近所のLenny夫妻と富士山に行ってきた。当然「登山」である。
日本人たるもの生涯に一度は登るべき山だ。
前日の夕方に河口湖駅前のホテルに泊まり、朝イチで五合目からトライする段取り。朝のバス停には大勢の人やら海外からの観光客などでごった返している。小一時間ほどで五合目の登山口へ。
いやー、この時はまだ余裕あるんだよなぁ、私。売店で「金剛棒」とかいう杖買ってやる気満々だもの。
五合目だからまだ空気もさほど薄くなく調子に乗ってタバコ吸っている。標高2,300m地点。
このあと10時間30分に渡る死闘が始まるとはまだ思っていない。
このノーテンキで幸せそうな顔の人がこのあと地獄を見るんだよ。
実はこの男、まぁ往復で8時間も見てれば十分だと思っていたらしく、誤算はすでに始まっていた。
●五合目→六合目
入り口から平坦な道が続き「楽勝ムード」を醸し出す。最初は写真撮る余裕もあったが30分ほどでそんな余裕は無くなる。それにしても凄い数の人だ。
降りてくる人たちに笑顔の無い人も多い。というかこの時間なのでご来光帰りなのだろう。
老若男女が入り交じる集団を見ていると、まぁ登れるんだろうな、くらいの感覚。
●六合目→七合目
すでに疲労が溜まりはじめる。やっとここで気付くのだが「登山」なのでずっと登るのだ。通常富士登山は早い人で4時間半、一般的には6時間程度と言われている（片道）。友人Lennyは昨年4時間半で登ったという。これはけっこうなペースだ。
ただ、気をつけた方が良いのは欧米人と日本人は明らかに違うのだ。体力も価値観も明らかに違う。一緒に登ろうとするならこちらが間違いなく負ける。富士山にはかなりの数の「外人」がいる。重装備な奴は皆無だ。半袖短パン当たり前である。靴もスニーカーなんて当たり前。それより凄いのは明らかに登坂力が違うのである。
一緒に行く相手は慎重に選んだ方が良い。
●七合目→八合目
この区間は地獄である。岩の壁を登らされる。これが続くのである。ご来光観に行く人たちは恐らく真っ暗な中ここを登るのだろうか。ぞっとする。
写真では分かりづらいが奥の方に登っている人たちが見える。
これが目に入った時は絶句したよ。
しかもLennyが言うにはまだこれから厳しくなると言う。素人が登る壁なのかなぁ。本当にみんなこんなところ登るだろうか。いや登っているんだろうな。
富士山って年間30万人が訪れる「観光名所」なんだけど、これを登っているとすると凄いことだ。
世界に年間30万人もこんなに危ないことに挑戦する観光地があるのだろうか。
休みながらでもかなりキツイ。そして危ない。
これでもかなり整備されているんだろう、というか安全面を最大に配慮してもこれが限界かと思うと富士登山はやっぱ危険が伴うと思う。
慣れとかそういう問題ではないね。一歩間違うと死ぬような場所が多い。ここに年間30万人が来ているというのは驚くしかない。
一方、「軽装な人たち」というのを少なからず見かけたが、実際軽装でも登れるとは思う。ただ、不必要に怪我したり死にたくないのであればやはり最低限の装備は用意すべきだと思う。特に要所要所で人が渋滞するのだが、前を歩いている奴の靴がスニーカーだといつ転がり落ちてくるか分からないのでけっこう怖い。前の人とはある程度間隔空けながら登る。
●八合目→九合目
「岩登り」からは解放されるがそれでも「階段登り＆上り坂」は続く。当然岩登りが全く無くなるわけではないし、道中楽になることも無い。数時間階段を登り続けることを想像して頂ければおわかり頂けるだろう。そしてこのころすでに「酸素の薄さ」に悩まされる。
「もうやめようぜ！」みたいな気分になる。ただ、残念なことにここでは下山道を使うことはできず、来た道を戻ることになるので「前進あるのみ」という状態になる。
持参したカロリーメイトの袋がパンパンになっているのを見ると気圧の変化を実感できる。
このころすでに軽い頭痛、視野が狭くなる、呼吸が苦しいなどの症状が現れる。意識もボーッとしてくる。とっさの判断力鈍りがち。
3分歩いて2分休むみたいな状態である。7合目くらいまではタバコ吸っていたがさすがに8合目くらいからタバコなんて吸う気にならず。
ただ、強者というのはどこにでもいてタバコ吸っている人というのはいるもんだ。
見上げると9合目の山小屋らしきものが見えるがこれがかなり遠い。
直線距離はさほどではないが、そこにたどり着くまでの登山道が長いのだ。
●九合目→頂上
完全にLennyたちに遅れてしまう。いや、息苦しくて全然動けない。心臓の鼓動が「聞こえる」という経験は生まれて初めてだ。
そんな場所にも関わらずわんさか人がいるという現実が目の前に広がる。時間をかけてゆっくり登れば登れるとは思うがそれにしても人が多い。
また、道中見かけたのが「一眼デジカメ派」の人たち。
エライ！と思ったよ。私は絶対イヤです。
特に、若い女の子が首からカメラぶら下げているのを見ると「単なる錘」なのになぁ、と思ってしまう。
そんなもの持つなら「水」持った方が良いのに。
そもそもそんなに写真撮る余裕あるんだろうか？と思ってしまう。予想はしていたがやっぱり私にはそんな余裕無かった。
本気で撮るなら入念に準備しないと無理だろう。
また、「子連れ」も見かける。これは本当大変だろうと思う。自分一人でも決して楽ではないはずだが、子供と一緒に登るとなるとかかる負担は相当なものだ。熟練の登山者なら可能かも知れないが、往々にしてそうではない人たちの方が多いので苦労を察するしかない。
それにしても空気の薄さが辛い。途中「酸素缶」を買おうとも思うが一過性のものなので止めた。ゆっくり少しずつ上を目指すしかないし、誰も助けてくれないのだ。
（つづく）
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