Fuji Mountain Guides Blog http://blog.fujimountainguides.com Most recent posts at Fuji Mountain Guides Blog posterous.com Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:46:00 -0800 Early Bird Discount http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/early-bird-discount-44237 http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/early-bird-discount-44237

Happy new year everybody!

Once again to celebrate the new year Fuji Mountain Guides is offering an early bird discount to any registrations made for our Mt. Fuji tours in 2012. Between now and April 30th each booking will qualify for a 10% discount off the final price. 

We're looking forward to another great season of climbing Mt. Fuji!

-The FMG crew

Img_0452

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:03:00 -0800 Snow on Mt. Fuji http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/snow-on-mt-fuji http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/snow-on-mt-fuji

Tokyo experienced a realtively cool summer this year with the warm weather extending into November allowing FMG to climb Mt. Fuji at the end of October with ease. The cold weather has now rolled in though and snow is starting to pile up on Mt. Fuji. Here is a picture of the iconic Mt. Fuji, taken a couple of days ago from Fujikawa, Shizuoka. 

Img_0460

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:49:00 -0700 2012 Mt. Fuji Tour Dates http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/2012-mt-fuji-tour-dates http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/2012-mt-fuji-tour-dates

Dates for the 2012 Mt. Fuji climbing season have been announced and posted on the FMG website http://www.fujimountainguides.com 

If you wish to join our 1 day tour please contact FMG at info@fujimountainguides.com and let us know which date you wish to climb as well as the number of people you wish to climb with. The 1 day tour is extremely strenuous and should not be partaken by anyone who is not actively fit. 

If anyone is interested in climbing during September any time after the last dates posted on our website please contact info@fujimountainguides.com with the specific date you have in mind to climb Fuji. 

The price for a single individual to join our 2 day tour has been reduced from ¥50,000 to ¥40,000 and the price for our 1 day tour has been reduced from ¥40,000 to ¥32,500 when 1 person signs up. There are discounts applied when more than one person signs up for either one of our tours. FMG serve's mostly tourists flying in from overseas. With the Yen continually getting stronger, thus making it very expensive for visitors, FMG decided to lower the price for the 1 day and 2 day tours. 

Best Regards,

Fuji Mountain Guides

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Wed, 05 Oct 2011 02:05:00 -0700 Last Mt. Fuji tour of 2011 http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/last-mt-fuji-tour-of-2011 http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/last-mt-fuji-tour-of-2011

There were 3 of us for the last Fuji Mountain Guides Mt. Fuji tour of 2011. It was a beautiful day for hiking, the air was crisp, the sun was out and we had a great view of the surrounding landscape. We were able to make good time and thankfully since the ice had melted, we were able to summit! 

It was extremely cold and windy at the top so we didn't stick around for long and quickly made our way back down the mountain. After a long days hike, we enjoyed soaking in a nearby hot springs which felt like heaven! 

Thanks Humberto and Hayden for a great time spent climbing together! It was definitely a superb last run up Fuji for 2011!

Luke Cummings
Head Guide FMG

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:11:00 -0700 Late September Mt. Fuji Tour http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/late-september-mt-fuji-tour http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/late-september-mt-fuji-tour

A group of 3 went up Mt. Fuji on our 1 day tour yesterday September 23rd. As we started our climb we met climbers coming down the mountain saying it was snowing and icy at the 7th station, hence they turned around to climb back down. We started from the 5th station hiking in the rain but 10 minutes into our hike and the sun began to shine! 

It was a race against time to reach the summit. With snow and ice along the trail from the 8th station on up we needed to reach the summit before nightfall in order to make the descent in daylight. Unfortunately we were only able to make it to the 8.5th station, but it was a great hike and a fun time spent with eachother! Thanks David, Donald and Matt for a fantastic climb up Mt. Fuji! 

Luke Cummings

Head Guide FMG

Dsc00578 Dsc00579 Dsc00580 Dsc00583 Dsc00584 Dsc00585 Dsc00586 Dsc00587
See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:51:57 -0700 Fuji http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/fuji http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/fuji

Michael and Timothy McKeegan climbed Mt. Fuji with us on June 30/July 1st this year in honor of their son/brother who was nick named 'Fuji'. 'Fuji' was killed in a car accident 5 years prior on July 1st 2006. Michael and Timothy wished to reach the summit of Mt. Fuji in time for the sunrise on July 1st and we did exactly that! The excursion was done in memory of Fuji as well as raising funds for a local road victims charity. Click here to read Michael and Timothy's blog which gives an account of their experience on Mt. Fuji.  

Dsc00456 Dsc00459 Dsc00460 Dsc00461 Dsc00462
See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:46:00 -0700 September Tours http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/september-tours http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/september-tours

Although the Mt. Fuji climbing season officially ended August 31st, FMG will be conducting tours into September. The huts at the summit are all closed now but there still remain a few huts which are open on Mt. Fuji. We can run 2 day tours up until September 14 (Fujisan Hotel will close for the winter on September 15). We will not be running any more overnight 1 day climbs but we will run 1 day tours which start early in the morning and end in the evening. On this tour groups will start climbing around 9:00 a.m. and arrive back down the mountain around 6:00 p.m. A trip to a nearby hot springs resort will be included. Please contact Fuji Mountain Guides at info@fujimountainguides.com for more information on this tour. 

Since climbing Mt. Fuji can be difficult and more dangerous without the huts open we strongly advise only those which are extremely fit and well prepared to participate in climbing Mt. Fuji. 

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:43:34 -0700 Mt. Fuji August Review http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/mt-fuji-august-review http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/mt-fuji-august-review

It was a rather wet August this summer in Japan but we still managed to get a few good climbs in before the end of the official Mt. Fuji climbing season. Typhoons came early this year and brought along cold weather at the top. Hot chocolate and hot noodles at the mountain huts were a life saver. Thank you to everyone who participated on our Mt. Fuji tours for another great Mt. Fuji climbing season! It was a lot of fun! 

Here are a few pictures from our August 7-8 Mt. Fuji tour. More pictures will follow. 

Dsc02700 Dsc02704 Dsc02712 Dsc02723 Dsc02732
See the full gallery on Posterous

-The FMG crew

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:22:00 -0700 Mt. Fuji is a real mountain! http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/mt-fuji-is-a-real-mountain http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/mt-fuji-is-a-real-mountain

We just wanted to take the time to remind everyone that Mt. Fuji is a real mountain and should be taken seriously! Seriously, don't believe all those crazy blogs which say anyone can climb Mt. Fuji! Yes you might see pictures of grandma's climbing Mt. Fuji, but these grandma's have actually been training for months if not years, and are accustomed to climbing mountains. You might also see people climbing Fuji in just shorts, t-shirts and sneakers. If it were to rain, which it does a lot on Fuji (all of the sudden like) these hikers would be in mad trouble. On our tours this year we have run across numerous people on Mt. Fuji which have gone unprepared both in terms of fitness and equipment. Mt. Fuji is not a walk in the park! There have already been 3 deaths this summer alone... one person died merely from being too cold at the summit, and two others were blown off the mountain. Take Mt. Fuji seriously, come prepared both physically and mentally and you will be sure to have a much more enjoyable experience. 

Please check out the review written by one of our participants this summer on our 2 day Mt. Fuji tour (click here). Due to a typhoon we were not able to make it up to the summit. On my next trip up Mt. Fuji the owners of the mountain hut at the summit said that they shut the outside doors and closed themselves in for 3 days since the wind was so bad! To everyone who's looking to climb Mt. Fuji, PLEASE everyone come prepared to climb a real mountain!

-The FMG crew

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:22:00 -0700 Goraiko (Sunrise on Mt. Fuji) http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/goraiko-sunrise-on-mt-fuji-69508 http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/goraiko-sunrise-on-mt-fuji-69508

Experienced a beautiful sunrise this past Tuesday, July 12th on our 2 day Mt. Fuji tour. Hiked throughout the night to reach the summit of Mt. Fuji and enjoyed clear skies witha view extending out to Tokyo! Check out the video below to see the goraiko!

goraikojuly12.mov Watch on Posterous

 

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Sat, 02 Jul 2011 20:31:00 -0700 First tour of 2011 season http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/first-tour-of-2011-season http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/first-tour-of-2011-season

Our first 1 day tour of the 2011 Mt. Fuji climbing season was a great success! We all made it to the summit safe and sound, enjoyed watching the famous sunrise atop Mt. Fuji and ended the tour soaking in a nearby hot springs. Here are a few pics from the summit and the long road down Mt. Fuji. 

Dsc00446 Dsc00447 Dsc00450 Dsc00454 Dsc00455 Dsc00458 Dsc00460 Dsc00461 Dsc00462 Dsc00463 Dsc00464 Dsc00466 Dsc00467 Dsc00468 Dsc00469
See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:07:00 -0700 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchi-ko 5th station http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/mt-fuji-kawaguchi-ko-5th-station http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/mt-fuji-kawaguchi-ko-5th-station

Fuji Mountain Guides first tour of the season is coming up in just a few days. The trail we ordinarily use (Subashiri) is still unpassable due to snow, therefore we will be using the Yoshida trail on our first tour this Thursday. Here are some pictures of Mt. Fuji and Kawaguchi-ko 5th station taken this past weekend by Luke Cummings. 

Fuji Mountain Guides has a lot of tours coming up this season and is looking forward to another great year of climbing Mt. Fuji!

 

Dsc00427 Dsc00435 Dsc00425 Dsc00440
See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:20:14 -0700 Various Discounts http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/various-discounts http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/various-discounts

We are finally approaching the 2011 Mt. Fuji climbing season! Over the past few years we have received many requests to join our tour from Gotenba or the base of Mt. Fuji, as well as requesting to end the tour at the base of Mt. Fuji. For those who are considering this option, we have developed a special discount for you! Below are the new discounts for the 1 day and 2 day Mt. Fuji tours starting out of Gotenba or starting/ending at the base of Mt. Fuji. 

1 Day Mt. Fuji Tour: 

Starting in Gotenba: ¥1,500 discount; Starting at the base of Mt. Fuji (Subashiri 5th station): ¥2,000 discount

2 Day Mt. Fuji Tour:

Starting in Gotenba: ¥2,500 discount; Starting at the base of Mt. Fuji (Subashiri 5th station): ¥3,000 discount; Ending at the base of Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchi-ko 5th station): ¥3,000 discount

Options for where to start or end the tour are displayed during the booking process online. Click here to reserve a Fuji Mountain Guides tour. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:47:00 -0700 Children Discount http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/children-discount http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/children-discount

There is now a ¥3,000 JPY discount for children who join the 2 day Mt. Fuji tour! Children under the age of 9 are not recommended to embark on a climb up Mt. Fuji. Discount is applied to children 12 and under.

Spots on the 1 day and 2 day Mt. Fuji tours are starting to fill up fast! Book now before it's too late! 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Mon, 06 Jun 2011 01:59:00 -0700 Gear Rental http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/gear-rental http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/gear-rental

Fuji Mountain Guides is offering rental climbing equipment beginning this season. 

When you book your Mt. Fuji tour online, you will have the option of renting various items from FMG. Renting means that you won't have to haul all of your outdoor gear through airports and train stations. When you meet your FMG guide he will present your gear to you--when the trip is over, you give it back and never have to think about it again, Its that easy.

Items currently available for rental along with there prices are: 

Head Lamp ¥750

Hiking Poles ¥1,000 for a pair

Gaiters ¥700

Backpack rain cover ¥700

Polarized Sunglasses ¥1,000

 

More items will most likely be added in the near future. 

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Mon, 25 Apr 2011 04:54:00 -0700 What about the radiation?! http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/what-about-the-radiation http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/what-about-the-radiation

For those who are worried about the radiation situation in Japan please click on this link American Embassy (Tokyo)   

to read an updated version of the American embassies assessment of traveling to Japan.

Tokyo is NOT going frantic due to a radiation scare! The pictures you see of people wearing white masks all over Tokyo is due to hay fever season, not as a guard from radiation. 40 % of the Japanese are affected by hay fever and it is not uncommon to see almost everyone in Tokyo during this time of year wearing a mask! It's sad to hear how foreign news services have been using scenes like this in order to hype up a story they merely want to report! 

 Tokyo is 250 km away from the damaged nuclear plant in Fukushima. Mt. Fuji is another 130 km from Tokyo, all in all about 400 km away from the nuclear plant, a very safe distance away from any harm due to radiation!

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:23:00 -0700 Is it safe to climb Mt. Fuji...?! http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/is-it-safe-to-climb-mt-fuji http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/is-it-safe-to-climb-mt-fuji

The March 11 Earthquake/Tsunami has left many to ponder whether it is safe to travel to Japan, let alone climb Mt. Fuji. Amidst all the calamity, Fuji Mountain Guides does not wish to downplay any of the affects this disaster has had on Japan, its people, and the surrounding country side.

For the past month, our company has been dedicated to serving those afflicted by the tsunami in Northern Japan by delivering various supplies, as well as volunteering to help clear debris out of peoples houses and various schools which are being used as evacuation centers. FMG's head guide, Luke Cummings has been volunteering up north with his house church since March 14th, 3 days after the quake. To read more about the work FMG has been involved in over the past month please read the house church blog http://www.kamizoku.wordpress.com 

During this time, we also feel it is necessary to leave a message of reassurance for those who still wish to travel to Japan and climb Mt. Fuji. Although Mt. Fuji is an active volcano, the recent earthquake has not caused any rise in activity on its part. The Fuji-Yoshida city (one of the cities surrounding Mt. Fuji) continues to take readings on volcanic activity and has reported there to be nothing abnormal following the M9.0 earthquake. The road leading up to the Kawaguchi-ko 5th station is set to open on April 27th. The climbing season is still set to begin in July although this is never set in stone due to the varied amounts of snowfall each winter. 

Please rest assured that the earthquake has not caused an increase in volcanic activity on Mt. Fuji. Therefore, FMG will continue to offer its advertised tours for the 2011 Mt. Fuji climbing season!

We will continue to monitor Mt. Fuji for any possible changes to the 2011 climbing season and updates will be posted here in the future!

Thanks for taking the time to read this and we hope that this has encouraged you to come and climb Mt. Fuji! 

Cheers,
The FMG Crew

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:49:00 -0700 Early Bird Discount http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/early-bird-discount-0 http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/early-bird-discount-0

Less than a week left on the Early Bird discount! Enter the coupon code 1C1C5J72 during the booking process to qualify for a 10% discount off the tour of your choice. Offer expires April 1st!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Emergency Relief Efforts http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/emergency-relief-efforts http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/emergency-relief-efforts

After our first run with supplies up to Sendai we have come back with a better idea of how to help the victims and refugees from the quake and tsunami disaster. We will be loading up again with various supplies that we have found are needed in the Sendai area.

500 people have gathered from around the Miyagi prefecture at the Sendai city hall and prefectural building. There is limited food- one biscuit per person the first day; all day and one rice ball per person the second day; all day. The city hall has electricity and heating but family members are separated, anxiety is running high, and food plus other supplies are at a shortage.

FMG will hopefully be heading out again tonight or tomorrow morning to take more supplies up in the relief effort. Will continue to give updates on the situation up north whenever possible. 

Continue to pray and keep in mind those who have been affected first hand by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan!

Luke Cummings

Head Guide FMG

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:47:00 -0800 Earthquake http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/earthquake http://blog.fujimountainguides.com/earthquake

Please pray for the victims of the recent earthquake in Japan. The highway's heading north are closed down to the public and are open exclusively to vehicles working in the relief efforts. We have received written permission from the government to head up north with various food and sanitary supplies. We will head to the city Sendai, which has been hit extremely hard by both the earthquake and tsunami. 

Fuji Mountain Guides will be working with various other networks as well including Second Harvest, jhelp, and Crash Japan in helping to get resources and supplies out to those in need. Response to customer inquires may take some time. Your patience is greatly appreciated! 

Praying for our loved ones,

FMG

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1048810/FMG_logo_5.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6SfiZcnwKpk fujimountainguides fujimountainguides fujimountainguides