I. A Simple Classification of Outdoor Activities
Outdoor activities essentially involve two key elements: people and places. People can be broadly divided into veterans and beginners, while places can be categorized as commonly visited (close to residential areas, such as Xiangshan) and rarely visited (such as Lingshan). Combining these gives rise to four scenarios:
People Places Risk Level Activity Level
Veterans Familiar Places Negligible Leisurely stroll Casual
Beginners Familiar Places Slightly Challenging Entry-level Travel
Veterans Unfamiliar Places Risky Pathfinding
Beginners Unfamiliar Places Dangerous Deadly Game (Don’t sugarcoat it)
Most accidents happen when beginners are taken to unfamiliar places by inexperienced leaders. Beginners should steer clear of pathfinding activities unless they grew up in the mountains. (A detailed risk analysis will be posted separately.)
Whether it’s a DIY or commercial trip, most follow a middle path—taking newcomers on familiar routes or veterans on new ones. “Deep travel” + “light adventure” is what outdoor enthusiasts generally do.
II. The Branding of Activities
The market recognizes brands, which can be divided into several levels:
First is the personal brand, i.e., the leader’s characteristics. By participating in activities or reading posts, people can form a preliminary impression of each leader. Leaders with distinct personalities often run more successful trips. For example, “Zoushan” usually organizes pathfinding trips—if you’re not used to 1.5 difficulty, think twice. “Dali Jie” tends to lead casual outings where you can even show up in work clothes.
Next is the product brand, i.e., the route itself. Since routes aren’t protected by intellectual property, once a new one emerges, many will quickly follow. On Green Field, you’ll often see multiple teams posting about the same route—this is homogenized competition. When everyone’s doing the same thing, prices drop to five or ten yuan. Who’s the best team heading to Kubuqi during Qingming? Probably no leader dares to claim superiority.
Third is the corporate brand, i.e., the reputation of the club or team. For the same route, why do people choose one team over another? This is the reason. For instance, on Green Field, Dawei’s team is well-regarded for their Tumu Desert route. Even if other teams organize the same trip, their registration numbers rarely compare.
Fourth is the industry brand. For example, when people think of outdoor activities, Green Field comes to mind. That’s an industry brand. All clubs, strive for this…
III. The Sales of Activities
This can be analyzed from two aspects: the audience and the route, divided into the following types:
1. Selling the same route to the same group (leaders without a QQ group are almost nonexistent)—that’s impossible unless you’re running a hiking school. Skip this one.
2. Selling different routes to the same group. This is the common practice for most teams. The advantage is familiarity, allowing for mutual support; the downside is that familiarity breeds contempt. In this case, the leader’s charisma becomes crucial—but truly charismatic leaders are rare.
3. Selling the same route to different groups. This is true business strategy—focus on one thing and master it. Think Microsoft, Intel, Gillette… But how many can endure the solitude?
4. Selling different routes to different groups. This is more like a travel agency model. In reality, influential Green Field clubs or teams operate this way. The result? Varying leader abilities may ruin the entire experience. Need examples?
5. Virtual consortiums, resource sharing. This is nearly the pinnacle of existing business models. Several leaders form a loose alliance, each with their own signature routes that don’t overlap. On this basis, they share resources. Everyone benefits, but financial matters are kept separate. But how many have both the capability and the generosity for this?
IV. The Personal Cultivation of Leaders
Everything has its levels. Summarized, there are four:
First is doing the job. Becoming a leader means you’ve found something to do. And when doing something, completing the task is paramount. Post a route, and you must overcome obstacles to make it happen. But due to poor preparation, incidents—or even accidents—may occur. Yet, the essence of play is happiness, which lies in the process, not necessarily the moment of achievement.
Second is building the market. This means carving out your own niche. It requires leveraging your strengths and staking out a territory to stand firm.
Third is creating influence. That is, building clout and name recognition. Refer to the above for details.
Fourth is upholding principles. Whatever you do, it’s both a starting point and an endpoint. Always act with integrity and conscience. Before doing anything, be a good person. I heard about someone organizing a commercial trip and asking a friend to help with logistics. The friend ended up paying in full without complaint. Ha… Such integrity is universally admired.
Money is endless to earn, and friends are endless to make. You can’t have both, so choose friends over money. In this sense, the leaders of AA (activity-organized) trips and the experienced hikers who haven’t applied to be leaders are all great. A heartfelt salute to them!! When I organize commercial activities in the future and hope for everyone’s help, I wouldn’t dare charge for transportation—buying a meal for everyone is the least I can do. As Uncle Lenin once said: “To forget the past is to betray it.” AA is the root, and commercial is the fruit.
V. Principles of Route Design
Being overly defensive shows a lack of confidence. Stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade. Isn’t it acceptable to learn from the operational techniques of travel agencies by adopting a eclectic approach?
First, generally speaking, travel routes are divided between morning and afternoon due to lunch. This means there’s an additional exit point. In fact, a good activity must have at least two exit points (not counting the start and end points, which together make two). Only then can you confidently take beginners along. How many exit points does Xiangbala have? That’s why it’s the most popular. Recently, a popular route is Quanmen–Tanzhesi or Sangyu Village (lunch)–Dingduguo–Zhongmensi, simply because there’s an extra exit point in the middle. If you don’t break it down and go straight for the goal, the difficulty is no joke. Have you tried taking beginners on a one-day hike through Haituo (Xidakezhuang–Beer Creek)?
Leaders are usually veterans—never impose your own standards on others. Cutting your expectations by 40% is more appropriate. (Because the participants you approve, in your own view, are qualified—at least a 60 out of 100.) The scariest scenario is when the leader is still striving toward that goal themselves, yet demands the same from others. Wasn’t the Lingshan incident at the end of last year a case in point?
Second, having reviewed the arrangements of some commercial activities, there are indeed aspects worth questioning. There are quite a few rule violations: 1. Assembly time and ending time. People join commercial trips to save hassle—they don’t want to rush out early in the morning for the subway or bus. But I’ve noticed that almost all commercial activities start before 8 a.m. Is that really necessary? We need to use reverse calculation, working backward from the ending time. According to an unwritten rule, the ending time (bus departure time) of a trip should not be earlier than 4 p.m. Some leaders are too clever, waiting at their homes early in the morning and asking everyone to arrive by 7 a.m., then getting everyone on the bus to head back to the city by 2 or 3 p.m. (when there are still two hours before the last available bus)... Beware of outsmarting yourself. 2. Meals. Group meals are a way to boost camaraderie, but also a common source of disappointment. Generally, splitting costs on-site is best. If the leader arranges the meal, the price shouldn’t be less than 80% of what participants would pay themselves.
After a hike with a team to Jiuyanlou, I once had grilled fish that cost 35 yuan (I know Beijing group meals well—the cost for that kind of meal is only about 20 yuan). Someone asked, “What did you think?” I said, “Can I swear?”... Generally, the cost of group meals should be kept under 30 yuan. That’s the unspoken rule. The reason dishes like tofu feast are popular is precisely because of this.
VI. Evaluation of Activities
In terms of project evaluation, there is a triangular support: time, cost, and quality. Time refers to the total duration of the trip, which is ideally around 6 hours. Adding lunch time, 7 hours is optimal. Cost goes without saying. Quality includes not just the route itself, but also the service provided by the leader. Some commercial leaders claim, “I’m not a nanny.” That’s absolutely right—because you’re a man. Haha... If you don’t have the mindset of a nanny, don’t take beginners along. It’s that simple. The nanny mindset isn’t about carrying backpacks for others, but about controlling the pace so that beginners don’t exhaust themselves and jeopardize the overall plan. (Nurturing growth—that’s the teacher’s job. But how many kindergarten teachers don’t act like nannies?) This falls under external evaluation.
For self-evaluation and summary, please use the 3Es. Efficiency: How long does it take from posting the activity to actually going? This is a test of your own appeal. I once saw an activity posted by “Zoushan” that filled up just two hours after being announced. Now that’s impressive—it makes you feel a mix of envy, jealousy, and admiration. Effectiveness: During the activity, can your intentions be effectively communicated? Were the scenic spots described in the post all appreciated by everyone? Was the itinerary completed within the scheduled time? This is a test of your capability. Economy: The renminbi factor. Is the input-output ratio reasonable? Don’t just think about what you should earn—also consider whether the benefits you’ve secured for everyone are adequate. Don’t be too greedy. Hoarding all the benefits will only backfire.