From December 21 to 23, the China's Arctic Village? 2012 National Winter Hiking Conference was held in Arctic Village, Mohe County, Heilongjiang Province. More than 200 outdoor sports enthusiasts from 13 provinces and regions across the country came to Mohe and Arctic Village to hike in the snow, seek China’s most “north,” and experience the allure of winter outdoor sports in extreme cold.
People living on this planet may all have a polar dream — to explore the extremes of the world. Antarctica and the Arctic are too far away, and Mount Everest is too high. For most, how can they realize their polar dreams? The many outdoor sports enthusiasts who participated in this event seem to have found the answer.
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The China's Arctic Village? 2012 National Winter Hiking Conference is a classic mass outdoor event approved by the General Administration of Sport of China, jointly organized by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau, and the Da Hinggan Ling Administrative Office, and hosted by the People’s Government of Mohe County and other organizations.
The hiking route of this event fully embodies the “northernmost” characteristic. On December 22, the low temperature of minus 40 degrees failed to dampen the fiery enthusiasm of the hiking participants. At 8:00 a.m., a brief opening ceremony was held at the square of Arctic Village in Mohe. Leaders from relevant departments such as the General Administration of Sport of China, the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau, the Da Hinggan Ling Administrative Office, and the People’s Government of Mohe County attended the ceremony. Xuchuan, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, presented the flag for the event and announced the start of the competition.
Xuchuan, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, presents the flag to Zhang Baojun, Director of the Mohe Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, in Arctic Village
At 8:30 a.m., the winter hiking activity themed “Seeking the Most Northern Point” officially kicked off. More than 200 hikers set off from the square of Arctic Village in Mohe. Led by team guides, they hiked southward along the Sino-Russian border river to China’s northernmost sentry post, then continued northward on foot to find landmarks such as the Arctic Village landmark stone tablet, the first Arctic Village hostel for backpackers, China’s northernmost post office, China’s northernmost school, China’s northernmost pole point, 99 kinds of northernmost signs, and the home of China’s northernmost residents. They then returned to the Arctic Village square along the banks of the Heilongjiang River, covering a total hiking distance of 16 kilometers. Under extreme weather conditions, the hikers persevered and none gave up. Those who completed the hiking route within the three-and-a-half-hour cutoff time received a completion certificate awarded by the Chinese Mountaineering Association.
Hiking participants at the hiking conference
The content of this National Winter Hiking Conference was rich and diverse. In addition to hiking in the northernmost Arctic Village in China, there were also fun ice and snow competitions such as “Fairy Scattering Flowers,” “Walking on Snow Without a Trace,” and “Iceberg Waterfall,” as well as camping experiences that tested one’s limits and exposed them to extreme cold. Professionals dispatched by the Heilongjiang Mountaineering Association built an igloo at the square of Arctic Village. Six outdoor enthusiasts selected nationwide, led by Professor Han Chuntao from the Harbin Institute of Physical Education, entered the igloo to camp. They explained how to use igloos in winter, precautions for winter igloo camping, the camping process, and methods of wilderness survival. After the activity, the Heilongjiang Mountaineering Association awarded certificates of “China’s Arctic Village Winter Solstice Extreme Cold Camping Challenge” to those who completed the extreme cold camping in Arctic Village.
Participants in the event
Reindeer also followed the hiking participants
In addition to various on-site activities, the “National Winter Outdoor Sports Development Forum” was the grand finale before the conclusion of the hiking conference. Dr. Zhang Zhijian, Director of the Outdoor Sports Department of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and Secretary-General of the Chinese Mountaineering Association, delivered a speech on the current status and prospects of outdoor sports development in China. Qi Yuedong, Director of the Competition Management Center of the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau and Secretary-General of the Heilongjiang Mountaineering Association, introduced the current state of winter sports in Heilongjiang.
Mohe, located at the northernmost tip of China, is known as “China’s Arctic.” Situated on the southern bank of the Heilongjiang River, a Sino-Russian border river at 53°N latitude, Mohe remains cold like winter for most of the year, with summer lasting only about a month. Arctic Village is the northernmost village in Mohe County and also the northernmost town in China. It is the only place in China where you can see the “Aurora Borealis.” In winter, Arctic Village is a vast expanse of snowy seas, with a scene of a thousand miles of ice and ten thousand miles of snow typical of northern China. The speeding horse-drawn sleighs offer unique charm, captivating all visitors. From December 21 to December 23, Mohe is the place on Chinese soil with the shortest daylight hours and lowest temperatures.
Mohe, located at the northernmost tip of China, is known as “China’s Arctic.” Situated on the southern bank of the Heilongjiang River, a Sino-Russian border river at 53°N latitude, Mohe remains cold like winter for most of the year, with summer lasting only about a month. Arctic Village is the northernmost village in Mohe County and also the northernmost town in China. It is the only place in China where you can see the “Aurora Borealis.” In winter, Arctic Village is a vast expanse of snowy seas, with a scene of a thousand miles of ice and ten thousand miles of snow typical of northern China. The speeding horse-drawn sleighs offer unique charm, captivating all visitors. From December 21 to December 23, Mohe is the place on Chinese soil with the shortest daylight hours and lowest temperatures.