"Thank you, thank you all for saving my life!" Early in the morning on March 4, Ms. Zhao, as usual, went hiking on the northern side of Fushan Mountain for exercise. After more than two hours, she moved to the southern side of the mountain. Just as she was admiring the beautiful scenery below, she slipped and fell down a 4-meter-high cliff, landing heavily on the rocks. She suffered severe injuries to her cervical and spinal vertebrae. What made the situation even more alarming was that if not for a rock that blocked her path, she could have slid into a valley nearby. At that moment, a hiker happened to pass by, quickly called the police, and after more than two hours of rescue efforts, Ms. Zhao was finally carried down the mountain for treatment.
Hiker witnesses the moment of the fall
"An older woman fell down a cliff about 4 meters high while descending the mountain. She landed among some rocks and is lying there motionless. Please come to her rescue immediately." At 10:05 a.m. on the 4th, hiker Mr. Liu reported to the police that he and his friend had just climbed up from the Qingda 3rd Road trailhead and were planning to rest for a while when they looked up and saw a figure falling from the cliff. They then heard a dull thud. They quickly ran over to check and found a middle-aged woman lying on the ground. Though there was no visible bleeding, she was completely immobile.
Difficult mountain paths, hikers offer guidance
Upon receiving the report, two officers from Maidao Police Station immediately rushed to the scene. Due to the numerous forks in the road at the base of Qingda 3rd Road, they tried several mountain trails but couldn’t locate the injured woman. Just as they were getting anxious, they received a call from Mr. Liu saying that a hiker had already descended and would guide them up the mountain for the rescue.
"While waiting for the hiker, we quickly called 120 for help," said Officer Zheng, who was involved in the rescue. Initially, when Mr. Liu called, they suspected the injured person had hurt her back in the fall, but later conversations led them to suspect a possible spinal injury, making the situation very critical. At this point, a hiker wearing climbing gear stood on a large boulder and waved. The police quickly met up with him and proceeded together to rescue the injured woman.
Just as the police were about to head up the mountain with the hiker, reporters and the 120 ambulance also arrived at the foot of the mountain. The path up the mountain was extremely difficult, with only a small trail created by hikers. After climbing for more than half an hour, everyone finally reached the scene of the accident.
A rock blocked the way, preventing her from falling into the valley
Beside a large rock at the base of the cliff, Ms. Zhao lay there. On one side of the rock was a cliff about 4 meters high, and on the other was a deep valley. "Luckily, she didn’t land directly on the big rock, or if she had fallen a little further, dropping into the valley would have been a real disaster," a concerned hiker said. Medical personnel conducted a preliminary examination of Ms. Zhao and found she was still somewhat conscious. When asked where it hurt, she replied intermittently, "My whole body hurts. It started hurting and then went numb. I can’t move. I feel like I’ve lost sensation below my neck."
Rugged terrain, rescuers take turns carrying the stretcher
Due to the rugged mountain path, four or five people took turns carrying the stretcher. In narrow, steep areas with large rocks, they first had to lift the stretcher onto the rocks, then the two people in front would go under the rocks before taking the stretcher again. At 12:40 p.m., after more than two hours of rescue efforts, the injured woman was finally carried down the mountain.
It is understood that the injured, Ms. Zhao, is 50 years old and lives in Sijijingyuan Community, Hefei Road. She is an avid hiker. Early on the 4th, she set out from the northern side of Fushan Mountain, planning to cross several peaks and descend on the southern side. During the hike, Ms. Zhao stopped at a peak on the southern side to rest and admire the view. Due to the abundance of loose rocks, she slipped and fell down the 4-meter-high cliff. Fortunately, a large rock blocked her fall, preventing her from tumbling into a steep valley nearby. That evening, reporters contacted medical personnel, who preliminarily diagnosed Ms. Zhao with severe injuries to her cervical and lumbar vertebrae.
■ Reminder
Be extra cautious near Chaoyang’an, ordinary hiking shoes aren’t reliable
"The cliff where Ms. Zhao fell is likely near Chaoyang’an. That area is quite rugged compared to the rest of Fushan Mountain," said Zhao Xiyong, a member of the Qingdao Lifesaving Association. Many hikers have been injured near Chaoyang’an. Higher up, such as on the peak west of the signal tower, another hiker once fell to their death from a cliff.
With the dry spring weather, there are many loose rocks on the mountain, and ordinary hiking shoes don’t grip well on sandy or dirt paths, making slips more likely. "This season, it’s advised to avoid sandy or grassy paths and opt for routes with solid rocks instead."
Hiking alone? Bring a survival whistle
Zhao Xiyong said that when climbing, it’s best to carry simple survival tools, such as outdoor whistles and tourniquets. Ms. Zhao was lucky—if no one had seen her fall, her chance of getting help in time might have been missed.