Mt. FUJI for New Years Eve?

[photog]

Anyone heard about this tradition?
Any details I should know?
Anyone want to come with?
Thanks!

[talibanana]

i hear people take all sorts of things like couches and beds, etc. up to the top and then ride down the side of the mountain on the stuff.......but first they get naked and drunk

i have yet to experience that tradition though

[hypertokyo]

No such tradition exists.

[sing_or_die_1818]

muff fuji for new year's? c*unt me in!

[JerseyBoy]

I think it would be freezing cold near Mt. Fuji that time of year. In my opinion, Mt. Fuji is over-hyped. It's just a mountain. Many of the real estate advertisement show some shots of Mt. Fuji you can see from your balcony or yard in the "clear" sunny day. I can see that over-hyped mountain from my condo near Tama River in Tokyo and after seeing it a few times, I don't even notice it anymore.

[ginjarou]

I don't think it's open to the public to climb over the Winter is it? I may be wrong - try it and find out.

[myhobbyis]

Yeah, out of season the roads to the 5th station are locked up and snowed under.

Climbing Mt.Fuji in winter is the realm of hardcore expedition climbers (think like "The day after tomorrow"). I believe the official line of approach is to put in an application to the local police force who then record the details of your proposed expedition and checks your eqipment before granting permission or not.

However having said that a lot of fun can be had over 'Oshogatsu' in the mountains surrounding Mount Fuji (for example, Tanzawa) which gives great views of the mountain itself. It still needs to be carefully thought through and equipped. I've done this a few years taking crampons, snow shoes, ski poles, detailed map and compass. These have all been neccessary since a snow storm can turn what was an easy plain sailing ascent in to a knee deep snow descent through trackless forest with little visibility.
Because of the shortness of day light hours the turn around time has to be carefully set and adherred to too.

The mountains are devoid of people at this time since all are at home with family so it can be very rewarding though no light undertaking. Work within your own experience level.