What is the current state of outdoor sports in Yangzhou? How many “hikers” are there? And how can hikers ensure their safety during outdoor activities?
How many hikers are there in Yangzhou?
There are hundreds of professional hikers.
There are hundreds of professional hikers.
“In fact, the real circle of outdoor sports enthusiasts in Yangzhou isn’t very large, but it’s currently developing quite rapidly.” It is understood that there are currently two major outdoor sports clubs in Yangzhou — the Yangzhou Brisk Walkers Outdoor Club and the New Sunshine Outdoor Sports Club.
“Hiking is a foundation of outdoor sports, and the ‘Brisk Walkers’ also developed from hiking.” Introduced “Sky,” the founder of the Yangzhou Brisk Walkers Outdoor Club, in addition to hiking, his club also organizes outdoor enthusiasts to go mountain climbing on weekends. “Over the past three years, more than a thousand people have participated in our club’s mountain climbing activities, as for hikers, the number is already uncountable.” According to the introduction, “Nostalgic1943” has also participated in the club’s activities.
The New Sunshine Outdoor Sports Club currently has over 700 members, mainly focused on mountain climbing.
According to statistics, among the hiker community in Yangzhou, those who are relatively professional and frequently engage in outdoor activities number in the hundreds; those with some basic outdoor knowledge may reach 1,000–2,000 people. In addition, there are even more people who prefer to go it alone.
What is the skill level of Yangzhou’s hikers?
Still in the “initial stage”
Still in the “initial stage”
During interviews, many veterans expressed varying degrees of concern about the skill level of Yangzhou’s hikers.
“Many people just follow the trend, even getting addicted to it, but they actually don’t have much awareness of the risks involved.” Chen Gengsheng said, “Outdoor sports aren’t that simple. Have you assessed the risks of this activity? What would you do in case something goes wrong? Many people haven’t thought about these questions.”
One of the most straightforward examples is the use of GPS navigation devices for outdoor activities. “Without a guide, there are only one or two people in Yangzhou who can use GPS smoothly.” “Sunshine” is one of the few hikers in Yangzhou who holds a professional outdoor guide certificate issued by the China Mountaineering Association. When leading trips, he has also encountered many amateur hikers. “They wear a pair of so-called brand-name sports shoes worth thousands of yuan instead of proper hiking boots when climbing, and as a result, they fall quite often along the way.”
Just on March 26 of this year, at the 2013 Yangzhou Outdoor Sports Symposium, “Sky” also stated, “Although there are many outdoor sports enthusiasts in Yangzhou, it is still in its initial stage, and there is still much room for improvement.”
Which hikers are more prone to accidents?
Mid-level hikers are actually more likely to get into trouble
Mid-level hikers are actually more likely to get into trouble
“Actually, for complete beginners, the risk of accidents is relatively lower.” “Sunshine” explained that most of them also engage in outdoor activities under the guidance of team leaders and tend to be more cautious. “The ones most likely to be at risk are mid-level hikers.”
■ Beginners: Don’t venture into the mountains lightly
A few summers ago, “Sunshine” once trekked through Taibai Mountain. “At that time, our group of 10 people encountered four university students from Xi’an on the second day. They had run from the scenic area up into the wild mountains.” At that point, the four students had been walking for a whole day and were heading deeper into the mountains. “Our local guide asked, where are you going? They said, we’re heading back.”
This startled the guide. “If you keep going down, you’ll be done for.” At the time, the four students were only wearing short sleeves, hadn’t even brought windbreakers, and only had a small bottle of water. “In the deep mountains, even if you take the right path, it takes two days to get out; take the wrong path and you definitely won’t make it out.”
“Sunshine” particularly reminds, “People with absolutely no outdoor experience must be led by experienced hikers or local guides, otherwise it’s very easy to get into trouble.”
■ Mid-level hikers: Don’t get cocky
“The ones most at risk are mid-level hikers.” “Sunshine” said, “What worries me the most is that some hikers, after just a few treks, start feeling overly confident, even thinking they’re better than the guide, faster than the guide.” He reminds that outdoor sports are not outdoor competitions. “We go out to experience nature. No matter how fast you run, not many people will praise you for it.” In reality, the role of veteran team members is mainly to help newcomers. “On the mountain, sharing a sip of water or a bite of food creates a deep bond — that’s where the true value lies.”