Path of death in the mountains of China. The most dangerous hiking trail in the world, Mount Huashan

During a trip to Central China, I advise you to definitely visit one of the five Sacred Mountains of Chinese Taoism - Mount Huashan (Huàshān), located in Shaanxi Province, about 123 km east of the city Xi'an.

This mountain consists of five main peaks (peaks) - North, East, South, West and Central, resembling a flower in appearance. From here it got its name: "hua" - a flower, and "shan" - a mountain.

Huashan has great religious significance in China and is the object of mass pilgrimage for Taoists. In addition, it is famous for its amazing rocky landscapes, as well as monasteries, pagodas, temples, caves, and very dangerous climbs to the peaks.

You can climb Mount Huashan both on foot from the town of the same name below (there are two walking routes), and by funicular (to the North Peak). Usually pilgrims climb only on foot and spend the night on one of the peaks, and the next day they go around all five peaks.

In general, to get on foot to any of its five peaks, you first need to climb to the North Peak, the lowest (1614 meters). As mentioned above, it can be reached by two routes:

The first is the traditional and most popular route"Hua Shan Yu", developed back in the 3rd-4th century AD. Its length is about 6 km (on average it takes about 5 hours), it starts from the village of the same name town of Huashan.

Second - new route"Huang Pu Yu", running parallel to the cable car through the Huang Pu Yu Gorge (Huang Pu Yu).

A number of narrow paths depart from the North Peak, along which you can get to four other peaks - Western (height 2038 m), Central (2042 m), Eastern (2100 m) and South (2154 m). Until 1998, this was the only way to get to other peaks, but then an alternative was built in the east of the mountains. New way goes around the ridge and branches into several paths leading to the peaks of the mountain.

East Peak is considered the best place to watch the sunrise. Next to it is the "Dawn Cave", near which tourists usually pitch tents. From the top there is a narrow path, literally hanging over the abyss, at the end of it there is a small pagoda. Here is the approximate sunrise time:

Spring: 05:00 - 06:00

Summer: 04:30 - 05:20

Autumn: 05:00 - 5:20

Winter: 5:30 - 06:00

By the way, most of the peaks have guest houses, where you can stay both in a separate room (from 120 USD per night) and in rooms for 4-20 people (from 20 to 40 USD per person). Not cheap, but the pleasure of meeting the sunrise at a bird's eye view is worth it. Please note that the guest houses are not well-maintained (no running water, toilets outside) and are not heated, even in winter.

Some thirty years ago, Mount Huashan was a place of solitude for hermits, but over the past two decades it has been gaining popularity among tourists (for whom they even built a cable car), and not only among pilgrims, but also among extreme sports lovers.

Very steep climbs, dangerous narrow paths and suspension bridges- it is because of them that the routes to the peaks of Huashan are called the "Paths of Death" and "The Most Dangerous Paths in the World", it is they who attract fans to tickle their nerves here.

Peak tourist season on Mount Huashan falls between May and October, but the most beautiful time to visit is September. During the winter months, the mountain is open to the public, but, nevertheless, this is the best time for hiking.

Usually tourists get to Mount Huashan from the nearby city of Xi'an, located 120 kilometers away. Buses run from Xi'an to Huashan town (35 yuan one way, in season they want from 6 am, travel time 2 hours). From here to East or West gate national park Huashan, where the mountain is located, can be reached by taxi (10 USD per car). Cable car - 80 yuan one way, 150 round trip. Entrance to the national park is also paid - 180 yuan per person.

Good day, dear fans of extreme sports! Our post today will be dedicated to a place called Mount Huashan in China. What's interesting there? And everything is simple, there is the famous path of death. This exciting place will be discussed today. Let's go.

Mount Huashan Death Path

Another extreme attraction in the world is trail on Mount Huashan in China. Mount Huashan is one of several sacred mountains in China, which are revered by Buddhists and Taoists around the world. There are only five sacred mountains, and they form a figure similar to a cross, the sides of which are oriented to the cardinal points.

To the east is Mount Taishan (Shandong Province, 1545 meters above sea level).
In the west is Mount Huashan, which will be discussed in this story (Shaanxi Province, 1997 m).
In the south - Mount Hengshan (Hunan, 1290 m).
In the north - Hengshan (Shanxi Province, 2017 meters).
In the center is Mount Songshan (Hunan Province, 1494 meters).

Recently I saw a video from this place on the Internet, and decided to figure out a little more in detail what kind of terrible route this is.

Mount Huashan death trail video:

Climbing Mount Huashan is considered very interesting,

due to the fact that the surroundings in which this happens are very picturesque, and the ascent itself is very extreme, since it passes almost over the abyss.

The altitude at which you are moving along the route is almost 2000 meters above sea level. Tourists climb up, walking along a thin boardwalk, fastened with rusty nails, while holding on to a chain that is embedded directly into the rock. There is also insurance, which, apparently, does not give much confidence, since there is a huge abyss below, and insurance resembles a straw that a drowning man grabs. And so, slowly, “sticking” to the rock, you have to go from the beginning to the end of the route, and still come back. At the end of the route there is no way out, you have to go back 😉

Another video about the death trail on Mount Huashan:

I look at the video of the mountain trail in Huashan (huashan cliffside path) and the adrenaline is enough for my liver, despite the fact that you are at the computer. I imagine how people feel when they are there. Judging by the reports on the Internet, there are people who, having taken one step, cannot move a centimeter further, their hands and feet turn to stone with horror and they are carefully removed from walking route.

By the way, while I was studying the materials on this route, a natural question arose: “Did anyone jump from there with a parachute or?”. If you know something about this issue, let me know in the comments, please.

Huashan Walking Route Attraction Price: 30 yuan (about 160 rubles).
Interesting: 9.0 out of 10 (breathtaking, and I think this is a serious test of strength for those who are afraid of heights).

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Well, a little more extreme and adrenaline for today. Some people are tough opponents of all this, and a decent part of the thrill!

If you cannot live without thrills and just dream of a new portion of adrenaline, then the extreme "attraction" on the Chinese mountain Huashan is for you. Daredevils come here, who want to prove their own fearlessness to themselves and the world, and people who are weak in spirit, who dream of getting rid of their inner uncertainty. Huashan Mountain is an effective pill for fears and an effective self-affirmation vitamin.

flower mountain, which is how the word Huashan is translated into Russian, is a sacred Chinese mountain that combines five petal-shaped peaks and is located near the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi province. Many fascinating tourist routes have been laid here - among them there are both lifts on the cable car and hiking. Curious travelers, if desired, can get to each of the five peaks of Huashan - South, North, West, East and Central.

The most convenient way is to use the funicular and climb from the foot northern mountains up to its top. The road to the West Peak is also safe. Hiking up to the North Peak, originating from the eastern entrance, with all the sinuosity and steepness of the ascent, although it requires a fair amount of physical preparation, is also not associated with great risk, since it is laid along fairly wide stone steps.

But there is also such a tourist route, which is able to bring the most impressionable tourists to a fainting state - this is the transition from the North peak of Huashan to the South. Some travelers, having taken the first step, literally turn to stone with horror, unable to disengage their cramped fingers and move. And there is nothing surprising in this.

5 Clickable

This road, laid along sheer vertical cliffs, is not in vain called the death path () - falling off narrow boards into a bottomless abyss would mean certain death, but the flow of tourists seeking to make a risky climb does not thin out. Travelers step on boards nailed over the abyss and move to the top in an embrace with a rock or holding on to chains firmly soldered to a stone wall.

No railings and fences - just you, a crazy wind, and hundreds of meters under your feet. Of course, there is some kind of insurance - all daredevils are put on a belt with a rope and a carabiner on it so that they can cling to a safety rope stretched along the entire route.

The reward for brave tourists will be not only the marvelous panorama that opens from the South Peak - the highest of all five "petals" of the Huashan flower, but also a whole bunch of stormy emotions experienced by travelers who have overcome the climb. The news that climbing the most dangerous path is not a one-way route, but a round-trip road, sounds like thunder among tourists for many tourists. clear sky, but the descent, as a rule, is already easier.

Couples in love who believe in lucky omens leave symbols of inextinguishable feeling on the top of the conquered mountain - shiny locks and red ribbons, the abundance of which ripples in the eyes. Each of those who have conquered the dangerous path happily shares their extraordinary sensations from the ascent - at first it is a panic fear, and then a delightful euphoria from the fact that they did not give up, managed, overcame, won.

120 km east of Xi'an, the granite peaks of the Huashan massif rise above the northern plains. This is one of the five sacred mountains of China, in their system it was called Xiyue, Western Peak. Taoists especially revered her.

In total, Huashan has five peaks: the highest is South (2154 m), then East (2096.2 m), West (2082.6 m), Central (2037.8 m) and North (1614.9 m). The shape of the location of these peaks resembles a lotus flower. Perhaps because of this, the mountains got their name.

The ascent to Huashan, which is about 14 km, is very dangerous. In some places there is no road, the steps are simply carved into the sheer rock. In ancient times, Huashan was called "The steepest mountain in the Middle Kingdom."

The most famous section of the trail is the Green Dragon's Rib, with chasms on either side of the steps.

It takes six to nine hours from Huashan village to the top of the mountain, but it is possible to stay overnight both in the village itself and in fairly modest hotels along the route up.

By the way, massive chains were fastened to the walls of the mountain relatively recently - for Western tourists. And earlier, Huashan was climbed simply - on the planks. It’s good that at least in some areas of this amazing route the chains do not adhere to the rock itself, but are suspended in the form of a railing from the outside of the path.

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For those who are bored with the same tourism programs with visits to various monotonous temples and an endless number of museums, there is a great alternative for real extreme sports: this is the death path on Mount Huashan in the city of Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

This trail is located at an altitude of about 2000 meters. sacred mountain Huashan, which has five peaks in a shape resembling petals, is the most high peak- Its southern height is 2154 meters from sea level, the lowest Northern peak is 1614.9 high.

How to get to the top

There are two ways to get to the mountain. there are two entrances, one entrance from the West, which is equipped with a cable car and you can climb to the top only by it (the cost of a one-way lift costs 140 yuan, which is about $ 20), the cost of a bus that will take you to it is $ 3.

Second entrance from the North, there is also cable car, but it costs a little less than 120 yuan in both directions. But there is also hiking route with steps carved into the rock, and rope bridges. But the path will not be easy and will take you about 6-8 hours to climb.

What is the trail of death

At the top, there is simply a stunning view of the mountains and nature of China.

Huashan mountain trail very popular tourist place both among visitors from other countries, and among the Chinese themselves. Therefore, a decent queue is often created for it, so get ready to stand in it for at least 20-30 minutes. (maybe of course you are lucky and you pass it, but we were not lucky).

Although the death trail looks intimidating from the photographs, it is practically safe, because before starting you are given special safety ammunition (belts and a cable with a carbine, the total cost is about 30 yuan, which is about 4 bucks).

After you receive ammunition and hand over your things to the storage room (so as not to accidentally drop them while walking along the path to the bottom).

You will have to wait a little longer, since the path has only one end and you can return from there only the same way you came, trying to pass people walking back to meet you.

Only after that you can hit the road. The trail begins with a descent along metal piles driven into stone.

At the bottom you will be met by a Chinese who will help you fasten the carabiner from one cable to another.

Somewhere in the middle of the path, in a hole in the rock, there is a booth where you can take first-class photos, but if you have a phone with you, you will not need its services, the main thing is not to drop your gadget to the bottom. The Chinese say that this happens very often, maybe they do it to sell their photos, but it's better to play it safe.