Hua Shan climbed!

[hagar]

Its not every day that my two main interests come together in one event:

This spring a team of climbers did the first ascent of Lotus Flower peak at Mount Hua Shan. As a climber and a practitioner of daoist arts, I've dreamed of climbing the sacred mountain myself. Low key and with no bolts of course.

 

Well they went and did it. It was widely covered in Chinese media.

 

 

h

Edited June 17, 2010 by hagar

[goldisheavy]

Those mountains are staggeringly beautiful and tall. I felt a little sorry for those guys. I mean I know they enjoy it, but I was thinking they must be cut to shreds by having to climb through all those bushes and then it started to rain on them. Still good fun, but tough at the same time. I am not a climber, but I enjoyed this video, thank you.

Edited June 17, 2010 by goldisheavy

[hagar]

Those mountains are staggeringly beautiful and tall. I felt a little sorry for those guys. I mean I know they enjoy it, but I was thinking they must be cut to shreds by having to climb through all those bushes and then it started to rain on them. Still good fun, but tough at the same time. I am not a climber, but I enjoyed this video, thank you.

 

Well, climbing big walls like that is basically suffering anyway. Interesting that they got permission, and probably it was part of a publicity strategy.

 

But still.

 

I remember I dreamt of living at Hua Shan, bringing my climbing shoes, and making climbing a part of my practice.

 

h

[joeblast]

Hell yeah! Thanks Hagar

[VCraigP]

Well, climbing big walls like that is basically suffering anyway. Interesting that they got permission, and probably it was part of a publicity strategy.

 

But still.

 

I remember I dreamt of living at Hua Shan, bringing my climbing shoes, and making climbing a part of my practice.

 

h

 

I've been to Hua Shan twice. I've spent weeks climbing in Yosemite valley. When I first came to Mt Hua I thought that it could easily be promoted as the Yosemite of China, a true granite wall climbers paradise. But then I thought of ropes and chalk and climbers scrambling all over those sacred mountains and considered perhaps it is better the way it is.

I highly recommend hiking from the Jade Spring Monestary at the foot of the mountain and ascending all the way to the top using the established trails. This is a great way to connect with the mountain through sacrifice of your physical energy. Quite a hike, something like 4500 feet elevation change from the bottom to the top of the West peak, and from there you still have to hike around to the other peaks for the full experience.

Still, all that granite does scream "climb me" to a rock junkie.

 

Craig

[Aetherous]

Really fun!