climbing north peak

3 min read

Visiting Hua Shan can be a day-trip, a two-day or even a three-day affair. There are two ways up Hua Shan. The cable car reaches the top of North Peak in 10 to 15 minutes or you can follow the stairs that lead up North Peak.

peaks as you can in one day, but to save time and eners it’s best to take the cable car up the North Peak and from there make your way to the other peaks. The five peaks are about an hour’s walk from each other, but if you have a bit more time on your hands and are ready to get that heart pumping, read on for the sights you’d have missed if you took the quick and easy route.

North Peak is also referred to as Clouds Stand Peak(yuntai feng) because of the cliffs surrounding it. Only one narrow road leads southwards to Touching The climb up the 5, 293-foot-high (1, 614 m) North Peak starts off gradually enough, but you’ve just begun a 3.7 mile (6 km) trek that includes over 3, 000 steps. Most of the steps are in good coon and ome are 10 trying to pass off as steps, chained railings help the ascent. At a leisurely pace, it takes an average to 3 hours.

The route presents several opportunities to test your mettle: Heavenward Ladder (shangtian Peak, called Dark-green Dragon Ridge(canglong ling) After the first 500 steps, there’s a platform fortunately one of several, where you can rest and soak in the tranquility. On sunlit day, the sun’s’ rays cast dramatic light and shadows against the rocky surfaces Endless steps snake through trees, boulders, lush greenery, and over rippling brooks. You’ve been transported into the underbelly of a heaving canyon.

With each step, even more captivating scenery unfolds. The skyscrapers of New York or Shanghai are chopsticks when compared to the towering beauty of Hua Shan.

As you walk your thousandth step, your legs will begin to seriously protest the vigorous step-ups you’ve inflicted on them, but ignore the mocking hum of cable cars overhead. Concentrate instead on the spellbinding view. Cavernous cliffs loll like waves into bushy valleys and depending on the season you might run into a little waterfall where you can take a dip and chill out.

You know you have almost reached the halfway point when you arrive at a refreshment stand manned by a plump villager There are little stools and tables where you can sit and catch your breath without having to purchase anything. Keep in mind refreshment items geicie pricier the higher up the mountain you go.

The villagers at these shops climb up and down North Peak daily. As you lament your exhausted physical state, they console you that you’re much better off climbing up rather Rest well because what’s around the corner is rather frightful. There are three different flights of steps ahead, each more harrowing than the next. All are inclined at an uncomfortably steep gradient, so it will be difficult for you to rest and take a sip of water or stretch your legs midway. Whichever your choice, put your faith in the rusty railings by the side of the steps and go up on all fours, if need be.

Energetic waist drumers, a traditional Shaanxi way to celebrate important occasions.

Although you’re’ at the halfway point of North, that last set of steep steps was only the aperitif. A longer 1, 500-step stairway Huangfu Col path, awaits you on a huge bears once prowled the southern slopes. The shy and elusive denizens of Hua Shan include mountain goats, snakes, squirrels and on the West Peak, monkeys.

Once over the Turtle Carrying Stone hurdle, the peak-end of the cable car terminus looms into view. It gleams like a champion’s trophy. People hover at the foot and mountaintop of Hua Shan. Human prattle soon replaces the chirping of birds. The hum of the cable car gets louder and drowns out the trickling sound of running water.

At Hua Shan, nature makes the best companion. Between pinnacle and valley is a restful calm. No wonder many Confucian scholars and Taoist religious masters came to Hua Shan to meditate and refine their teaching.

The sun sets just as splendidly from the North or the West Peaks. After such strenuous ews jsself with a sumptuous dinner at the North Peak Hote.