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Scaling dizzying heights
By Xu Wenwen |
September 22, 2010, Wednesday
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THE rock climbing scene in Hangzhou is developing rapidly with new routes opening regularly for everyone from beginners to advanced climbers. Xu Wenwen reports.
Rock climbers have found more than just picturesque scenery to enjoy in Hangzhou.
The many mountains scattered around the city have strong appeal to climbers due to karst formations.
Though not as high as Yellow Mountain in east China's Anhui Province, nor as famous as Yangshuo's other-worldly rock formations in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hangzhou's karst towers feature heavily-eroded limestone, offering wonderful settings as well as a wide range of hand and foot holds.
Around 40 rock climbing routes have been developed, the most in eastern China, and the area has huge potential for further routes to be opened.
The annual East China Outdoor Rock Climbing Carnival will begin on October 23 with more than 200 climbers participating in the two-day event.
The carnival will take place at Kexiao Wall at Linshan Hill, a huge cliff with 18 routes, four of which haven't been named.
The practice for naming a new route in rock climbing is straightforward. The climber who completes the first ascent on their first attempt gets to name the new route. The climber is not permitted to watch others before the attempt and suggestions from others are forbidden during first ascent.
The carnival at Linshan offers climbers the opportunity of first ascent at the four unnamed routes and the chance to name those routes.
Some of the country's top rock climbers will give demonstrations and lectures while a charity auction and quiz show about rock climbing will also take place.
To register for the carnival, please call 0571-85157061. Below are some climbing routes in Hangzhou.
Southern Peak
Grade: 5.8 - 5.15a
The Southern Peak is a popular rugged cliff that happens to be the closest to town. As one of the two peaks known as Twin Peaks Piercing the Cloud, it features fantastic views and an elevation of 355 meters.
There are a dozen routes stretching along the cliff. With a majority of them rated at grades below 5.10, even beginners can tackle them.
There are five routes at One-thousand Person Cave (qianrendong in Chinese). Among them, one route is only 10 meters and its degree of difficulty is just 5.11a, yet no one has completed it, thus it remains unnamed.
The route is special since it bends as it goes along the arch of the cave's entrance. Climbers need to climb up the left side of the arch and then do the bouldering above it.
Kexiao Wall
Grade: 5.12-5.13d.
Kexiao has become increasingly popular and is welcomed by many serious climbers for its high degree of difficulty.
Along Hangfu Road en route to Linshan Hill there's a large iron gate. Pass through the gate to find Kexiao Wall.
A climber named the wall after his Internet name after finding this place around 10 years ago. In the past decade, a bunch of local climbers have developed 18 routes here - mostly in the 5.12-5.13 range.
1500Chui Route, with 5.13d degree of difficulty, is the most difficult route on Kexiao Wall. It ranks as one of the top 10 most difficult routes in the country due to its small holds, long distance between holds and unique angle of altitude.
Xiaoqing Route, is one of the longest routes in Hangzhou and well-known in China. It snakes along for 27 meters and has a degree of difficulty of 5.12d.
Meijiawu
Grade: 5.10-5.11a
After exiting Meiling Tunnel, Meijiawu shows up. There are only two routes, one is 5.10, and the other one, unnamed, stretches for 60 meters.
The 60-meter route is divided into two parts with a rock platform separating them. The first part is more than 30 meters.
Meijiawu is less popular since it offers less diversity in terms of routes. A local rock climber organization plans to develop more routes next month.
Baoshu Mountain
Some climbers like to scramble around this scenic hill in the urban area, it is not recommended because there's no protection for climbers.
Climbing accidents happen here every year, largely because some tourists, including children, have neither professional knowledge nor training and they love to imitate professional climbers.
Zhejiang Sports Technical College
The city's only indoor climbing wall is at No. 49 Jiaogong Rd. It's about 9-10 meters high and about 18 meters wide.
For its size, the climbing area is well laid out. On the left wall is a training area with the beginner wall in the corner. It has 2 or 3 lanes.
The rear wall has a small bouldering area on the left, and a selection of climbs on a contoured panel, to lead or top-rope, including a pretty decent crack.
The right wall has another bouldering section, which follows up into two sections of competition-style sport climbing. One of these has a good amount of overhang.
Rock climbers have found more than just picturesque scenery to enjoy in Hangzhou.
The many mountains scattered around the city have strong appeal to climbers due to karst formations.
Though not as high as Yellow Mountain in east China's Anhui Province, nor as famous as Yangshuo's other-worldly rock formations in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hangzhou's karst towers feature heavily-eroded limestone, offering wonderful settings as well as a wide range of hand and foot holds.
Around 40 rock climbing routes have been developed, the most in eastern China, and the area has huge potential for further routes to be opened.
The annual East China Outdoor Rock Climbing Carnival will begin on October 23 with more than 200 climbers participating in the two-day event.
The carnival will take place at Kexiao Wall at Linshan Hill, a huge cliff with 18 routes, four of which haven't been named.
The practice for naming a new route in rock climbing is straightforward. The climber who completes the first ascent on their first attempt gets to name the new route. The climber is not permitted to watch others before the attempt and suggestions from others are forbidden during first ascent.
The carnival at Linshan offers climbers the opportunity of first ascent at the four unnamed routes and the chance to name those routes.
Some of the country's top rock climbers will give demonstrations and lectures while a charity auction and quiz show about rock climbing will also take place.
To register for the carnival, please call 0571-85157061. Below are some climbing routes in Hangzhou.
Southern Peak
Grade: 5.8 - 5.15a
The Southern Peak is a popular rugged cliff that happens to be the closest to town. As one of the two peaks known as Twin Peaks Piercing the Cloud, it features fantastic views and an elevation of 355 meters.
There are a dozen routes stretching along the cliff. With a majority of them rated at grades below 5.10, even beginners can tackle them.
There are five routes at One-thousand Person Cave (qianrendong in Chinese). Among them, one route is only 10 meters and its degree of difficulty is just 5.11a, yet no one has completed it, thus it remains unnamed.
The route is special since it bends as it goes along the arch of the cave's entrance. Climbers need to climb up the left side of the arch and then do the bouldering above it.
Kexiao Wall
Grade: 5.12-5.13d.
Kexiao has become increasingly popular and is welcomed by many serious climbers for its high degree of difficulty.
Along Hangfu Road en route to Linshan Hill there's a large iron gate. Pass through the gate to find Kexiao Wall.
A climber named the wall after his Internet name after finding this place around 10 years ago. In the past decade, a bunch of local climbers have developed 18 routes here - mostly in the 5.12-5.13 range.
1500Chui Route, with 5.13d degree of difficulty, is the most difficult route on Kexiao Wall. It ranks as one of the top 10 most difficult routes in the country due to its small holds, long distance between holds and unique angle of altitude.
Xiaoqing Route, is one of the longest routes in Hangzhou and well-known in China. It snakes along for 27 meters and has a degree of difficulty of 5.12d.
Meijiawu
Grade: 5.10-5.11a
After exiting Meiling Tunnel, Meijiawu shows up. There are only two routes, one is 5.10, and the other one, unnamed, stretches for 60 meters.
The 60-meter route is divided into two parts with a rock platform separating them. The first part is more than 30 meters.
Meijiawu is less popular since it offers less diversity in terms of routes. A local rock climber organization plans to develop more routes next month.
Baoshu Mountain
Some climbers like to scramble around this scenic hill in the urban area, it is not recommended because there's no protection for climbers.
Climbing accidents happen here every year, largely because some tourists, including children, have neither professional knowledge nor training and they love to imitate professional climbers.
Zhejiang Sports Technical College
The city's only indoor climbing wall is at No. 49 Jiaogong Rd. It's about 9-10 meters high and about 18 meters wide.
For its size, the climbing area is well laid out. On the left wall is a training area with the beginner wall in the corner. It has 2 or 3 lanes.
The rear wall has a small bouldering area on the left, and a selection of climbs on a contoured panel, to lead or top-rope, including a pretty decent crack.
The right wall has another bouldering section, which follows up into two sections of competition-style sport climbing. One of these has a good amount of overhang.
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