Obviously, I made it back from Mount Huashan. Actually, that is redundant as Hua is the place and Shan is mountain in Chinese. I can now confirm that all the scary things others have written about the climbs are absolutely true. While I never put myself in any real eminent danger, there were plenty of times when one wrong step or inattention to the white knuckle grip I had on the chain would definitely have spelled: "DEAD!" Having said that, I must confess I have never been on a more lovely nature trail. Of course the Chinese have had thousands of years to perfect the access trails up to the numerous Taoist Monasteries hidden among the mountain cliffs.

Mount Hua is one of the five sacred mountains in ancient Chinese lore and is considered the first among peers. Many of the monasteries were badly damaged or destroyed during the disastrous Cultural Revolution late in the last century. Lots of them have been restored to their original condition and now serve as examples of China's cultural heritage, museums really. The monks, complete with highly stylized hair arrangements, robes and ritual performances are paid by the central government; some offer instruction in the Taoist traditions and meditation training. A few people seem to retain their devotion to the old religious traditions: I see lay people lighting incense sticks and praying before some of the images of legendary "Immortals." Most of the monasteries offer rudimentary accommodations for visitors; two I checked featured thick twin bed sized pads in a room with concrete benches and space for up to ten pads... all for a fee of 80 to 200 Yuan ($12 - $30) per night.

After a truly grueling climb up the "easy" route to North Peak of Mount Huashan I can emphatically confirm this is definitely a dangerous trek. I kept wondering what would happen if I happened to have a heart attack from the considerable strain or lost my white knuckle grip on the rusty chain railings. I can't imagine how mountain rescue squads could deal with any sort of medical emergency. Helicopters are out of the question in the narrow canyon with steep sides. (As a postscript, I did actually have a heart attack some eight months later! I doubt any connection with this adventure.)

That said, this nature hiking trail is among the best in the world, engineered like a mountain road with gradual inclines for the first portion and built as a free standing causeway clinging to the steep mountain canyon... until one reaches the nearly vertical stone cliffs where stairs have been hacked into the Granite face. Many of the flights continue for hundreds of narrow steps up at an angle exceeding forty five degrees! Six inches deep and seven inches high, these steps are not for babies. Even the young and physically fit must pause frequently to catch their breath. Rusty chain hand railings warn smooth by countless sweaty, oily hands, serve not only to steady yourself, but to help pull climbers up the impossibly steep inclines.

This climb was the struggle of my life. Climbing the endless flights of steep stairs stressed my body to its limit. At one point I simply needed both hands gripping the climbing chains and was forced to tie the bag containing my water bottles and energy snacks to my belt so both hands were available. The added swinging pendulum hanging from my waist complicated balance, especially when a rambunctious youngster wearing a bulging day pack scrambled down the narrow stone staircase forcing himself past my frozen body squeezed to one side. His pack nearly scraped me off the chain! Other over confident climbers descending the trail caused havoc with all the upward climbing people struggling with the dual problems of avoiding the oncoming avalanche of descenders and straining to pull their bodies up the punishing incline. I never felt fear... which would have been justified considering the circumstances, but concern my muscles might give out without warning made me conscious of the potential for disaster. But, here I am, alive and well and exhilarated by what, though hardly Olympian, feels to me like a personal achievement worth at least a bronze medal!

Resupplying the refreshment stands situated at convenient intervals along the trail is no minor endeavor. Porters carry heavy loads on their shoulder poles as they maneuver their way up the punishing slopes... a four hour climb for the astoundingly meager wage of under $4 per trip. Probably the only job some poorly educated men can get, these guys make the trip down in less time, of course and carry plastic bottle salvage for a few more Yuan. I suggested to my self appointed companion-guide, Sophia that one of these fellows should be used as a "poster child" for dropping out of school, something her "lazy," computer game playing younger brother needs to consider, she insisted!

As I stopped to drain off some of the lactic acid saturating my muscles, Sophia and I continued our conversations in English attracting the attention of a large family that had been following us. By now I am quite accustomed to children unselfconsciously demonstrating their fascination with this odd looking foreigner's white hair and beard. Adults are curious too, but usually more circumspect in their demonstrations. The rest area contained a dozen concrete stools organized for conversation and the patriarch of the group told Sophia he wanted to ask me some questions with her help. We chatted for fifteen minutes, but I ended up asking most of the important questions. 

Now about sixty-five years of age, he had been in the Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution. In college at the time, his job had been to travel around the country "reeducating" peasants. I asked his personal opinion of the consequences of Mao's experiment looking back a half century. His reply came quick and terse: "It was a mess! Chinese culture was harmed horribly."

We exchanged details about our respective lives and Sophia explained why she enjoyed walking with me, leaving out the fact she had been making sure I didn't kill myself! Sophia clearly considered me decrepit and tried to physically assist me several times as I struggled with some of the particularly difficult sections of the climb. Once, when I slipped on a wet section of the stone stairway, she nearly tackled me, that even though I still had a quite firm (death) grip on one of the giant rings of the massive iron chain. On another occasion as I sat panting halfway up a particularly long flight of stairs, a young guy of about twenty retraced his steps back down to my position and earnestly offered his hand. As I considered the prospects of placing my life in the hands of a stranger... and the fact that while exceedingly difficult, my body is still in darned good condition for such a stressful adventure, I declined his kind offer and struggled on upward alone.

Many people come to Mount Huashan for an opportunity to practice a curious "Lock and throw away the key" custom unique to Chinese mountain climbs. Couples hang locks from the chain at various places along the trail as a token of their undying eternal love and others just to indicate their wish or hope for good luck for some special person in their lives. My self appointed guide Sophia, an English major in a local university, bought one and had it engraved with a good luck wish for her family and then locked it to an available link space in the guard rail chain near the seller's stall. She handed me her camera and requested I photograph the moment when she tossed the key... actually one of the times when she pretended to throw it. When she actually did toss it I watched as it sailed into some trees and finally tumbled down onto the head of a hiker on the trail below! The puzzled guy scratched his head, looked around and promptly ignored the strange tickle from his hair. I asked Sophia if that meant her good luck wish might not come true, but got no reply... just an embarrassed "Oh, my gosh!"

Sophia had entered a "race" to the top of the mountain with hundreds of others that day, but abandoned that challenge for the opportunity to practice her English with an actual native speaker... and offer her obviously badly needed assistance... both language wise and physically! Other contestants with letter size number identifiers pinned to their shirts passed us in an endless stream, often good naturedly urging us on as we sat catching our breath... that is, as I sat catching my breath and Sophia stoically refusing to leave my side. In all truth, she provided very welcome companionship and relevant commentary on the sights along the trail.

The winner raced up the mountain in under three hours, I understand. Most contestants made it in around four. I took over six and a half hours, resting as I did so often! To my repeated urgings to go on ahead and leave me to try for the "last person" to complete the challenge, Sophia insisted she wanted that distinction herself and doggedly hung back with this old slowpoke... and not the oldest climber on the trail at that, I learned. As I considered abandoning the trek numerous times, Sophia would remind me of an eighty year old lady climbing a half hour ahead of us. "If she can make it, so can you." After about four hours of struggling I seriously considered turning back. Time and again, Sophia would remind me of the cable car at the top of North Peak that would make the descent effortless! Then she would assert we only had another half hour of steep climbing to go... this every so often during the last two and a half hours!

So, I weighed the prospect of a three or four hour descent back down those steep narrow stairs against a half hour more climb up the punishing trail ahead and resolved to go on. Returning climbers seemed to be providing Sophia the information about the trail conditions ahead, but an American couple from Colorado an hour later told me the unvarnished truth: "We have been coming down the stairs for over an hour, so you have at least that much more time to climb."

Near the end of the climb Sophia abandoned her charge, rushing on ahead to collect her medal for completing the challenge and to socialize with her ante who runs a little snack stand at the rest area by the cable car entrance. Finally, six and a half hours after starting the climb I spotted the blessed finish line assembly area, now crowded by resting race participants. Sophia had disappeared. As I stood in the Que for the cable car ride down I spotted her chatting with her ante.

I thought I would never again find myself more challenged by a hiking trail than that up to Tigers Nest in Bhutan last month. That one provided good training for the Mount Huashan ordeal. Perhaps climbing Mount Everest is more difficult, but I doubt it. On the bright side, I now know the outer limits of my physical endurance... and I can do a lot more than I ever imagined. I have to wonder if that observation is not true for everybody and for every untried endeavor. You never know what you can't do until you try and finally fail utterly, an appropriate observation as the start of the Beijing Olympics is upon us.

The two hour bus ride to Huashan from Xi'an started off with a bus driver who wanted to smoke until a foreign tourist gently reminded him of the government prohibition in small closed spaces like our bus. I trust Bill Gates' new anti-smoking campaign for China will make such personal initiatives less necessary in the future. As people opened food containers in preparation for on board lunches, new exotic smells replaced the dissipating cigarette smoke odor.

When we arrived in Huashan about noon an idiot tout immediately tagged me as his meal ticket for the day. I couldn't shake the guy as he attempted to superimpose himself in the middle of every hotel negotiation. An angry shouting tirade finally convinced him to search elsewhere for easier pickings. I hate those guys.

Several blocks of businesses have sprung up below the Taoist Temple that marks the entrance to the main North Peak trail. As if thumbing their noses at the efforts to keep Xi'an quiet, locals around Haushan seem to go out of their way to make noise. Some of the happy honkers lean on their horns all the way through town. Big Harley Davidson motorcycles roar up and down the hill and horns are sounded loud and long by both an endless parade of taxis trying to attract fares and massive three, four and five wheel trucks wanting unchallenged right of way along the road through town. Some business establishment on the main drag about a block from the center of town keeps an obnoxious repeating announcement running all day long over a loud speaker adjusted to maximum. Monotonous and irritating it can be heard clear up the hill to the temple.

There are at least two excellent hotels near the center of town. Neither is ready for international tourists; no one speaks any English at all. I finally made a deal at the 4 star Haushan Hotel using gestures, a telephone English language mediator and situational communications. At 320 Yuan, I considered it a good value. That is about $48 per night... in cash... breakfast not included. Breakfast consisting of various Chinese weeds, a hard boiled egg, a mushy bun and a glass of tasteless tea that set me back an additional 15 Yuan (about $2.30) and hardly provided the nourishment needed for the challenging climb up Mount Huashan! The place had decent wireless Internet access so my Pocket PC provided a limited ability to read email messages.

Now it is back to Xi'an for preparations to visit the fabled Gouliang Tunnel in a few days.

PS: As I write this I am now in Xinxiang (pronounced SIN-CEE-ANG) some five hundred kilometers east of Xi'an making plans to visit the Gouliang Tunnel. The Olympics are about to start in Beijing and I am in an excellent $64 four star hotel. Everything is great except breakfast; it is broken egg yokes, Chinese weeds, toast and coffee. The good thing is that a Mac Donald's Restaurant occupies one street level corner of the hotel and offers Egg McMuffins all morning! F

Mount Huashan: This is Sophia, a 21 year old University student studying English who insisted on being my protector on the grueling six and a half hour climb up long flights of stairs, most of which are inclined greater than 45 degrees. At first she came to my rescue with language assistance, but later tried to help me physically up some of the more troublesome sections... like I was some old man... how humiliating! She interrupted her participation in a mountain climbing competition to be my companion saying she would settle for the last "one to finish" prize with me. My slow progress guaranteed she would get that prize! Everyone finishing would receive a bronze medallion, but when we finally reached the top the guy with the prizes had already left! So, no prize for Sophia.

Mount Huashan: As I start my march up the trail I am immediately impressed by the quality of the trail. Perfectly engineered like a mountain highway, it ascends gently... at first. Lush overhanging trees create pleasant shade most of the way. It occurs to me the Chinese equivalent of the Sierra Club must be very active here. This is some of the contestants in a hiking competition to the top of the trail.

Mount Huashan: Refreshment vendors like this one are scattered along the trail. About two hours into the hike I am trying to learn about the trail from some kids using struggling English when up comes Sophia asking: "May I be of some help?" in perfect English. So began my five hour companionship with this 21 year old University student majoring in English. Such encounters are common for native English speakers in modern China where many people are serious about learning English. Sophia proved to be more interested in looking out for my welfare than in winning the hiking competition she had entered with several hundred others.

Mount Huashan: This is one of the real champions of Mount Huashan. He makes the climb everyday carrying a hundred pounds of cargo on his shoulder pole... sometimes twice a day! Of course he is paid... 25 Yuan... about $3.80 per trip! I suggested Sophia show this picture to her "lazy" younger brother and remind him what to expect without a good education.

Mount Huashan: Unbeknownst to me, the first of August is the Chinese 4th of July and a celebration greeted my approach to the Taoist Temple on the way to the trail head. The day commemorates the end of the Sino-Japanese War.

Mount Huashan:  Throngs of people gathered for the festivities. However, for this little kid's grandmother I proved much more interesting than all the old drums and cymbals. The kid looks disgusted with the grown ups.

Mount Huashan: The first of August is the Chinese 4th of July. The day commemorates the end of the Sino-Japanese War, so important war veterans like this old fellow are honored. Wow! Look at all the medals decorating his chest.

Mount Huashan: The southern complex in the Taoist Temple at the base of the trail to North Peak. I explored the way up to the trail head the afternoon I arrived. Climbers must pass through the temple grounds at this entrance.

Mount Huashan: This Taoist Temple at the base of the trail to North Peak is popular with local people.

Mount Huashan: Sculpture of an often seen mythical creature on the grounds of the Taoist Temple.

Mount Huashan: This Taoist Temple at the base of the trail to North Peak is an important tourist attraction in its own right. Local people come here to stroll, play games, have picnics or to meditate.

Mount Huashan: This younger guy seems to be sweating as much as me... of course he has well over a hundred pounds on the ends of his shoulder pole. Many men, some not so young, carry heavy loads like this up the trail to refreshment stands along the trail.

Mount Huashan: Another sign along the trail to remind hikers to refrain from smoking... as if that would be necessary on such a strenuous mountain climb.

Mount Huashan: Here comes another pole carrier climbing the stairs like a sprinter as I struggle to catch my breath while resting on a bench.

Mount Huashan: Inspirational sign along the trail; fractured English, but appropriate sentiment.

Mount Huashan: I pause to cling to the safety chain sitting on one of the narrow stairs on this very long flight of stairs. Others were doing the same thing every so often. Passing one another presented a dangerous challenge, but we all made the transit without incident.

Mount Huashan: Sign explaining the rules. Wondering what the green tape at the bottom of the sign is covering?

Mount Huashan: View of the grounds around a Taoist Temple high in the mountains along the trail. This one offers very simple overnight accommodations to travelers for 200Yuan: about $30.

Mount Huashan: Entrance to the Taoist Temple that offers very simple overnight accommodations for about $30.

Mount Huashan: Hairy Woman Cave; read the explanation on the sign. Signs like this mark every historically important point along the trail, often with hilariously constructed English translations.

Mount Huashan: People who took the easy cable car ride to the top of North Peak hang their locks on one of the safety chains and throw away the key; signifying everlasting love or wishes for good luck. Such a gesture without the great exertion needed to climb the mountain surely cannot be terribly motivated.

Mount Huashan: Around the gathering place at the top are several more trails leading off to other destinations in the park. Most people sensibly sit down a rest, taking time to appreciate the views.

Mount Huashan: Sign near the cable car house.

Mount Huashan: View point near the steep flight of stairs down to the cable car house.

Mount Huashan: Entrance to the parking lot in front of the $49 Huashan Hotel where I stayed two nights.

Mount Huashan: Entrance to the $49 Huashan Hotel where I stayed for two nights.

Mount Huashan: Sculpture inside the $49 Huashan Hotel where I stayed two nights. This fearsome guy is a blunt reminder to pay your hotel bills.

Mount Huashan: Sculpture of a mythical creature on the grounds of the Taoist Temple.

Mount Huashan: Many men, some not so young, carrying heavy loads like this gentleman pass us on the trail. As I struggle, saturated in sweat to heave my 190 pound body up the nearly vertical trail, this guy trudges relentlessly on with the added burden of his heavy load. What a guy. I wouldn't do it for a thousand dollars; he does it every day for about $4!

Mount Huashan: During the cable car descent we could see the east entrance to the park below.

Mount Huashan: Road sign marking the entrances to the Mount Huashan Park.

Peace

Fred L Bellomy