The guests at this sharing session were leading skiers of the Backcountry China project, Chi Qi and Yang Bo. Both have extensive ski-mountaineering experience and have been involved in pioneering numerous backcountry routes in China, such as those in the Xiao Wutai and Lingshan areas. Chi Qi has also traveled to western China to help open up routes on peaks including Yuzhu Peak, the Six Peaks of West Tianshan, Suzhulian, and Mount Kailash. Over the course of a two-hour presentation, they used four vivid self-filmed videos to review some of Backcountry China’s achievements in 2012, vividly demonstrating both the excitement and challenges of backcountry route development.
The event brought together many notable figures from the skiing and outdoor communities, including even skiers who had traveled from Xinjiang. OR prepared interactive prizes such as waterproof bags, woolen hats, and ski gloves, leading to lively exchanges on-site. Questions ranged from the specific — “Is hiking the only way up Xiangshan?” and “What brand and weight are the boards used on Xiao Wutai?” — to deeper topics such as “What are this year’s backcountry plans?” All questions emerged with the spray of fresh powder kicked up by ski tails, and ended in collective admiration for the snowy landscapes.
In the 2013 snow season, Backcountry China skiers will also venture to places like Kanasi, Huanggangliang, and the Greater Khingan Mountains… As they pursue the powder of the Tianshan Mountains, they sincerely hope to welcome more like-minded skiers to join their group. At the end of the sharing session, the head of Outdoor Research’s Backcountry China initiative stated that 3–5 skiers will be recruited this year, with detailed recruitment criteria and incentive plans to be announced later.
