Outdoor sports are now in progress

Author: / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: But do China have comprehensive outdoor survival locations? Or is there a place that simply draws hikers to carry their packs and trek across just because of its scenery? Not relying on deserts or snow mountains, just pure landscape—those who have been to Jiuzhaigou understand that this is possible. Think carefully, it is precisely because of the unique natural environment and unparalleled natural resources that people realize that the various "activities" that developed later belong to the domain of "activity enthusiasts." Jiuzhaigou possesses qualities that are "purely natural," where outdoor survival here is presented in its most primitive state, without any ideology—here is nothing but bare outdoor wilderness. Jiuzhaigou, within the autonomous prefecture of Aba Tibetan and Qiang, Sichuan, deep in the Minshan Mountains. Over 400 kilometers from Chengdu, spanning more than 40 kilometers, with a total area of over 60,000 hectares. From the air, Jiuzhaigou is primarily composed of three main valleys distributed in a Y-shape, with a total length of over 60 kilometers. Originally, due to poor transportation, in the early 1990s, traveling to Jiuzhaigou by bus could take almost a week, truly a "hike." Now, the transportation development in Jiuzhaigou is astonishing, but whether the natural ecosystem's regenerative capacity has declined is unknown.
Huanglong, Huanglong Valley, about 35 kilometers east of Songpan County, a valley in the Yuchui Mountains, trending north-south, about 7-8 kilometers long. Just across from Jiuzhaigou, but because it is a difficult-to-traverse snow mountain, one must take a detour via the highway, nearly 100 kilometers around. This valley is fascinating—the rocks at the bottom of the valley feel extremely smooth under typical hiking shoes, resembling stalactites in a limestone cave. This terrain also demands high hiking skills, for which please refer to "Walking Techniques" in Chapter 4. If you are not accustomed to the rugged trails here, you can start from the valley entrance to Shuzhenghai Valley. To the left is Zechawa Valley; to the right is Kuzhe Valley. The three valleys—Shuzhenghai, Zechawa, and Rize—form a Y-shape, and you can hike them all with your packs to improve your outdoor walking skills. The fourth route—the Zaru Valley section—is my favorite. There are few people, and you can walk here alone and think, or when hiking with a few companions, there are fewer worries. We often talk about "Irish pastoral scenes," "Northern European pastoral scenes," or even "the pastoral scenes of the Great North Wilderness," but when you arrive here, at the very moment the scenery takes your breath away, you understand what Tibetan pastoral scenery truly is. It's too beautiful.
Another point is that if you visit Jiuzhaigou now, it's best to bring a digital camera and a laptop. This way, you can record the moving moments of the wilderness under civilized conditions, and it's easy to carry over 10,000 photos, capturing the entire terrain of the valley. When you return home, your "hiking capital" will be fully revealed, and you can even hold a private photography exhibition titled "Jiuzhaigou—Nine Dragons Entering the Earth, Hidden Dragons Rising to the Sky." When visiting Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, Mount Siguniang can also be considered an "add-on" for a side trip. Huanglong has very little water, and if you go in spring, you might even feel the coolness of mist along the backpacking route. Whether hikers can discover better routes that belong to them depends on everyone's efforts. Without historical routes to rely on, China's hiking movement lacks depth and time. So, let's choose the Silk Road, a thrilling route that has existed since the Tang Dynasty. The starting point of the Silk Road is Chang'an, the Tang capital, now Xi'an. The true ancient Silk Road is the one we want to walk, step by step. Jiayuguan is a crucial stop on the ancient Silk Road, the western starting point of the Ming Dynasty's Great Wall. With snow-capped peaks of the Qilian Mountains to the south, and the Longshou and Ma'zong Mountains to the north, its geographical location is too special. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, successive dynasties have stationed troops here. The Silk Road starts from Chang'an, passing through Baoji, Tianshui, Lanzhou, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and reaches Jiayuguan. Then comes the poetic imagery of "Leaving Yangguan, no friends behind." Along this route, many ancient cities have been lost, including many places within Xinjiang. If an individual can walk the entire route from Xi'an, the courage and perseverance required are the best declaration to nature. We look forward to the horns of "hiking" journeys—high mountains stand tall, rivers flow endlessly, the spirit of the brave is boundless, and the heights of mountains and rivers are eternal.
Outdoor survival, equipment is the top priority—hope everyone repeats this phrase in their minds a few times before setting out. We need to see this issue: over thousands of years of evolution, humans have not developed thick fur, strong wings, 180-degree vision, or necks that can turn backward. In short, humans lack many organs in nature that resist adverse factors. Fortunately, we have such an amazing body capable of upright walking, and our brains are our most precious wealth—they created human civilization and all the tools we use to fight nature. Regrettably, we haven't truly thought about what we have done for nature—this is a later topic, and we will discuss it. Tools, or more directly, the equipment we use for outdoor survival, are the result of thousands of years of evolution in nature. When we go to the Arctic or Antarctica, what we really need is a coat similar to a polar bear's fur. Currently, no clothing material has yet reached the level of polar bear fur because no single piece of clothing can allow you to swim at ease in the Arctic Ocean. Similarly, if we had the wings of a golden eagle from Alaska or a white-tailed eagle from North America, why would we painstakingly sacrifice human lives to conquer the Himalayas? There are too many pieces of equipment that make us realize this: humans are still fragile in nature. The more tools and equipment we have at hand in the wilderness, the greater our hope of challenging nature. If the daily lives of wild animals and plants, from the moment the sun rises on the African savanna to when the light fades into the Pacific, are all challenges to nature, then humans did not start on the same starting line as any other animal. All we have is our brilliant minds, while they have the strong physique bestowed by nature.
In the international wild exploration community, there is a popular saying: (Exploration content and route length) divided by (number of pieces of equipment) equals the index of an individual as a "truly charming explorer." It cannot be denied that this saying has very novel theoretical elements, and humans always have this desire: a knight who travels the world with nothing but his bare hands is the hero of all humanity. The fewer the pieces of equipment, the more it demonstrates that all available resources can be fully utilized during time in the wilderness, and the higher the "intuition" and "skill level" of outdoor survival. Those who have seen Tarzan the Ape Man and Crocodile Dundee know that they almost do not need any "auxiliary equipment" in the wilderness, and how beautifully they blend with nature, fully revealing humanity's other side. Regarding this saying, there is only one question: if the number of pieces of equipment is too few to the point of endangering survival in the wilderness, and even before setting out, you clearly know it or have such hesitation—"Hmm, this little equipment"—would you still recklessly pursue any "index"? What is truly important in outdoor survival? Is it the psychological desire to be cool, the stories you tell your friends at dinner parties after returning, or the dialogue with nature and that sense of "soul connection"? If you pursue the former, the psychological desire to be cool is inevitable, and it becomes natural to disregard equipment. Disregarding equipment is disregarding life. No one can truly "travel through the wilderness with nothing but their bare hands." No. Especially when facing extreme environments. Remember: In the wilderness, the true radiance of human nature and the achievement of a new height in life are when you make the best possible preparations and efforts beforehand, when you exhaust all your energy and ambition, and when you smile, feeling "I have given my all, and I have no regrets," even in defeat; not when you act recklessly, hastily, and pursue imaginary indicators, only to regret it later.
Based on experience, the amount of equipment on multiple expeditions always has a strange quantity. As long as you have a sense of your physical limits (the total amount of equipment you can carry), are experienced (the minimum amount of equipment you can judge based on experience), and find a balance between the two, the role of equipment is fulfilled. Life , safety .