Fool Me Once, Shame on You, Fool Me Twice…On Mt. Fuji?
Here’s a nugget of wisdom, if a mountain requires a rescue team to pluck you from its treacherous slopes, perhaps a return visit isn’t the wisest move. One intrepid, or perhaps incredibly forgetful, Mt. Fuji hiker apparently missed this memo by a mile.
Two Rescues, Four Days Apart: A Mountainous Misadventure
Shizuoka Prefecture’s local news outlets are reporting a rather unbelievable incident. On April 26th, an emergency call led rescuers near the 8th Station to a 27 year old Chinese university student. This Tokyo resident, climbing solo, was reportedly suffering from altitude sickness on his descent. Thankfully, he was conscious and able to communicate with his rescuers in Japanese.
Now for the kicker, this wasn’t his debut performance in a Mt. Fuji rescue drama. Just four days prior, on April 22nd, the same student required a helicopter extraction! His initial predicament? Losing his crampons, those handy traction devices for icy boots, rendering his descent a slippery slope to disaster.
The alleged motive for his encore climb? His lost smartphone. Whether this digital lifeline was recovered remains a mystery. Adding a layer of “what were they thinking?”, the official Mt. Fuji climbing season is still months away, typically running from early July to early September.
Trouble in Tourist Paradise: Warnings Unheeded
Despite a surge in tourism, Mt. Fuji rescues thankfully haven’t broken records, yet. Shizuoka authorities assisted 46 stranded individuals in 2024, a number close to but still below the 51 rescues of 2018. Tragically, four climbers lost their lives on the Yamanashi side last year. Officials consistently warn visitors about the perils of inadequate preparation, often citing cases of climbers attempting the ascent in flimsy clothing. They particularly caution against “bullet climbing,” that ill advised practice of trying to conquer the summit in a single, sleepless night.
This incident echoes other recent reports of tourists engaging in risky behavior in Japan, highlighting the importance of respecting local guidelines and natural environments.
Personal Opinion:
The Mt. Fuji double rescue scenario presents a stark reminder of the delicate balance between the allure of adventure and the necessity of responsible tourism. On one hand, the individual’s determination to retrieve a lost personal item is understandable in our digitally connected age. On the other hand, the decision to return to a potentially dangerous environment outside of the safe climbing season, especially after a prior rescue, demonstrates a significant lapse in judgment and places undue strain on emergency services. Finding a middle ground involves promoting tourism while strongly emphasizing safety, preparation, and respect for natural boundaries.
