This is Mount Taibai, this is the Qinling Mountains. For hundreds of millions of years, they have stood on China’s most ancient land, sheltering the people below with their majestic presence, ensuring favorable weather and prosperity. Mount Taibai is no longer just a mountain; it embodies the developmental journey of a nation, concentrates the historical culture of a country, and nurtures the spiritual character of the land. Some say that if any other mountain in China’s mountain ranges were to disappear, it would not significantly impact the nation’s natural environment—but without the Qinling Mountains, China’s biodiversity, cultural variety, and 5,000-year history would all be different.
The Qinling Taibai Mountain is one of the few high-altitude, multi-terrain natural scenic areas in China. It features snow-capped mountains, alpine meadows, lakes, forests, and various terrains ideal for outdoor sports. It is a renowned paradise for outdoor activities in China and an ideal location for trail running.
This is an off-road course infused with culture, history, and natural landscapes—from the majestic mountain pass to the ancient ice cave, from the perpetual snow of Taibai to the sea of clouds over Ping’an, from the enchanted realm of ancient maple trees to the summit of Baxian, from ancient temples to ancient plank roads. The Dragon Spine of China separates the north and south of the nation, witnessing the changes of eras and the vicissitudes of history.
This is a challenging race that traverses the Qinling Dragon Spine from north to south, a journey that purifies the soul. With blue skies, white clouds, alpine meadows, flower seas, primeval forests, highland pearls, peculiar peaks, strange rocks, and remnants of the Quaternary glaciers all around, participants will face multiple challenges such as rain and wind,fog,and low temperatures, while crossing the two major river systems of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers to reach the summit of China’s highest peak on the eastern mainland at 3,767 meters.
The magnificent Qinling Mountains open their arms—waiting for you to take on the challenge!
Race Date:July 30–31, 2016 (tentative)
Race Location:Shaanxi·Qinling Taibai Mountain
Number of Participants:100 people
Registration Opens:May
Mount Taibai is the main peak of the renowned Qinling Mountain range in China and the highest peak east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau on the Chinese mainland, standing at 3,767 meters. The Qinling Mountains form the natural boundary between northern and southern China. The main peak, Mount Taibai, boasts well-preserved natural landscapes with typical Quaternary glacial remnants. It is covered with lush forests and rich plant diversity, with approximately 2,000 species, and nearly 500 species of wildlife. The area exhibits distinct vertical distributions of climate, soil, and vegetation, with highly changeable weather patterns. Additionally, Mount Taibai holds significant importance in the development of Taoist culture in China and is regarded as a sacred site of Taoism (ranked as the 11th Grotto-Heaven, Xuan De Cave-Heaven). As the first mountain conquered by the Chinese Mountaineering Team, Taibai has been recorded in the annals of Chinese mountaineering history and has now become a key base for hiking and outdoor activities nationwide.
2. Features of the Race Route
The Taibai 100KM Trail Run will cover the most classic routes of the Qinling Taibai Mountain and the Tangluo Ancient Road, with over 75% of the course being pure mountain terrain, most of which runs through uninhabited areas. Above 3,000 meters in altitude, the high mountain zone still preserves intact remnants of the Quaternary glaciers: the horn peak of Baxian Platform, the Forty-Mile Horse Racing Ridge, and Wen Gong Temple Ridge, scattered with massive boulders. Ice-dammed lakes and glacial erosion lakes such as Dayehai and Erheyehai glisten with azure waters, creating enchanting landscapes known as the “Pearls of Taibai.” Along the route, runners will pass by ancient temples and ruins such as Ping’an Temple, Wen Gong Temple, Lei Gong Hall, General Temple, Laozi Temple, and Taibai Temple.
3. Introduction to the Race Team
This race is organized by a professional team from Shaanxi that has successfully hosted events such as the 2015 China·Qinling 50KM International Ultra Trail Run. In 2016, it will become an ITRA-authorized UTMB points race. The team is currently the most influential event planning and operating company in the northwest region, continuously dedicated to planning, organizing, and executing outdoor races in the Qinling area of Shaanxi, allowing more outdoor and trail running enthusiasts to experience the charm of the Eight-Hundred-Li Qin Plains!
A race is like an ocean brimming with the vitality of life, filled with the brightest smiles and the most sincere tears. Every ordinary participant, when running with determination, when gritting their teeth to persevere, when stretching out their arms toward the finish line, becomes a mighty hero, invincible.
Along the way, the staff and volunteers of the Taibai 100KM will accompany you with meticulous support and warm, thoughtful service. Together with you—the bravest and most respectable trail runners—you will run to the summit of Taibai Mountain at 3,767.2 meters and across the majestic Dragon Spine of China. The magnificent Qinling Mountains open their arms—waiting for you to take on the challenge!
is to be climbed by people,
not merely feared.
When you stand atop the towering Taibai Mountain,
with the towering peaks stretching before your vast field of vision,
those distant sounds,
the drifting clouds,
are just like the long-throbbing heartbeat in your chest.
When you walk along the plank roads of the Qinling Mountains,
following the colorful traces of celestial dust underfoot,
those little-trodden paths,
the jubilant trees,
aren’t they the loneliness
we lost in our youth?
—— Taibai Mountain 100KM Ultra Trail Race
To all who yearn to reach the summit