Rihanna Sambyal, a 6-year-old girl from Delhi, climbed Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan. She conquered this wondrous peak with her father Praguna Sambyal on July 2. The father and son duo completed the 14 km trek by hiking the Yoshida Trail in an incredible 9.5 hours. This non-stop hiking, known as “bullet hiking”, refers to going up and down in the same day without any rest in mountain huts.
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Who is Rihanna Sambyal?
Rihanna was born on April 10, 2017 to Praguna Sambyal and Samita Sambyal. He is in 1st grade at Mother’s Global School, Preet Vihar. From the very beginning of her life, Rihanna was fascinated by natural landscapes such as beaches, mountains, especially volcanoes. She watched videos of volcanoes and their eruptions in the early years of her life, which fascinated her immensely.
Rihanna loves to dance and draw.
The bride got inspiration for the Mount Fuji expedition from her father. Her father, Praguna Sambyal, a passionate amateur mountaineer, firmly believes that mental strength and physical endurance go hand in hand with such extraordinary endeavors. Rihanna doesn’t participate in any formal training other than staying physically active during the summer break and her mother, Samita Sambyal, makes sure she regularly walks around 5-6km and runs.
All about Mount Fuji Trek
Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and the second highest volcano located on an island in Asia. It is considered as one of the popular recreational destinations for hiking, camping and relaxing. Rihanna begins her ascent at 7:30 a.m. from the fifth station of the Yoshida Subaru Line to allow enough time to reach the summit and descend before nightfall. She takes breaks whenever necessary, and avoids overwork and altitude sickness by ascending gradually as parts of the Yoshida Trail also include light rock.
Rihanna and her dad developed a trio of colors at the top.
The trek is considered challenging due to Mount Fuji’s severe slope, severe and rapidly changing weather conditions, steep climbs, and long setbacks. Around 14:00 while passing the old 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th stations, in the midst of stormy winds, the father and son duo passed stone white lions and reached the Shinto shrine Mukaekusushi. Feeling accomplished at the top, they stayed at the top for about an hour, enjoying the mystical scenery surrounding the crater.
Rihanna enjoys the view from the top of Mt.Fuji.
Rihanna videotaped her mother, Samita Sambyal, back home in India to share her remarkable feat with her as she savored her share of chocolate. Her successful volcano climbing at such a young age is the epitome of a dream come true not only for her but also for her family.
Young climber Rihanna completed her quick climb in just 9.5 hours, far exceeding the official time of ascent of 6 hours and 10 minutes, downhill of 4 hours and 5 minutes.
Here are some tidbits from our conversation with Rihanna and her father:
Question: What inspired her to embark on this difficult endeavor at such a young age?
Ans. Rihanna has been attracted to mountains and nature since she was a child. In 2018, when she was just 14 months old, her brother, Pradyumna Singh Sambyal, climbed Mount Fuji with his father when he was in first grade, leading her to believe that she is also a mountaineer.
question What does he think about hiking?
Ans. Rihanna is a natural landscape lover, and when she’s traveled since she was a child, the high mountains/volcanoes and never-ending beaches amaze her. She believes in her natural climbing abilities and is excited to explore the tallest volcano on any continent.
question What are Rihanna’s future goals?
Ans. The Grade 1 students are looking forward to expanding their climbing spirit to conquer Ecuador’s Cotopaxi (5897m) in the coming years, followed by Ojos del Salado (6900m), the tallest volcanic peak on Earth near the Argentina-Chile border in the heart of the Andes. Unfortunately, the age of eligibility for most rock climbing courses in India starts at 17 years old.
The trail leading up to Mt. Fuji consists of loose rock and gravel and can present a fall hazard. Such a grueling route can put anyone to the test, but the young climber’s passion is strong. This is truly a great achievement given her exemplary never-say-die attitude. Even at a young age with no formal training in rock climbing or hiking on rocks, sand, and gravel, Rihanna’s passion remains an inspiration to many.
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Source: vcmp.edu.vn