Fortunately this story didn’t make it into the Darwin Awards.
A 27-year-old university student in Japan had to be rescued twice within four days after climbing Mount Fuji outside the official season — once during his initial ascent, and again when he returned to retrieve his lost mobile phone.
The student, originally from China, was first airlifted by helicopter on Tuesday while on the Fujinomiya trail, located around 3,000m. He became stranded after losing his crampons—spiked gear essential for maintaining traction on icy terrain.
Despite the ordeal, he returned to the mountain days later to recover personal items, including his phone. On Saturday, he was rescued again after developing altitude sickness. Authorities confirmed he is now safe and out of danger.
Climbing Mount Fuji outside the official season, which runs from early July to early September, is strongly discouraged due to hazardous conditions. All summit trails are currently closed, according to Japan’s environment ministry.