because of fatigue.

• It is often said that if you drink adequate fluids and pass urine it improves your metabolism, and you will be less likely to suffer from altitude sickness.

• Once you start with symptoms of altitude sickness, it will be ineffective in doing inhalation of oxygen.

• There is a real possibility that the altitude sickness may cause life-threatening diseases known as cerebral edema or pulmonary edema. So, you should never try reckless climbing.

How to walk and pacing

• It is the secret of climbing fast that climb at a slow pace and regularly take a rest. For example, climb for 25 minutes and rest for 5 minutes, or climb for 50 minutes and rest for 10 minutes and so on. Then try to start again before you become chilled after breaking a sweat.

• If you take a rest too long, it may cool your body and exhaust yourself.

• Generally speaking, average adult males are available to climb 300 meters in altitude difference. Fujinomiya Trail 5th station is located 2,400 meters above sea level. If you start to climb from here to the summit of Mt. Fuji (3,776 meters) you need 4.6 hours without rest. Time required for climbing to the summit is described below. (in case of healthy adult males)

Gotemba Trail New 5th Station （Altitude 1,400 meters）	7.9 hours
Subashiri Trail 5th Station （Altitude 2,000 meters）	5.9 hours
Yoshida Trail 5th Station （Altitude 2,350 meters）	4.7 hours

• If you take longer for climbing、you will take much longer for descending as a general rule.

Case examples for alpine accident in the past

Falling

Many people are injured in falling out of control when they descend the mountain.

Rockfalls

You should never climb outside the field of a climbing trail even if there is too crowded! In the area of outside the field of a climbing trail is rock falls-prone as the rocks are off balance. Sometimes small rockfalls trigger severe rockfalls.

Lightning strike

In Mt.Fuji, lightning comes from the side or underneath. If you hear the rumble of thunder, take refuge at the nearest lodge as soon as possible. If you can’t find the shelter, leave down yourself and stay until thunder rumbling will be away.

Getting lost

• Where is your destination of 5th station? When you get lost, please ask someone around you and make sure the present location. (If you get separated from your group at the summit, it is too hard to join.)

• If you barely see the surround because of the dense fog, turn on your headlamp and show yourself for the others.

• If you find someone derailed the course of the climbing trail, please call without hesitation. (Please make sure the color of climbing routes.）