On August 21st, the Yingxi Station of "China Crag Discovery" successfully concluded in Guangdong. From Yangshuo to Leye, from Xi’an to Quzhou, all the way to Yingxi — known as the "Climbing Paradise of Guangdong" — climbing travel has become an outdoor trend for more and more climbers. On August 16th, the Crag Discovery team entered Yingxi, launching the fifth station since June, with their sights set on Guanyin Valley — reputed to be the most mysterious crag in Yingxi.
Guanyin Valley Crag in Yingxi
Guanyin Valley is located between Mingjing and Beiyang Town in Yingde. It earned its name from a peak within the valley that resembles the Goddess of Mercy. It is a newly developed scenic area with the most concentrated karst peak forest ecology. The valley was once home to an ancient temple dating back a thousand years, but unfortunately, it was destroyed during the "Smash the Four Olds" campaign, leaving only ruins behind. The scenery in Guanyin Valley is breathtaking, with the serene and lush valley floor exuding tranquility. The Guanyin Rock here is remarkably lifelike, a rare sight in the world. Surrounded by the beauty of the karst peak forest, the valley feels like a paradise on earth.
The mountains here stand close to one another, somewhat resembling the Stone Forest in Kunming, though on a much smaller scale. The valley is rich in rural charm with farmlands, vegetable patches, and rice fields, but the overgrown paths and dense forests add a unique village-like allure. To fully appreciate Guanyin Valley, one must engage the imagination — the oddly shaped rock peaks resemble figures such as Guanyin, Tang Seng, the Tathagata Buddha, and the Divine Turtle... Of course, the even more fascinating sights lie within the caves, where every visitor can conjure up their own perfect story. After trekking through a path barely taller than a person, overgrown with grass, and cutting their way through with machetes, the Crag Discovery team and its members finally arrived here, commencing a week-long route-setting and climbing adventure in this mysterious corner of Yingxi — Guanyin Valley.
Zhang Yong installs the last bolt on the first newly set route
Since 2008, climbers have gradually set routes on the cliffs around Guanyin Valley, leaving behind nearly 10 basic lines. Most of these routes are on the periphery, not venturing into the core area. This time, the Crag Discovery team boldly ventured into the vertical zone of Guanyin Valley — Guanyin Cave. Here, the cliffs are higher, steeper, and more varied. Moreover, it is a rare four-headed cave, with caves within caves, mountains within caves, creating an almost self-contained world inside. It is truly an exceptional spot for climbing. Setting routes here is undoubtedly a daring and perilous endeavor, filled with risks at every step.
Abang tests his newly set route
Qiu Jiang tests the route he set
Zhang Yong tries out his newly set route
The Crag Discovery team resolutely chose this location. TONI even excitedly remarked, "This is exactly the kind of wall I’ve been looking for." The rock face is incredibly smooth and striking, radiating a raw, rugged power. Looking up, "the black cliffs give you an irresistible urge to climb," as Zhang Yong also put it. And Superman was already hanging from the top of the cliff, busy preparing to shoot this exceptional wall. From one world into another, Guanyin Valley, Guanyin Cave, the cliffs, and the routes all come together and soar here, making up the most captivating aspect of the Yingxi Station of "China Crag Discovery."
Dave tests the route he set
This summer, "China Crag Discovery" came to Yingxi and stepped into the mysterious Guanyin Valley, sharing the boundless charm of Yingxi’s forests and cliffs with many climbers who came from afar. Over the course of a week, the route-setters developed 21 new routes in Guanyin Cave, with difficulties ranging from 5.8 to 5.14. Notably, TONI also established Guangdong’s first-ever 5.14-grade route here. Every new route welcomes climbers from Guangdong and across the country to come and try.
Duncan tests the route he set
From Yangshuo to Leye, from Xi’an to Quzhou, and then to Yingxi, "China Crag Discovery" spanned two months, covered 4,000 kilometers, traversed nearly half of China, and reached nearly 10,000 people. After the Yingxi Station, "China Crag Discovery" will take a temporary break. In the future, we will continue this year’s vision and keep the "China Crag Discovery" event going. We hope it will have a long-term, sustainable future, just like the Unclimbed Peaks Project. We aim to further promote the popularization and development of climbing and outdoor activities in China.
See you next year at China Crag Discovery!
As a professional climbing brand, KAILAS has made it its mission to "promote the development of grassroots mountaineering and exploration sports." Since 2003, it has supported numerous public welfare projects, including the "KAILAS Outdoor Coaches Growth Program," "KAILAS Climbing Team," and "KAILAS Mountaineering and Exploration School," cultivating a large number of key reserve talents for China’s mountaineering and outdoor sports. KAILAS has also sponsored various professional outdoor events, such as mountaineering, climbing, ice climbing, and cross-country challenge races, making significant contributions to the popularization and development of mountaineering and outdoor sports in China. See you next year at China Crag Discovery — we’ll be back!