In April 2005, "Mountain Outdoor Sports" was officially established as one of the national sports projects under the General Administration of Sport of China, managed by the "Chinese Mountaineering Association" for industry regulation. It is a group of sporting activities carried out in natural environments, characterized by adventure or the experience of adventure.
In the midst of busy and stressful urban work and life, in recent years more and more people have developed a fondness for outdoor sports—an emerging, healthy, joyful, and fashionable activity. This is especially true in economically developed cities such as Shenzhen, Beijing, Chengdu, and Nanjing. Over the past few years, the number of people venturing into nature to participate in outdoor hiking and travel activities has grown rapidly, even becoming a mainstream sporting experience. Stepping out of the home, heading into nature, and exploring the great outdoors to admire the vast landscapes and beautiful scenery of the motherland, embracing nature with open arms, and experiencing fresh and tranquil outdoor living has become an excellent choice for urban dwellers to enjoy life beyond their hectic routines.
Whether it’s mountain trekking, peak climbing, stream tracing, rock climbing, orienteering, or canoeing, it is an economical, healthy, and rewarding form of exercise. It not only helps achieve the goals of physical fitness and mental well-being with ease but also allows participants to meet like-minded friends through outdoor activities; expand and enrich harmonious interpersonal relationships and lead a fulfilling and joyful life; and through real and effective experiences, strengthen personal willpower and perseverance, learn methods of communication, cooperation, and problem-solving; and cultivate a sense of responsibility toward others while gaining personal confidence and self-esteem.
However, many people mistake outdoor sports for package tours or general travel, leading to misconceptions about what outdoor sports truly entail. They overlook the fact that outdoor sports take place in natural environments and involve adventure or the experience of adventure. This often occurs in pristine, rugged, cliffside, coastal, or uninhabited natural settings; the activities can be time-consuming, physically demanding, and make rescue efforts difficult. Participants need to possess basic outdoor knowledge and fundamental skills, and there are certain requirements regarding equipment, physical and mental readiness, and stamina. In some cases, they must even carry all necessary gear for living, traveling, sleeping, clothing, and eating in the wilderness.
Many people often overestimate their own abilities, ignore the objective signals of nature, and fail to plan or prepare adequately beforehand or undergo essential basic training. As a result, we often hear tragic accidents occurring in outdoor settings. While watching the successful torch relay at the summit of Mount Everest—the world’s highest peak—during the 2008 Beijing Olympics on TV, did you ever think about how these dream-driven Chinese individuals had undergone more than two years of meticulous preparation and rigorous training?
It is undeniable that no matter how safe a route may be, the possibility of natural disasters occurring at any time cannot be entirely avoided. What we can do is to systematically learn and master basic outdoor knowledge and skills through professional training and guidance from certified institutions, understand and appreciate that nature follows certain fundamental laws, so that while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the great outdoors, we are also equipped with sound judgment to stay away from danger. Venturing into nature and the outdoors should mean minimizing risks, maximizing benefits, and making the minimal possible impact on nature—this is our shared pursuit in outdoor exploration.