Lin Bo:
A Teammate Nearly Fell into a Crevice
Covered in Injuries
Lin Bo is a hiking enthusiast who often rides his motorcycle from his home in Outing to climb Sangpu Mountain with several like-minded friends. As their hiking experience grew, Lin and his companions became dissatisfied with sticking to set routes and began challenging themselves with more difficult...
Because “rock hopping” is much more difficult than regular hiking, leaping from one rock to another over a meter away can easily result in a fall if you lose your focus. Although it requires greater physical exertion, Lin and his friends also experienced the thrill and fun that “rock hopping” brings. Thus, in addition to regular hikes, they occasionally organized “rock hopping” sessions to push their physical limits.
One day last year, a young teammate who hadn’t joined the group for about a month returned, and everyone was excited, so they decided to go “rock hopping.” “We took turns jumping from one rock to the next, but that young teammate who hadn’t hiked in a while may not have taken a big enough step — he almost fell into a crevice between the rocks. Below was a chasm of jagged stones. Luckily, I managed to grab him just in time,” recalled Lin Bo, a seasoned climber, who still feels shaken by the close call. With quick reflexes, Lin reached out and caught the young man by the hand, pulling him up. Though he was unharmed, the young teammate was scratched and bleeding all over from the rocks. After this frightening experience, they gave up the risky “rock hopping” and returned to conventional hiking.
Weng Jie:
Looking Down into the Abyss
Felt Like Her Soul Had Left Her Body
Thinking back to the only time she tried “rock hopping”—two years ago—Weng Jie is still terrified.
Having turned 40, Weng Jie felt her body was getting weaker, so she joined a “hiking group” made up of more than ten neighbors to hike in the Sangpu Mountain area and improve her fitness. One afternoon two years ago, on a whim, the group proposed trying out “rock hopping.” Though she had hiked often, “rock hopping” was completely new to Weng Jie. Though nervous, she set off with her neighbors’ encouragement.
Weng Jie said that looking down into the abyss scared her so much she felt like her soul had left her body; her legs went weak and kept trembling with cold fear, and she genuinely feared she might fall off the cliff. Halfway through, she regretted joining, but there was no turning back. With everyone’s help and support, she braved her way through the entire climb.
Weng Jie told reporters that many participants in “rock hopping” don’t wear any protective gear and simply leap across steep cliffs driven by enthusiasm — which is extremely dangerous. In her opinion, the goal of hiking is to stay healthy, and without proper equipment, guidance, or protection, accidents are highly likely. “At best, you might end up with a broken bone; at worst, you could lose your life. It’s just not worth it.”
Reporter Lin Yanxun