Outdoor activities involve many uncontrollable factors. Different activities vary in geographical environment, intensity, technical difficulty, and risk level, thus placing different demands on participants' physical fitness, mental resilience, and technical gear.
Your safety is your responsibility.
Activity organizers must fully consider the thoroughness and safety of their plans, while every individual is also responsible for their own safety — this is also a responsibility to others and to the entire team. The following categorizes activities based on environment, risk level, intensity, and difficulty, helping each participant find a suitable level and thereby better enjoy the fun of outdoor sports.
I. Activity Environment
1. Conventional Mountainous Areas – Refers to mountainous regions, hills, and plains below 3,500 meters in elevation, with low requirements for participants, suitable for general hiking and camping.
2. High Mountains and Plateaus – Refers to mountainous and plateau areas above 3,500 meters in elevation, requiring higher physical fitness and technical skills from participants.
3. Jungle and Rainforest – Refers to densely vegetated temperate, subtropical, and tropical forest and rainforest areas rich in flora and fauna, demanding high wilderness survival skills, experience, and mental resilience from participants.
4. Deserts and Gobi – Refers to open landscapes with minimal terrain variation, dry climates, and scarce water sources such as deserts, desertified grasslands, and the Gobi, requiring high survival ability, physical fitness, and endurance from participants.
5. Snow and Ice Environments – Refers to snow- and ice-covered terrains resulting from winter snowfall and freezing in conventional mountainous areas, requiring high physical fitness, equipment, and experience from participants.
6. Conventional Water Bodies – Refers to rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters.
7. Aerial and Underwater – Refers to aerial and underwater activities using aircraft (powered or unpowered) and diving equipment, demanding high technical proficiency and mental resilience from participants.
8. Extreme Environments – Refers to highly dangerous environments among the aforementioned types, such as mountainous regions, jungles, deserts, oceans, including activities like mountaineering on snow-capped peaks, free solo climbing, cave exploration, cave diving, and crossing uninhabited areas.
II. Risk Level (This classification standard is intended for beginners):
1. No Risk – General leisure trips, such as visiting tourist attractions, short-term field trips with full safety measures, or short conventional mountain climbs with clear routes. No unexpected situations occur, the itinerary is short, and the intensity is low. No special requirements for participants.
2. Low Risk – Most conventional activities, such as regular hiking, rock climbing, skiing, horseback riding, swimming, etc. Unexpected situations may occur, the itinerary is moderate, and the intensity is low, usually involving 1–3 camping nights. Participants need basic common sense and good mental resilience.
3. Moderate Risk – More challenging conventional mountain activities, unconventional mountain activities, intense horseback riding or skiing, high-intensity exploratory treks in unknown areas, or environments requiring special outdoor skills. Unexpected situations may occur, the itinerary is long, and the intensity is high, usually involving multiple camping nights. Participants need good mental resilience and team awareness, along with some outdoor experience and skills (e.g., rock climbing, first aid).
4. High Risk – Unconventional mountain activities in environments requiring special outdoor skills. Many unpredictable and uncontrollable factors exist, unexpected situations often occur, the itinerary is long, the intensity is high, natural conditions are harsh, and multiple camping nights are involved. Participants need excellent mental resilience, extensive outdoor experience, comprehensive outdoor skills, and strong team spirit.
III. Intensity (Intensity determines the physical demands on participants and gear selection. This classification standard uses examples for beginners):
1. Leisure Activity – General leisure trips, such as outings or picnics. The itinerary is short, generally without camping. No physical demands are placed on participants. Typically, wear travel shoes (or sneakers), carry a small backpack, and bring water and food.
2. Moderate Intensity – Multi-day conventional mountain activities, or single-day activities with short daily distances (usually less than 15 km of mountain trails), involving 1–2 overnight stays. Examples: hiking in Yunmeng Mountain, climbing the Simatai section of the Great Wall, rock climbing, swimming, horseback riding, skiing, etc. Participants should be in good health, with general gear requirements and a load under 15 kg (for males).
3. High Intensity – Multi-day conventional mountain activities, or most unconventional mountain activities, with daily mountain trail distances over 20 km, significant elevation gain, or competitive events such as cycling or hiking races. The 3-day Xiao Wutai traverse organized by Sanfo Club is a typical high-intensity activity. High physical and gear demands, with loads over 15 kg (for males).
4. Extremely High Intensity – Continuous activities in extreme environments, unconventional mountain activities, harsh environmental conditions, high fatigue levels, short recovery periods, with average daily distances over 20 km for multiple days, loads exceeding 15 kg (for males), such as mountaineering on snowy peaks or multi-day expeditions in ice and snow environments.
Activities within the same level may still vary in intensity, which can be indicated with “+” or “-” signs. For example, “+” denotes relatively higher-intensity activities within that level, while “-” denotes lower-intensity ones.
IV. Outdoor Skills, i.e., Technical Difficulty:
1. Hiking and Camping – Includes mastering walking techniques, identifying and planning routes, orienteering, trip control, setting up simple camps with or without tents, and familiarity with common gear.
2. Rock Climbing – Includes mastering basic climbing techniques, understanding the use of various climbing equipment, and effectively using ropes and tying common knots.
3. Swimming – Able to swim at least 200 meters unaided.
4. First Aid – Knows how to assess injuries, determine the severity, understand first aid methods for common injuries and illnesses, and be familiar with the use of common medications.
5. Other skills—such as skiing, horseback riding, boating, gliding, ice and snow techniques, etc.
【Green Field Intensity Level Classification】
Level: Leisure Type: Photography, picnicking, tourism, ball games, self-driving leisure tours Limit: Participant limit of 50 people, basically no equipment required Example: Leisure picnic tour at the Ming Tombs, skiing at Beidahu, horseback riding at Bashang, photography, cycling, Beidaihe seaside.
Level: 1.0 Type: Ordinary-intensity field hiking, trekking, camping, rock climbing Parameters: Total distance: 5–10 km Cumulative elevation gain: 500–700 m Limit: Participant limit of 30 people, depending on the route and participants, must bring your own outdoor gear. Example: Standard Xiangbala trek Explained by loaded walking: Men carry 18–25 kg, women carry 15–20 kg, walking about 3 km per hour on mountain paths, elevation changes are hard to quantify, under 4 hours
Level: 1.5 Type: Ordinary-intensity hiking and trekking Parameters: Total distance: 10–20 km Cumulative elevation gain: 700–1300 m Type: Ordinary-intensity field hiking, trekking, camping, rock climbing Limit: Participant limit of 30 people, depending on the route and participants, must bring your own outdoor gear. Example: Xiangshan Little Cross Trek, trekking through Heilong Secret Trail, Huangcaoliang, Haituo Mountain, Yunmeng Mountain, ascending to Dongtai on Xiaowutai and descending to camp, Gubeikou trek to Simatai, Xilongmenjian trek to Lingshan, Baihe cycling. Explained by loaded walking: Men carry 18–25 kg, women carry 15–20 kg, walking about 3 km per hour on mountain paths, elevation changes are hard to quantify, 5–8 hours
Level: 2.0 Type: Higher-intensity hiking and trekking, and activities with greater risk factors. Parameters: Total distance 20–30 km Cumulative elevation gain 1300–2000 m Limit: Participant limit under 25, must bring your own outdoor gear. Not necessarily requiring extensive experience, but strong willpower is needed. Example: Xiangshan Big Cross Trek, ascending Xiaowutai from Chiyabao to Dongtai summit and descending to the 2200 m camp, ascending from Chiyabao to Beitai–Dongtai–Zhongtai; trekking through Huangcaoliang from Lijiayu to Lingshan parking lot. Explained by loaded walking: Men carry 15–25 kg, women carry 15–18 kg, walking about 3 km per hour on mountain paths, elevation changes are hard to quantify, taking Taibai Mountain as an example: departing from Houzhenzi and reaching Nantianmen on the same day (almost made it)
Level: 2.5 Type: Higher-intensity hiking and trekking, and activities with greater risk factors. Parameters: 30–40 km Cumulative elevation gain 1300–2000 m Limit: Participant limit under 20, must bring your own outdoor gear. Not necessarily requiring extensive experience, but strong willpower is needed. Example: Phoenix Ridge to Badachu trek, ascending Xiaowutai from Chiyabao to Beitai–Dongtai–Zhongtai.
Level: 3.0 Type: High-intensity hiking and trekking Parameters: Total distance 40–50 km Cumulative elevation gain 2500–3000 m Limit: Participant limit under 20, and must have participated in at least a Level 3 activity, not necessarily requiring extensive experience, physical strength, endurance, or toughness, but must have strong willpower... type of person Example: Light-load one-day trek from Langeryu to Badachu, two-day Xiaowutai five-summit trek without night hiking, no backup, no resupply, no retreat. Explained by loaded walking: Men carry 15–25 kg, walking about 3 km per hour on mountain paths, elevation changes are hard to quantify, around 14 hours. Taking Taibai Mountain as an example: departing from Houzhenzi and reaching Yuhuangchi on the same day
Level: 4.0 Type: High-intensity hiking and trekking Parameters: Total distance: 50–60 km Cumulative elevation gain: 4000 m Limit: Participant limit under 15, and must have participated in at least a Level 3 activity, not necessarily requiring extensive experience, physical strength, endurance, or toughness, but must have strong willpower... type of person Example: One-day Xiaowutai five-summit trek, no backup, no resupply, no retreat. Explained by loaded walking: Men carry 15–25 kg, walking about 3.5 km per hour on mountain paths, elevation changes are hard to quantify, around 18 hours for Level 4. Taking Taibai Mountain as an example: light-load departure from Houzhenzi, one-day non-stop ascent to Baixian Platform and descent to Taibai Mountain scenic area gate
Level: 5.0 Type: Extremely high-intensity hiking and trekking Parameters: Total distance: 60–70 km Cumulative elevation gain: 4000 m Limit: No limit, if you dare to join, but not necessarily anyone dares to organize Example: One-day light-load trek from Gongjianpu to Qianjuntai in Mentougou Taking Taibai Mountain as an example: departing from Dudu Gate, non-stop ascent to Baixian Platform and descent to Yingtou Town
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