After several days of intense competition and exchange, the 2013 Qinghai Gangshika Asian Mountaineering and Skiing Exchange Conference came to a close. Looking back at the beautiful mountains, the team members left behind not only their dashing figures but also their amazement at Qinghai’s outdoor resources. Through these events, Qinghai has gained a distinctive reputation among outdoor sports enthusiasts both nationally and internationally.
Unparalleled outdoor sports resources
The 2013 Qinghai Gangshika Asian Mountaineering and Skiing Exchange Conference once again showcased the stunning beauty of Qinghai to the world, sparking even greater interest among outdoor sports enthusiasts in the Qinghai Plateau.
Qinghai Province boasts uniquely favorable conditions for outdoor sports, with deserts, grasslands, high mountains, meadows, marshes, lakes, and snow-capped peaks, supporting all types of outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, rafting, and summit climbing. Additionally, Qinghai offers an altitude gradient advantage, with elevation tiers ranging from 2,200 meters to 2,500 meters, 2,500 meters to 3,500 meters, and above 3,500 meters, suitable for various kinds of outdoor sports.
Moreover, Qinghai Province is culturally diverse, with rich and colorful ethnic cultures spread across its vast territory. Each region has a different cultural background and a long history. As an activity that combines fitness, travel, culture, and social interaction, outdoor sports—when branded with “Beautiful Qinghai・Meet at [Location]”—become nationally renowned. For instance, treks like Journey through the Sources of Three Rivers, Journey through the Qilian Grasslands, Journey around Qinghai Lake, Journey through the lands once traveled by the Red Army’s Western Route Army, Journey along the Tang-Tibet Ancient Road, and Journey along the Southern Silk Road can attract outdoor enthusiasts from all over. The area around Xining also features numerous ancient military garrisons, such as four ancient fortresses along the route from Xining to Riyue Mountain at Qinghai Lake: Dashibu Fort, Heicheng, Baicheng, and Banshan City. The ancient border-defense Great Wall even extended all the way to Datong... Even more remarkably, Qinghai is home to many ethnic groups, including Han, Tibetan, Hui, and Mongolian peoples, who have contributed to the prosperity of this land and created a vibrant cultural scene where multiple traditions blend and flourish. This holds strong appeal for backpackers.
A sports haven for outdoor enthusiasts
Thanks to these advantages, outdoor sports enthusiasts have developed a special fondness for Qinghai. According to incomplete statistics, the province sees at least 100,000 participants in outdoor activities every year, heralding a springtime for outdoor sports in Qinghai.
During the Gangshika Mountaineering and Skiing Exchange Conference, Wang Yongfeng, Deputy Director of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and Vice President of the Chinese Mountaineering Association, told reporters that as an extreme and sub-extreme sport, mountaineering and skiing attract more and more participants due to their unique challenges and thrills. Currently, China has over 80 million outdoor sports enthusiasts. In recent years, driven by famous mountaineering and skiing destinations such as Gangshika and Yuzhu Peak, Qinghai has gained prominence in the national and even global mountaineering and skiing communities, becoming one of the most sought-after destinations for outdoor sports.
Zhang Li, an outdoor enthusiast from Shenyang, said she is a typical outdoor sports lover who sets aside one or two months each year for such activities. When discussing with fellow enthusiasts, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau often comes up as one of the most desired and essential destinations. She said, “Only after coming to Qinghai did I realize how perfect it is for outdoor sports—it truly allows you to return to nature, embrace the great outdoors, and challenge yourself.”
The development of outdoor sports in our province has also been recognized by relevant institutions. Among the 69 China Sports Tourism Boutique Projects of 2012 selected by the organizing committee of the 2012 China Sports Tourism Expo, three from Qinghai were included: the China Qinghai Yuzhu Peak National Mountaineering Training Base, the Qinghai Gangshika Ski Mountaineering Conference, and the Qinghai Lake Circumambulation Hiking Conference.
Strategically building an outdoor destination
In light of these developments, government departments at all levels in the province have assessed the situation and leveraged resource advantages to fully develop outdoor sports in Qinghai.
In 2012, the Qinghai Provincial Department of Culture and Press and Publication, the Qinghai Provincial Tourism Bureau, the Qinghai Provincial Sports Bureau, and the Qinghai Provincial Radio and Television Bureau jointly issued the "Several Opinions on the Integration of Culture and Tourism in Qinghai." With policy support, the Qinghai Provincial Sports Bureau formulated specific plans to integrate sports culture and industry with Qinghai’s culture and tourism. They launched numerous large-scale events to promote the development of outdoor sports in Qinghai. These now include Ice Hiking on Qinghai Lake, Huzhu Hiking, Qinghai Lake Circumambulation Hiking, the Gangshika High-Altitude Ski Mountaineering Exchange Conference, the Qilian National Camping Event, and the Qaidam Exploration Hiking Activity, attracting active participation from outdoor sports enthusiasts both within and outside the province. These events showcase Qinghai’s advantages in outdoor activity resources and have captured attention. Last year, the four-day Qaidam Hiking Exploration Activity was broadcast 11 times on CCTV’s News Channel and Channel One—a significant endorsement for a single sporting event.
Feng Jianping, Director of the Provincial Sports Bureau, said that developing sports means integrating athletic activities into the broader context of cultural development, striving to contribute to Qinghai’s economic growth, social harmony, ethnic unity, and people’s happiness. Their mission is to leverage Qinghai’s unique natural resources to build an outdoor sports destination, bring benefits to the public, and contribute to the province’s socioeconomic development.