Via ferraty

Chinese Via Ferrata in Chang Kong - The Oldest Cliff Walk in China

Chang Kong cliff road is an old and traditional trekking and adventure spot in China's Shaanxi Province. The extremely high, steep and narrow walkway winds around the edge of Hua Shan Mountain, located near the city of Huayin about 120 kilometres east of Xi'an. Mount Hua (Hua Shan) has a long history of religious significance and is classified as five main peaks, of which the highest is the South Peak at 2,154.9 metres. The route along the rocky area offers an excellent climbing opportunities with some of the mountain´s walls reaching the height of several hundred meters.
6. 8. 2013 Photos: 4

The inherent danger of many of the exposed, narrow pathways with precipitous drops gave the mountain a deserved reputation for danger. As tourism has boomed and the mountain's accessibility vastly improved with the installation of the cable car in the 1990s, visitor numbers surged. Most of them wants to try to climb the steepest walls at their own risk. Consisting of wooden boards just about 50 cm wide, the path was nailed together more than 700 years ago by hermits seeking “immortals” they believed were living deep in the mountains. Many of the rotten boards are in a very poor condition and the flimsiest ways are therefore being closed for safety reasons.

How to reach Chang Kong Cliff Route

The area can be reached by air flight to Xi'an continued by a 2 hour bus or car drive east of the city (G30 road), through the towns of Weinan and Huayin. From Huayin you can take a taxi or can walk of some 6 km to the Hua Shan mountain.

Text: Woo Liang   Photos: HAP Quirky China News, Wikipedia  Video: Youtube

6. 8. 2013

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