The distance, the winds & the style – not as crazy as it sounds

We climb 8000m peaks, we know about this stuff, and that Mt Fuji in winter is like Mt Everest is not as crazy as it sounds. Though obviously there are not the factors around altitude, time needed and expense, climbing Mt Fuji in winter and Everest have things in common.

For a start, ALL alpine climbing trips have things in common, being based on the common thread of pushing against gravity on mountain terrain. Both Mt Fuji in winter and Mt Everest demand doing this under hard but not necessarily technical conditions, which sets them apart from things like ice climbing or big walls.

Though no concerns exist really with altitude, Mt Fuji from where we start has 2600m of vertical distance above, compared to Mt Everest that has 3700m but which is done over several weeks. What we gain (and descend) in a single day is far more than any 8000m ascent.

70kmph winds and the corresponding wind chill would be impossible to climb in on Mt Everest, but on Mt Fuji in winter count as a normal day. This means we can easily experience conditions parallel to Himalayan ascents, especially at night.

Climbing Mt Fuji in winter, though not needing the 8000m suits, still uses almost the exact same gear as Mt Everest, for some including the boots. This means the same style of movement, especially if we camp, chopping ledges and digging in to be secure overnight.

All this means we see many Everest and 8000m climbers, either revisiting a style they like or training for what’s ahead. We ourselves use Mt Fuji to test gear we take to Tibet and the Karakoram, and find time spent under real conditions but no altitude to be the best preparation there is.