Never presume you’re the only hiker on a mountain in Japan. I’ve hiked solo through the night in remote areas on numerous occasions, and there was always somebody else ahead. Always.
Today was a weekday. We had torrential rain and thunder. I’d finished 90% of the trail, getting soaked through and slipping on a couple of occasions. After years of wandering this trail, today, finally, I thought I would truly be the only hiker here.
As I reached the final climb, there, up ahead, I could make out his bright blue raincoat and glistening silver umbrella, drenched under the rain.
When we met I mentioned that he was the first person I’d seen all morning despite walking the full ‘3-Peak’ loop. He laughed, saying that we must be crazy to be out here.
“What a shame,” I replied. “The mountains always look beautiful in the rain.”
He nodded in agreement as I passed and wished him well.
The data for the hike can be found here on my YAMAP account.
SeanBreslin.jp 
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