Hello everyone~ This is my first time posting on the forum~~ As a newbie to outdoor activities, I didn’t know much about hiking before. I felt stifled living in the city all day, breathing polluted air and looking up at a gray sky. Doing the same work day after day inevitably made me feel depressed, so~ I got the idea of going out to nature~ hehe.

On October 25th, I signed up for a one-day trip to the Seventy-Two Pools of Lushan with an outdoor club in Zhengzhou. It was my first time joining such an activity, and not wanting to overexert myself, I didn’t sign up for any high-difficulty hiking routes. We set off from the Zhengzhou club at 6 a.m. and arrived at the destination at 8 a.m. There were many fellow travelers on the bus~ including a few female companions, which made me really happy~
The bus stopped at the foot of the mountain, and the group set off on the hike.
Looking at the continuous green mountains stretching out before us, undulating like rhythmic breaths, it felt as if my own breathing was syncing with the landscape. At the base of the mountain, we ran into another group—there were quite a lot of people.
As we climbed step by step, I started chatting with others in the group. Most of them, like me, had little to no outdoor experience and just wanted to give it a try. Later, our handsome team leader told me that for future hiking trips, it’s best to bring a proper backpack and wear hiking shoes. I shook the bag on my back... and looked down at my casual shoes... suddenly realizing I wasn’t well-prepared enough.
The two groups merged into one big team, climbing step by step. Surrounded by lush greenery and breathing in the fresh mountain air, I felt refreshed and invigorated.
Halfway up the mountain, we reached the first pool. I forgot its name—-, but the water was incredibly clear and cool to the touch, giving a refreshing sensation. I don’t know if it was because it was my first time connecting with nature or just my imagination, but the group took a short rest here, and everyone was busy taking photos.
A bit further up the mountain, there was a flat area with a very old table, probably set up for hikers. By then, it was noon, and the autumn sunlight wasn’t too harsh, so we decided to have lunch there. The team leader pulled out all kinds of tools from his huge backpack, and the most interesting to me was the portable gas stove. Coming from a non-outdoor background, I was fascinated by everything.
Everyone gathered to eat together, chatting about the scenery along the way—a kind of atmosphere you rarely get to experience in the city.
Near the mountaintop, this was the most unforgettable part of the trip. Thank you, Mother Nature, for your incredible craftsmanship in creating such beautiful landscapes in this corner of the Earth. A small stream trickled down from above, and below, a pool of water reflected the blue sky. I know there are places a thousand or even ten thousand times more beautiful elsewhere, but at this moment, in my eyes, this was the most beautiful place away from the city.
The sloped mountain surface made it hard to keep my footing.
After enjoying the view from above, we began climbing a steep rock face to reach the summit. The team leader scaled the peak bare-handed with remarkable agility, his movements fluid and seamless, leaving me staring in awe—I was truly impressed. Then, the handsome team leader secured a climbing rope at the top and set up safety measures before guiding us to climb up one by one using the rope.

To conclude, I want to say to myself: you must have courage to do anything. If I hadn’t been struck by a sudden urge to escape the monotony of city life, I wouldn’t have signed up for this outdoor activity. The team leader’s professional outdoor knowledge and impressive physical ability left a deep impression on me. Their club offers more advanced routes that require greater expertise and skills. I hope to eventually take on more challenging hikes in the future—to push my limits.