Lin Bo:
Teammate Nearly Fell into a Rock Crevice
Covered in Bruises and Cuts
Lin Bo is an avid mountaineer who often rides his motorcycle from his home in Outing with several like-minded friends to hike on Sangpu Mountain. As their climbing experience grew, Lin and his companions became dissatisfied with sticking to set routes and began challenging themselves with more difficult...
Because “rock jumping” is much more difficult than regular hiking, leaping from one rock to another more than a meter away in a single bound can easily result in a fall if you lose your concentration. Although it demands higher physical ability, Lin and the others also experienced the thrill and excitement that “rock jumping” brings. So, in addition to their usual hikes, they occasionally organized “rock jumping” sessions to push their physical limits.
One year last year, a young teammate who hadn’t joined the group for about a month returned, and everyone was in high spirits, so they decided to go “rock jumping.” “We were taking turns jumping from one rock to the next, but that young teammate who hadn’t climbed in a while may not have taken a big enough step, and he actually started to fall into a crevice between the rocks. Below was a chasm of jagged stones. Fortunately, I managed to grab him just in time,” recalled veteran climber Lin Bo, who still gets chills thinking about that moment. With quick reflexes, Lin reached out and caught the young man’s hand, pulling him to safety. Though he was unharmed, the young teammate was left covered in cuts and scrapes from the gravel, bleeding profusely. After this hair-raising experience, they gave up the dangerous “rock jumping” and returned to hiking the conventional way.
Weng Jie:
Looking Down into the Abyss Below
Felt Like Her Soul Was About to Leave Her Body
Recalling her only “rock jumping” experience two years ago — and the only one of her life — Weng Jie still feels terrified.
Having turned 40, Weng Jie felt physically weak, so she joined a “hiking group” made up of more than 10 neighbors to climb around Sangpu Mountain and build up her strength. One afternoon two years ago, the group got the spontaneous idea to try out “rock jumping.” Though she had done plenty of hiking, “rock jumping” was completely new to Weng Jie. Though nervous, she set off with the encouragement of her neighbors.
Weng Jie said that looking down at the abyss below, she almost lost her soul — her legs went weak and she kept shivering with fear, genuinely afraid that one wrong move would send her tumbling off the cliff. Halfway through, she regretted it, but there was no turning back. With the help and support of the others, she gritted her teeth and completed the climb.
Weng Jie told reporters that many participants in “rock jumping” don’t wear any protective gear, relying purely on enthusiasm to leap across steep cliffs — which is extremely dangerous. In her opinion, the goal of hiking is to stay healthy, and without professional equipment, personnel protection, or guidance, accidents can easily happen. “At best, you might end up with a broken bone; at worst, you could lose your life. It’s just not worth it.”
By Our Reporter Lin Yanxun