Descending Fuji

This is a picture of my three companions heading down the trail into a swirling mist of cold and fog. It was so delightfully strange and unpleasant to see the wind rushing past. I realize it wasn't the wind but clouds yet it was still fantastic.

As you can tell from this picture our descent was tough due to the lack of visibility. Plus anyone with bad knees, or injured knees will tell you descending is murder compared to ascending! My knees were killing me and I had taken perscription painkillers especially made for joint issues. I continued to do my best at walking side ways down the slope to relieve the pressure from my dear knees. At one point my left knee gave out and I slipped. I had to stop but only for an instant. I was NOT going to be that person who had to descend Fuji on horseback! Looks like the sun is trying to cut through the cold gloom






Oh yes ice and snow. We saw it on the way up but were never this closeDawn, Kim, Chrissy and Ingrid.

These ladies were lovely and made the descent a true pleasure. We chatted about Our Heavenly Father, our Honey's, the Navy etc...

A little side note Chrissy's husband is a conventional (non nuke) mechanic who works with the nukes on the GW. I will have to see if Rory knows him.

Dawn that's nasty!

My thoughts were the truth she said it was pretty bitter.

Yes the snow was mixed with lava ash!



Here comes a bulldozer.

The path down was wide and bulldozed relatively smooth in most areas.

I know that they use bulldozers as rescue machines since there is no where that is safe enough to land a helicopter for an air evacuation. I wonder if they also use them to pack some supplies up to the huts? For rescues they also use horses as I mentioned before which are generally corralled at the 5th station.



Though the path was "smooth" you had to be careful not to slide down the lava stones plus you didn't want to slide off the side -look behind me about waist high.

The ascending route can be see in the distance on the edge of the sloop.

It green wwwaaayy down there!

Still above the clouds

I thought this shot was breathtaking.

Stick to the path and be careful! Do you see the dots on the trail - people just starting to climb Fuji!


A closer view of people just starting what we were thrilled to be finishing!

No your eyes are not deceiving you these are Japanese school children. I heard from our Japanese guide that they climbed up to the 7th station. Remember that one, 8,858 feet approx a two hour hike for an adult. It was after the 7th station that things started to get hairy. Yet still the hike from the 5th to the 7th station was no piece of cake. The little hiking boots were adorable as were the matching hats that said Buddy across the front!I made it!!!!!

We were back at the 5th station around 3:15pm

There is a popular Japanese saying, "Only a fool would never climb Fuji and only a fool would climb her twice". I am currently in the non fool category! Once at the top I would have told you I would do it again IF I was guaranteed sunshine. Now a day later, I will tell you if I had the opportunity to do it again I would! Especially with my husband who would have loved to be with me! It was glorious, horrific, challenging, rewarding, cruel, ferociously cold, amazing...

The pictures and my commentary can't even come close to explaining the emotion and the journey that is climbing Fuji-san!

The good news is I am feeling great today. My legs are sore but nothing unusually so. More like from a killer lower body workout. No blisters, scraps or anything of that nature!

Next once in a lifetime adventure is with you honey!

We have gone skydiving, snorkling at the Great Barrier Reef, Elephant Trekking in the Thai jungle... What are we doing next?