【The Tragedy of Mount Ling】Mourn the two victims. The mountain will always be there, but life is only given once... ...

       At 18:30 on December 22, 2012, the Mentougou Fire Department and the Blue Sky Rescue Team of the Red Cross successively received distress calls: 30 hikers from the Tianxing Team of the Tianxing Outdoor Club, who had gone on a one-day round trip to Mount Ling, had two members trapped on the mountain with whom all contact had been lost. One of them was showing signs of hypothermia. The Green Field Rescue Team, under the leadership of team leader Hai Mao, immediately organized a rescue operation upon learning of the incident. The Red Arrow Rescue Team and the Blue Sky Rescue Team also mobilized personnel to assist. Subsequently, Beijing Capital Helicopter General Aviation Service Co., Ltd. stated that it could provide a helicopter for the rescue effort. At 12:26 on December 23, shortly after the helicopter took off, the Red Arrow Rescue Team located the two trapped individuals, but unfortunately, they had already passed away.

       The accident was primarily caused by the hikers’ severe underestimation of the weather conditions and their own capabilities. Climbing down from Xiamawei to Mount Ling—a moderately challenging outdoor route—under such extremely cold weather was an extremely reckless act. Moreover, the two victims abandoned their backpacks to ascend the summit lightly equipped. Under such weather conditions, separating oneself from one’s gear is an enormous risk.

       Following the incident, Green Field has also been reflecting on how to properly and gradually guide newcomers to safely experience outdoor life and step into the world of outdoor activities. It also seeks to further strengthen the review process for posting and registering outdoor activities, and to continue refining the team leader and activity approval system through concrete measures, so that similar tragedies do not happen again.

       As an outdoor activity platform, Green Field has always been committed to promoting outdoor safety. It spreads outdoor safety knowledge through training sessions, outdoor safety lectures, online public courses, and other channels. In future work, it will continue to improve, enhancing the overall level of outdoor enthusiasts in terms of psychology, knowledge, and skills.

       Green Field mourns the two victims. They have once again sounded the alarm for all hikers with their lives. Life is only given once. Knowing when to retreat takes courage, and the willingness to challenge does not mean taking risks.