In brief
A 27-year-old Chinese student in Japan faced multiple rescues while climbing the treacherous Mount Fuji outside of the designated climbing season, raising safety concerns for reckless adventurers.
A 27-year-old university student from China, living in Japan, found himself in trouble after deciding to climb Mount Fuji outside of its official climbing season, which spans from July to September. The young man experienced two separate rescue operations in just four days after he returned to the mountain in search of his lost mobile phone.His first rescue occurred on a Tuesday while he was navigating the Fujinomiya trail, roughly 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level. He became stranded when he lost his crampons—devices that attach to climbing shoes to provide essential grip on icy and steep surfaces.After failing to reach safety, he was airlifted by helicopter. However, just days later, he made the risky decision to return to recuperate his belongings, including the phone he had dropped during his earlier climb. This second attempt resulted in a subsequent rescue on Saturday, where he was found suffering from altitude sickness. Fortunately, the climber is now out of danger.Authorities strongly discourage climbing Mount Fuji outside of the designated season due to unpredictable weather conditions and potential hazards. All trails leading to the summit are officially closed at this time, as stated by Japan’s environment ministry. After the climber's rescues, police in Shizuoka prefecture reminded the public about the inherent risks of off-season climbs, emphasizing that changing weather can complicate rescue efforts. Medical facilities along the mountain trails are also non-operational.Online commenters criticized the student for disregarding safety advisories, suggesting he should bear the costs of both rescue operations. Renowned for its iconic almost symmetrical cone shape, Mount Fuji rises to 3,776 meters (12,388 feet) and attracts many climbers each year. To manage the influx of tourists, authorities have recently implemented higher climbing fees. In 2023 alone, over 220,000 climbers summited Mount Fuji during the official climbing window.
