Many people are not ardent adherents of extreme relaxation, but there are a fairly decent number of fans of thrills, chilling feelings of danger and goosebumps. If you are one of them, then Huashan Mountain in China is what you need. The walking route, known as the death trail, does not require any special technical skills, but special care must be taken when overcoming a long train of stone steps from the so-called heavenly staircase.
The cure for fear
Famous for its majestic cliffs, Huashan Mountain (death trail) is the sacred mountain of China, which is located near the city of Xi'an (Shaanxi Province). It offers many breathtaking trails, including cable car climbing, rock climbing and walking. A climb of about 14 kilometers is accompanied by a certain degree of risk, in some places there is not even a road, but there are only steps cut down in stone.
For many tourists it is preferable to climb from the foot of the North Mountain to its peak with the funicular. This saves everyone a lot of time and energy. But there is a tourist route from north to south, which will make the most daring travelers simply petrify with fear or, conversely, feel a sense of wild delight.
Death trail
The number of tourists who want to visit the death route on Mount Huashan is not decreasing, but, on the contrary, is growing every year. Daredevils who dared to make such an extreme journey cross the path from the boards built over the abyss and move to the peak of the mountain, holding on to the chains attached to the vertical rocks. There are no fences, on the one hand a powerful rock, on the other - a bottomless abyss and crazy wind.
Of course, there is still a minimum safety kit there, this is a belt with a small cable and a carbine. The prize for the bold climbers will be not only a wonderful view from the peak of Huashan (mountain), but also a whole storm of emotions that does not leave alone those who managed to overcome the deadly climb. Climbing a dangerous path is not a one-way trip, it is a round trip, but the descent is usually a little easier and sometimes harder, as the accumulated stress and fatigue make themselves felt.
How dangerous is climbing Huashan Mountain? Climbing there should not be considered as mountaineering, which involves the use of modern equipment, and therefore mountain hiking is more suitable here. In numerous photographs you can see people in ordinary clothes and without special shoes. They resemble ordinary pedestrians, only very brave.
Mountain traditions
There is a big difference between mountaineering and mountaineering. Climbers have been trained, have experience and special equipment. They are also quite well aware of the risk they are taking. Mountain tourism is what amateurs usually do, the more you need to be especially careful and be in good physical shape.
Those who managed to get to the very top usually leave some personal thing there. For example, among couples in love, it is customary to attach shiny locks and red ribbons, from the abundance of which eyes simply run up. Each of those who conquered the dangerous path joyfully shares a pleasant feeling of satisfaction from the ascent. The famous Yellow River, flowing far below, looks like a thin stream, and everything seems so tiny. An unforgettable, awe-inspiring view from a great height and the pictures will long remind you of a crazy and exciting adventure.
Huashan Mountain in China
This huge mountain world resembles a separate reality, its small world. Huashan (mountain) has five peaks, the highest of them is South, it reaches 2154 meters. The eastern peak is 2096.2 meters high and is the best place to watch the sun rise. The western peak has a height of 2082.6 meters, the Central peak - 2037.8 meters (also known as the Jade Maiden), and the Northern peak with a height of 1614.9 meters is also called the Terrace cloud.
In ancient times, Huashan Mountain (death path) was called the most dangerous and steep mountain in all of China. The most famous part of the path is called the edge of the green Dragon, on the sides of which two huge abysses extend. Overcoming the distance from the village to the top of the mountain takes from 6 to 9 hours, but if you wish, you can stay for the night in the village itself, where there is a small but comfortable hotel.
Sacred place
In the second century BC, this place was a major religious center, in the heart of which a Taoist temple was built. It is also a center for practicing traditional martial arts. Many emperors came to this sacred place to pray and offer a sacrifice to the God of Mount Huashan.
It is said that Lao Tzu, the founder and patriarch of Taoism, once lived and read sermons here. Since then, pilgrims, monks and nuns began to gradually populate the mountainous surroundings. Access to the five mountain peaks, each of which has important religious significance, is possible thanks to a network of narrow paths built of wood and stone. One of the three peaks has a tea house.
Huashan Mountain: Deaths
In recent years, due to the large influx of tourists, the paths have been more or less improved, but still the road to the peaks remains an extremely risky enterprise. Although there are no official statistics on mortality, they say that every year Huashan (the mountain) takes about 100 lives.
Making their way along a narrow and winding path, tourists each time risk their lives. High probability of getting all kinds of injuries during the ascent. These steep mountains under heaven are a true natural miracle. Breathtaking sharp rocks and cliffs are a difficult task for those climbers who dare to conquer them. The landscape changes dramatically at every step of this winding path. There is a feeling that the beauty of the mountain has a real magical effect on everyone who visits it.
Even the pictures taken show how dangerous this track is. On some stretches of the path, it is enough to make only one mistake, so that it is worth life. Despite this, many tourists annually make a pilgrimage to Mount Huashan. Huashan, the world famous attraction in China - the mountain of death is not free. Entrance to the mountain costs about $ 30 dollars ($ 15 for students).