One rescue wasn’t enough: climber returns to Mount Fuji for his phone and needs saving again

A 27-year-old Chinese student living in Japan has made headlines for all the wrong reasons after needing to be rescued twice from Mount Fuji within just four days.

His first climb came on April 22, and disaster struck when he reportedly fell ill near the summit, getting altitude sickness after reaching the 3,776 metre-high (12,388 feet) summit.

On April 26 he returned—this time to retrieve his lost phone and other gear he left at the site. However, altitude sickness struck once again, and he was found by another hiker at around 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet).

Overcrowding a huge problem for Mount Fuji

CNN report that the man made the double ascent of the mountain outside of the official climbing season, which begins on July 10 and runs until September 10.

This explained why all trails to the summit are closed during the offseason and most of the trail signs have been removed; all huts, toilets and first aid stations also close during this time period, making ascent and descent much more dangerous.

Strict measures have also been implemented on the mountain due to overcrowding. They include a requirement to pay 4,000 yen ($28) for a permit to climb and online time slots must also be booked in order to legally scale the wonder. Hikers also must take a class about safety and the local rules of the area, as well as passing a short test to confirm an understanding of the information presented.

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“By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed on to future generations,” Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi prefecture, told reporters last year.

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