In order to promote ski mountaineering in China and improve the overall level of the sport in China and even Asia, our association plans to hold the 2013 Qinghai Gangshika Asia Ski Mountaineering Exchange Conference from May 28 to June 5, 2013, at Gangshika Mountain in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Xining City, Qinghai Province. This conference is jointly organized by the Asia Ski Mountaineering Federation, the China Mountaineering Association, the Qinghai Provincial Sports Bureau, and the People's Government of Haibei Prefecture, Qinghai, and hosted by the Mountaineering Center of the Qinghai Provincial Sports Bureau, the Haibei Prefecture Sports Bureau, and Menyuan Hui Autonomous County of Haibei Prefecture. The relevant details are hereby notified as follows:
I. Introduction to the Gangshika Mountain Area
In Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Qinghai Province, there is a snow-capped peak that epitomizes the northern landscape, called Gangshika. With an elevation of 5,254.5 meters, it is the highest peak in the eastern section of the Qilian Mountains. The summit is perennially covered with snow, shining brightly like a jade dragon, and is also the tallest among the mountains within Menyuan County. Climbing Gangshika mainly involves ice and snow techniques, with many crevasses along the route, so climbers should move in roped teams and avoid blind ascents. In the Gangshika area, compared to the inland regions of the Tibetan Plateau at the same altitude, the air is more humid, and there is generally no significant high-altitude sickness. Normally, route preparation and reaching the summit require three days of good weather. The Gangshika Snow Peak covers an area of about 450 square kilometers and is also known as the Cold Dragon Ridge. It is one of the main peaks of the Qilian Mountains, with elevations ranging between 4,000 and 5,000 meters. The mountain range extends over 280 kilometers within Qinghai, oriented northwest to southeast, and is 30 to 50 kilometers wide. It is the nearest snow-capped peak to Xining City in the northeastern part of Qinghai and is currently not open to foreigners. In midsummer, Gangshika Snow Peak remains bone-chilling, with numerous modern glaciers above 4,500 meters, covering a total area of 81 square kilometers. The Gangshika Mountain area has a high-cold semi-temperate climate, with an average annual temperature of around 1°C, annual precipitation of 550 to 600 millimeters, and 80% of the annual rainfall concentrated between May and September. The average temperature in January is -13.5°C, and in July it is 12°C. March and April are characterized by strong winds. The best climbing seasons are from May to July and from September to October.
II. Conference Content
This conference will adopt a format of training and exchange (skill competitions will be arranged as appropriate). During the conference, there will be high-altitude acclimatization training, high-altitude ski descent training, equipment operation, ice and snow slope climbing techniques, avalanche rescue, and mountain rescue, making it a comprehensive learning and exchange experience in ski mountaineering. Based on participants' overall conditions, groups will be formed during the conference to compete in areas such as mountain rescue, route setting, and trekking, allowing participants to further solidify their professional knowledge and skills and enhance their overall ski mountaineering capabilities through competition.
III. Registration
(1) Registration Requirements (each organization may apply to register 1–2 people):
1. Key leaders or core members of local mountaineering associations or outdoor sports clubs.
2. Have participated in two or more high-altitude mountaineering activities.
3. Possess intermediate-level or higher skiing ability.
4. After the registration deadline, the organizing committee will notify the applying organizations whether they can participate in the conference.
(2) Contact Information
The participation registration form must be submitted via email or fax to the New Projects Department of the China Mountaineering Association before May 6, 2013.
Address: Room 415, No. 9 Tiyuguan Road, Chongwen District, Beijing, China Mountaineering Association New Projects Department
Postal Code: 100763
Contact Person: Gao Chunmei
Phone: (010) 67186771
Fax: (010) 67117810
Mobile: 13601201257
Email: 837205698@qq.com
IV. Check-in
(1) Time: May 28, 2013
(2) Location: Xining Sports Hotel
(3) Contact Person: Wang Xiaojuan Phone: 13897460826
(4) Other
Participants must present valid identification and a health certificate issued within the last six months upon check-in.
V. Expenses
(1) Participants are responsible for their own inter-provincial transportation costs to the conference. Transportation, accommodation, and meals within the mountain area and during the conference will be provided by the organizers after check-in.
(2) Registration fee: 1,000 RMB per person.
VI. Others
(1) Participants who bring their own AT gear will be given priority. The event also provides gear (which must be returned):
Personal technical gear: one set of ski mountaineering equipment (one pair of skis, one pair of climbing skins, one pair of ski boots)
Public technical gear: avalanche transceivers, probes, snow shovels, climbing ropes, etc.