Mt. Huashan.

The Soldiers' Trail.

A few days before i left for China a friend told me about his most incredible experience in China. He described climbing Mt. Huashan, one of China's Five Holy Mountains. He said the mountain is extremely beautiful and home to several Taoist temples. Though a challenge to reach, the spectacular views are worth it. Say no more.. there is no way i would miss it.

Everyone takes the cable car up the mountain.. everyone but me.

When the bus group i was traveling with reached the foot of Mt. Huashan, we were presented with two options. Either take the mechanized cable car to the top or hike the punishing "Soldier's Trail" straight up the side of the mountain - guess which i chose? The guide tried to talk me out of it, telling me i would never have enough time to reach the summit before the bus left. I told him i would take my chances.. this is what i came for.

It didn't take long for the views to begin.

Words to live by.

And i was right. The climb up the trail was beautiful. It was also peaceful, as i was the only one out of several thousand who took the trail option that day. On my way up, i encountered a handful of Chinese who had taken the cable car up, but were descending via the trail. They all looked at me as if i was crazy, but all greeted me with smiles and a hearty Ni hao! (hello). I even got a few Lihigh! (you are hardcore/awesome!).

Bridge and waterfall.

This guy lives in a small hut halfway up the mountain.

The trail itself was composed almost entire of stone steps, steps that led up for two miles into the sky. At several points, the steps were no more than carvings into the mountainside. Luckily, whomever built this trail (i am assuming it was soldiers, hence the name) thought to include heavy chains bolted into the rock. As you might imagine, this made climbing the carved steps possible.

This is exactly what i came for.. oh yea!

A view from halfway up the mountain.

After several grueling, sweaty hours, but less than half the time that the guide suggested, i reached the summit. As i paused to catch my breath and cool off, many of the cable car riders stared at me as if i was an alien. They were probably thinking “Who the hell in their right mind would want to CLIMB up here?” The answer: this guy.

I wish more mountains were made this way - climbing is fun!

The top of the mountain is home to several Taoist temples. It also hosts several shops and food stalls. I was completely dismayed to discover not hundreds, but thousands of Chinese tourists pouring out of the cable car and flooding the mountaintop. The crowds were so thick, it literally had the feel of being at Disneyland.

Temples and crowds.

A Taoist temple with incense sticks burning.

I didn't stay on the mountaintop long. After battling the mountain in relative peace during the climb up, i didn't feel like battling the crowds on top. After checking out a temple or two, and with time running downfor me to meet the bus back to Xi'an, i climbed into the cable car with five strangers and floated back down the mountain.

The Disneyland crowds line up for the cable car ride down the mountain.