Strolling among the clouds: exploring via ferrata in China
"Leaping like a crane," "scaling walls like a gecko," and "soaring through the clouds"—these once-exclusive feats of ancient Chinese martial arts novels are gradually becoming reality through the sport of via ferrata originating from Italy. Over the past couple of years, via ferrata has captured the attention of many young Chinese people. It involves climbing routes equipped with handholds, footholds, suspension bridges, and steel cables, creating an extraordinary experience for climbers.
Located in Baoding City, Hebei Province, Whitestone Mountain boasts an enchanting environment akin to a fairyland. Within this scenic area, the via ferrata climbing project offers climbers the sensation of soaring through the clouds. Images are from RED.
As a new climbing activity, its appeal lies in allowing climbers to ascend cliffs as high as 300 meters without requiring extensive experience. Participants can mid-climb leap into the air at cliff edges, gripping with hands and feet against the backdrop of magnificent landscapes, combining danger with allure.
Enthusiasts of this type of climbing express that the most exhilarating moment is when they lean back against the cliff, facing the valley below, experiencing a sense of insecurity akin to "standing by a window and leaning out halfway." This feeling of insecurity transforms into a thrill, supported by safety ropes, and has led many enthusiasts to explore climbing routes across regions such as Henan, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Hubei.
Some climbers share daring and exhilarating maneuvers they perform on cliffs. Images are from RED.
Last October, Rooster Ridge in Hubei Province introduced "Asia's first 100-meter cliff ladder," available for an additional fee of ¥420 ($59) after purchasing Rooster Ridge tickets. This spectacular attraction has drawn many enthusiasts. Starting from this year's May Day holiday through the summer vacation, besides Rooster Ridge, the via ferrata projects at Yandang Mountain in Zhejiang Province and Whitestone Mountain in Hebei Province have also experienced overwhelming visitor numbers, prompting several scenic spots to switch from unrestricted access to requiring advance reservations. Meanwhile, some scenic areas in cities like Chongqing and Tianjin are also preparing to introduce via ferrata projects.
"Asia's first 100-meter cliff ladder." Images are from RED.
In terms of safety, Rooster Ridge's via ferrata project sets a benchmark. In addition to essential safety chains, they have engaged professors from China University of Geosciences and Wuhan University of Technology to assess and plan the cliff's design. Moreover, they provide free coaching and psychological counselling to ensure comprehensive protection for every visitor.
