The “Odina 8,000m Climbing Plan,” jointly initiated by three national organizations — the Chinese Taipei Mountaineering Association, the Chinese Taipei Hiking and Mountaineering Association, and the Chinese Taipei Mountain Rescue Association — along with the Odina Outdoor Sports Foundation, aims not only to climb the world’s 14 peaks over 8,000 meters but also deeply recognizes the technical deficiencies among domestic climbers, who still have a long way to go before reaching the summits of these towering giants.
On March 5th, they will embark on a 10-day expedition training course at Banjifeng in Sichuan. Through this climbing activity, participants will put into practice what they’ve learned over the past 10 months. Challenging overseas high peaks requires the ability to pioneer new routes. The highlight of the training camp is the “traditional climbing” instruction based at Longdong Rock, covering climbing techniques, equipment usage, route setting, anchor placement, pulley hauling, and mechanical advantage systems. Each course and hands-on session is designed to train participants to become independent mountaineers capable of planning and executing overseas climbing expeditions.
Banjifeng (Banjifeng), standing at an elevation of 5,430 meters, is located within the Bipenggou Scenic Area in Li County, Ngawa Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. In 2004, American climber Jon Otto (also known as Zeng Shan) and Ma Yihua, among others, completed the first ascents of four routes and named the peak. With an altitude exceeding 5,000 meters, its year-round glaciers offer multiple climbing routes, featuring various challenges such as glacier crevasses, ice walls, snow slopes, and mixed ice-rock terrains. It is well suited for climbers looking to gain introductory experience in expedition climbing.
To validate and apply the expedition climbing skills learned during the course, the 8K Class 2 team will adopt a 100% self-sufficient climbing approach. Without any local guide assistance, they will independently plan and execute the entire climbing operation — from formulating the climbing plan, organizing gear and food supplies, preparing medical plans, arranging transportation schedules, booking accommodations, and reserving vehicles. All aspects will be planned and carried out by the students themselves. During the climb, actual decision-making and coordination tasks will also be managed autonomously by the members of 8K Class 2. This promises to be an excellent growth opportunity for all team members. The climbing team is expected to return to Taiwan on March 14th.