From September 14 to 17, 2012, the "Leaves with Me"・2012 Lafuma Mountaineering Season’s Southwest Division hiking event was held as scheduled in the Siguniangshan Scenic Area of Sichuan, creating one last wave of mountaineering enthusiasm for the summer. This route ranked first among the four divisions for its highest altitude and most challenging course, offering outdoor enthusiasts an exceptional opportunity to push their limits. On the day of the event, 30 top-tier outdoor athletes from the Southwest Division competed at the peak level, personally taking on the classic trekking route of Siguniangshan. After overcoming numerous obstacles, they finally summited the second peak. Along the way, they also participated in the "Search for the Peak Leaf" photography activity and the public welfare campaign "Care for the Earth — Leave Only Footprints, Clean Up Trash," together composing a moving and unforgettable mountaineering journey.
Golden September, Glorious Harvest
As the final and most challenging stop of the event, the athletes who advanced to the Southwest Division were all elite selected through multiple rounds of rigorous screening by the organizing committee. Each possessed extensive high-altitude mountaineering experience, as well as professional skills in climbing, outdoor expeditions, and wilderness survival. Chengdu’s handsome young man "xx Little Frog," who has led teams to summit the three main peaks of Siguniangshan over 30 times and trekked across the Gongga region more than 20 times, boasts an impressive resume and remarkable achievements. In addition, there were also many talented female participants, such as the skilled "Laughing Without a Trace" from Beijing’s largest outdoor club, Xiaoyao Outdoor. For a time, this became a gathering place for top outdoor adventurers. Compared to the previous three stops, the grandeur of this division was beyond doubt — not to mention the gathering of experts, the stunning scenery along the way alone was enough to feast the eyes. The trip to Sichuan brought rewards not just for the spirit and soul, but even the body's five senses enjoyed a perfect journey.
At 8:30 a.m. on September 15, the athletes set off punctually from Rilong to begin the first day of the hiking itinerary — Rilong Town → Dajianbao → Everest Base Camp of the Second Peak. That day featured cloudless skies and crisp autumn air. The journey from Rilong to Dajianbao was breathtakingly beautiful, with participants admiring the clear lake waters of Haizi Valley, the unique flowers and plants on the alpine meadows, and fully immersing themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of Siguniangshan in September. Breezes carried the fragrance of grass, deeply captivating the athletes, who captured all the beautiful scenes with their cameras. The section from Dajianbao to the Everest Base Camp of the Second Peak gradually increased in difficulty, and as if testing the athletes, light drizzle began to fall near the campsite. But this minor difficulty did not hinder their progress at all — they were completely immersed in the joy of mountaineering.
During the climb, the organizing committee also interspersed the "Search for the Peak Leaf" photography activity, capturing fleeting yet beautiful natural scenes with their lenses. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp of the Second Peak, the athletes had collected many classic works. While setting up camp, they couldn’t wait to show off their achievements along the way to their teammates. "I didn’t expect the scenery of Siguniangshan in September to be so beautiful — I’m glad I didn’t miss it. Although the whole route was tough, seeing so many amazing views made the trip worthwhile. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s summit!" said an athlete from Chongqing.
Summit Challenge, Continuing Glory
As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait — and endure. That night, heavy snow began to fall over Siguniangshan, covering the mountain paths continuously, transforming the area into a silver-white landscape by morning. This sudden snowfall undoubtedly added significant difficulty to the summit attempt, but faced with the athletes’ enthusiasm and expectations, the organizing committee resolutely decided to lead everyone to rise to the challenge and press forward bravely. "Before participating in the Siguniangshan Station event, I was fully aware of the overall difficulty of the course. Even with this harsh weather, I still really wanted to try and challenge myself, hoping to persevere until the end and successfully reach the summit!" said one qualified athlete, already eager to get started.
With everything prepared, the main group set off early at 4 a.m. The Siguniangshan of dawn was enveloped in darkness and cold, with only the determined faces of team members under their headlamps and the deep footprints on the mountain path visible. The snow continued to fall, with some areas knee-deep, and heavy fog and swirling snow reduced visibility while making the road increasingly slippery. This made the already tough mountain path even more difficult. It was the greatest challenge the first three stops had never encountered, and the harsh weather pushed the difficulty of reaching the summit to its limit. Halfway through, many athletes were struggling, their energy almost completely depleted. To ensure the athletes’ safety, the mountaineering association guides decisively decided to split the group, allowing those with better overall conditions to continue toward the summit, while others followed instructions to return to base camp in an orderly manner.
Under the guidance of high-altitude support staff and guides, seven athletes braved the snow and pressed on toward the summit. As the altitude increased and the snow grew heavier, when they reached the mountain pass, athletes "Snail at the Summit," "Ktow," and "Super Boy" chose to stay behind and wait for descent, while the rest pushed for the final summit push. After enduring countless hardships, four athletes — Yang Bo, editor-in-chief of "Outdoor" magazine, Chengdu’s "xx Little Frog," Liaoning’s "Determined Walker," and Heilongjiang’s "Feeling" — finally reached the summit at 10:40 a.m.! This marked the most challenging extreme test of difficulty in the "Leaves with Me"・2012 Lafuma Mountaineering Season so far. Joyfully, despite the immense hardship, the athletes relied on their unshakable belief to successfully summit the second peak of Siguniangshan.
Standing atop the second peak, how proud and honored they felt. Below their feet, sea of clouds surged, and in the distance, the "King of Shu Mountains" — Mount Gongga — could be faintly seen. Unable to contain their excitement, everyone took commemorative photos to capture this glorious moment. "Today is the most memorable day in my outdoor mountaineering history. I didn’t expect such heavy snow, and now standing at the summit of the second peak looking out over everything feels like a dream. I think only those who’ve endured such trials can understand how I feel right now. This trip was truly worth it!" said "xx Little Frog," unable to hold back his joyful excitement.
After descending back to the base camp, the snow gradually let up. The organizing committee led all athletes in the public welfare activity "Care for the Earth — Leave Only Footprints, Clean Up Trash," using environmentally friendly garbage bags distributed earlier to clean up waste around the campsite, truly giving green back to nature and memories to the heart. Additionally, the organizing committee gave all athletes specially made "Leaves with Me" magic scarves, with prominent environmental slogans reminding everyone to continuously carry forward the spirit of green outdoor activity. During this time, athletes also took photos of their eco-friendly actions, leaving a permanent memento of the event.
With the conclusion of the offline event for the Southwest Division’s Siguniangshan Station in the "Leaves with Me"・2012 Lafuma Mountaineering Season, the mountaineering events across all four divisions are also nearing their end. Next, athletes will enter the final stage of the competition. Everyone can upload travel journals, photos, videos, and more from the event day on the official theme website to share and exchange, and encourage friends and fan groups to vote and cheer them on. Ultimately, combining online scores from expert judges, various awards and division champions of the Southwest Division will be selected. Who will win the final grand prize of a romantic seven-day trip to "The Homeland of Leaves" in France? We’ll have to wait and see how the Southwest Division finals play out.