19 October 2023
Silvera was recently repped on the tallest peak in Japan.
In late August, Art Escalona, Hospitality Supervisor at Aspen, and his wife Elaisa, Administrative Coordinator at Shouldice, summited Mount Fuji, the highest Japanese mountain (which is actually a volcano!), rising 3,776 metres above sea level.
Art was wearing a winter coat featuring the Silvera logo he was given from Universal Workwear. He saw the coat at the employee conference in June and thought wearing it would be fun way to represent Silvera at the top of Mount Fuji.
“I was talking to the Universal Workwear rep and mentioned I needed to buy a windproof, waterproof coat to take on my trip,” says Art. “When she heard that I was going to hike to the top of Mount Fuji, she gave me the coat if I promised to take some summit photos and share them when I returned.”
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Art and Elaisa started bagging peaks in the Rockies in 2020 during the pandemic to get out of the city and have some fun doing a safe, outdoor activity. “Hiking promotes great mental health and as a bonus, you get to exercise too!” says Art. They quickly realized how much they love hiking and now aim to summit 12 mountains each year. This year they hiked 14 in preparation for their trip up Mount Fuji.
In August, they headed to Japan for a three-week holiday, and tacked on a side trip to Mount Fuji, which is located 2.5 hours east of Tokyo.
“Most people usually do Fuji as a two-day hike, but we didn’t have enough time for that, so we went up and back in one day,” Art says.
They packed light – just snacks and water – and started hiking at 9 am. They made it back down just after 7 pm, about five minutes after the last bus back to their hotel had departed.
“We were really pushing ourselves, trying to get back down the mountain before the bus left. We really didn’t have much time to linger at the top, just a few minutes to take in the view and get some photos. We descended in the dark. It was disappointing to return to realize the bus had already left!”
Art and Elaisa ended up carpooling in a taxi with two other hikers who had also missed the bus, averting an uncomfortable night in the parking lot.
Art says he wanted to wear the Silvera logo at Fuji’s summit because “it’s the best company I’ve ever worked for.” He started at Silvera as a floater cook in 2016, seven years after emigrating from the Philippines, when he saw Silvera’s values and realized they aligned closely with his own.
“Being a floater cook is the best position I’ve ever had, because I met so many residents and had fun listening to their life stories and seeing them enjoy their life with Silvera,” he says.
He accepted a job at Beaverdam as a cook for four years, and eventually moved to Aspen, becoming hospitality supervisor last year.
“I really love this organization and always want to represent Silvera in any way I can or wherever I may be,” he concludes. “Wearing my Silvera coat on Mount Fuji is a small way to thank the company for supporting me and taking such good care of me. I am simply happy that I have found a place here.”