Sneak Peek at the Course of the 8-Hour Charity Hiking Challenge

The 2013 "8-Hour Challenge" charity hiking event was jointly organized by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Hebei Youth Development Foundation, sponsored by Perfect (China) Co., Ltd., and co-organized by the Hong Kong Action in Education, Ci Media, and the People's Government of Luanping County. It harnessed the power of walking to help rural children read and grow happily, mobilizing broad social forces to raise funds, gather more love, and fulfill the reading dreams of rural children.
This year’s "8-Hour Challenge" course was set in the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall in Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province—a place of stunning scenery and rich cultural heritage. We also provided highly professional support and medical services along the route. Now, let’s take a look together at this brand-new course for this year.
The 43.9 km course starts and finishes at Bakshiyang Central School, which also hosts our Checkpoint 10. From there, runners will pass through Dongwanzi Village and Beishangen Village, and after 5.5 km, arrive at Dianyuanzi Village, which is Checkpoint 1.
Elevation: 240m–260m.
Terrain: Rural dirt roads allow participants to experience the rustic charm of the countryside while taking on the challenge.
Scenery along the way: Passes through Dongwanzi Village, Beishangen Village, and Dianyuanzi Village, featuring beautiful rural views.

After passing Dianyuanzi Village, head north for 4.3 km to reach Checkpoint 2.
Elevation: Rises sharply from 260m to around 460m, with varied slopes.
Terrain: A mix of rural dirt roads and mountainous trails.
Scenery along the way: A blend of rural landscapes and mountain vistas.

From Checkpoint 2, after 5 km, you’ll reach Checkpoint 4, the east gate of the Jinshanling Great Wall scenic area. This is also the most distinctive section of this year’s course. Take in the magnificence of the Great Wall and channel the heroism of ages. While walking for a good cause, you’ll also enjoy the historical and cultural landscape of our country.
Elevation: 400m–600m. This section features the greatest elevation changes on the entire course, with multiple sharp ascents and descents that add excitement and thrill to the race.
Terrain: Includes both damaged sections of the Great Wall and well-preserved stairways.
Scenery along the way: The most classic ancient Ming Dynasty Great Wall, passing landmarks such as Zhuan Dun Kou, General Tower, Da Jin Shan Tower, and the descending path.

Exiting the east gate of Jinshanling Great Wall, after 7.2 km, you’ll reach Checkpoint 6, near Nandongpo.
Elevation: Gradually descends from 400m to 300m. Although there are some ups and downs, the path is relatively flat. This downhill section allows participants to recover some energy.
Terrain: Mostly rural roads, with a mountain trail between Nandongpo and Checkpoint 6.
Scenery along the way: Passes through Gedongliang, offering pristine natural scenery.

Leaving Checkpoint 6, continue forward and you’ll encounter another highlight of the course. After this “peak,” the elevation quickly drops from around 580m to about 380m, but the road becomes relatively flat again before reaching Checkpoint 7.
Elevation: 350m–580m.
Terrain: An even mix of mountain trails and rural roads.
Scenery along the way: Passes through Gangfang Village and Caozhaizi Village.

After leaving Checkpoint 7, continue northwest for 4.5 km to reach Paoshigou Village, home to Checkpoint 8.
Elevation: 300m–450m. This section gradually rises from 350m to 450m, then sharply drops back to 300m. For participants who have already tackled two “small peaks,” these 4.5 km should be a breeze.
Terrain: The first two-thirds are mountain trails, and the final third is a rural road.
Scenery along the way: Passes through Caozhaizi Village and Paoshigou Village.

Starting from Paoshigou Village, after 4.2 km, you’ll reach Hualougu South Gully Village, the location of Checkpoint 9. This section runs close to National Highway G110.
Elevation: 280m–320m. This section is relatively flat, offering a good recovery point for participants who have expended significant energy.
Road conditions: The first two-thirds are rural roads, and the last third is a mountain dirt road.
Scenery along the way: The route passes through Nangou Village in Hualou Valley.

After leaving Nangou Village in Hualou Valley, it’s just 3 kilometers to our familiar Dianyuanzi Village, which is also our Checkpoint 1.
Elevation: 270m–370m. On this section of the course, we will experience a brief but steep ascent to the “small hilltop” at 360m, followed by a relatively gentle descent. This is also the last “small hilltop” on our course.
Road conditions: This section consists of both rural roads and mountain dirt roads.
Scenery along the way: The scenery on this section combines rural landscapes and mountain vistas.

The final section of the course is exactly the same as when we started. All you need to do is return from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 10, which is Bakshiyin Central School. Along the way, we’ll also pass by the government building of Bakshiyin Town.
That’s the full introduction to the 43.9-kilometer course in the “Challenge 8 Hours” 2013 Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event. In addition to the 43.9-kilometer challenge, we also offer a 24.9-kilometer experience race and a 13.5-kilometer family fun run.
So, isn’t this year’s course especially diverse? Don’t just think about it—sign up and join us now!
    “Challenge 8 Hours” Entry Requirements
1. Participants must raise charitable donations—more is better.
2. Age: Challenge race participants must be at least 18 years old; experience race participants must be at least 15 years old; family fun run teams must include at least one adult, with no age restrictions for other members.
3. Gender: Open to all genders, with each four-person team required to have at least one member of the opposite gender.
4. All participants must provide valid identification and ensure they are in good health.
5. Teams may compete as a four-person group, an individual, or a corporate team.
Registration Methods:
1. Online registration: http://hiking.cydf.org.cn
2. On-site registration: 5th Floor, No. 51 Wangjing West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China Youth Development Foundation
Hotline: 010- 64035547/64790590/64790553