In brief
A 27-year-old university student residing in Japan found himself in a perilous situation when he decided to climb Mount Fuji outside its official climbing season. The student, who is originally from China, was rescued twice within four days after returning to the mountain in search of his lost mobile phone. His first rescue occurred on a Tuesday while he was on the Fujinomiya trail, located approximately 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level.
The climber had lost his crampons while navigating the steep terrain, which left him unable to descend safely. Later, he made another attempt to retrieve belongings he had abandoned, including his phone, and suffered altitude sickness during this second outing. Fortunately, he was rescued once again on Saturday and has since returned to safety. Officials discourage climbers from attempting to conquer Mount Fuji outside of the designated climbing season, which runs from July to September, due to harsh weather conditions and closed trails. Shizuoka prefecture police reiterated safety advice following the student’s rescues, stressing that sudden weather changes can jeopardize the safety of climbers and complicate rescue efforts. Medical facilities along the trails are also shuttered during this off-season period.Social media users criticized the climber for disregarding safety warnings and suggested he should bear the costs of both rescue missions. Mount Fuji, known for its stunning symmetrical cone, attracts millions of visitors annually, prompting authorities to increase climbing fees in recent years to manage overtourism. In 2023 alone, over 220,000 individuals climbed the mountain between July and September.
