A 27-year-old student had to be rescued twice from Mount Fuji in one week. He got in trouble once during an illegal climb and again after returning to the mountain to recover his lost cell phone.
The student, a Chinese national studying in Japan, first attempted to climb Mount Fuji on April 22, when the mountain was still closed for the season. Because of extreme weather, trails on Japan’s highest peak are only open from July to early September.
On the first climb, the student became stranded near the summit. He couldn’t descend after losing his crampons and was suffering from altitude sickness. A search-and-rescue team found him at an altitude of over 3,000m. He was mildly hypothermic and was airlifted off the mountain to a hospital.
Four days later, the headstrong student returned to Mount Fuji. According to police, he went back to retrieve his phone and other personal belongings lost during the first climb. He again made it to over 3,000m, where he once again succumbed to altitude sickness. Another hiker on the trail found him “lying on the ground and shaking.” Ensued a second rescue.
There is no penalty for climbing Mount Fuji during the off-season, and no charge for being rescued. But there has been an outcry on social media, with many saying the climber should at least be charged for the second rescue, if not both.
Although most visitors adhere to the seasonal guidelines, a growing number of individuals are attempting off-season climbs. Police in Shizuoka prefecture have reiterated their advice against climbing the mountain at this time of year. Medical facilities along the trails are closed, and the rapidly changing weather can make it very hard for rescuers to respond.
