Surviving the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain Trail !
Have you ever wanted to attempt an adventure so dangerous, where even a single mistake could be fatal?
In early 2018, I had searched on google for the world’s most dangerous mountain hike, & HuaShan mountain in China came on the first results page. I made a promise to myself that I’d make it here before the end of the year. Most of my friends thought I was crazy — But what’s the fun in life, if you don’t ever try something that’s so dangerous?
I started off solo in the morning; bumped into a French traveller on the way and we decided to do it together. But that noon it rained heavily, and the pathway to the dangerous plank walk was shut. So I cancelled my flights/trains, to return here next week — Because the “Regret” of not being able to do something so crazy, is worse than losing some money.
And I went there again, on another day, and here’s what it was like :
How to get to the Hua Shan mountain?
- Take the 6:30am bullet train from Xi’an North railway station to Hua Shan railway station. It takes just 35 minutes for a 130km distance.
Then take a free shuttle bus service to the mountain tourist service centre. - Board the bus from the tourist centre towards either North Peak or West Peak. (40 ¥ for bus & 160¥ for the park entrance.)
- Get into the cable car from there. (80 ¥ for one way ticket to North peak, and 140¥ for a one-way ticket to West Peak).
If you have 2–3 days, then you can skip the cable car, and trek all the way up yourself, we just had one day and took the cable car instead. - Trek up to the ‘Plank Walk in the Sky’ (2–4 hours).
What is it like to hike across the dangerous plank?
We started off at 5:30am in the morning, and reached the plank walk by noon. The guards in the military uniform, were issuing compulsory harnesses for 30¥. We took ours, and began the hike, and then everything was right in front of us — The planks, the chains, the mountains, and the “Threat of Death” on the other side — It was exhilarating !
We were hiking at 7000ft above the ground, on a plank which is barely 50cm wide, just enough to hold both my feet in parallel. So if there’s someone else coming from the opposite direction, there’s no way that the two of you can stand together.
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Is it SCARY?
Hell YES !!
Huashan mountain doesn’t hold such a terrifying name for nothing. But you’ll be tied to a harness, so that should protect you.
Will I come back alive?
Definitely Yes.
Most deaths on the mountain are due to selfie sticks, more than the actual trek. Although a few days before we went, a person took off his harness and committed suicide. That didn’t deter us, and in the same group that I went, there was a 50+ year old Chinese lady, who was quite fit and successfully did the hike with us — She was an inspiration.
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“When you’re on an adventure so dangerous, that a single mistake could be fatal — Just close your eyes, and promise yourself that one thing which you’ll do, if you come back home alive & safe — ‘Fear’ would mean a very different thing after that.”
A part of me wanted to conquer that trail once more, but sunlight was dwindling, and it was time to catch my flight to India. With this goal being ticked off my bucket list, still trying to figure what’s the next crazy challenge I should take up in 2019 — But only time will tell.
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