On the 4th, two veteran "backpackers" with six years of mountaineering experience climbed Mount Lao to enjoy the scenery. However, one of the elderly suddenly fell ill and got stranded in the mountains. After struggling through the snow for three hours, the elderly person finally called for help. In recent years, various outdoor adventure activities have emerged in cities, and safety alarms have been ringing non-stop. Reporters learned that last year, there were nearly 100 reports of "backpackers" in distress on Mount Lao. Through interviews with seasoned "backpackers" in Qingdao, reporters found that currently, outdoor groups in Qingdao lack experience in wilderness survival and self-rescue; teams can be casually formed just by posting online, with almost no screening criteria for team leaders or members; additionally, the absence of relevant legal regulations has led to many hidden risks in current "backpacker" outings.
You can join a group just by saying hello.
At around 7 a.m. on the 5th, reporters arrived at Li Cun Weike Plaza. Although it was still early and many people were asleep, the area was already bustling with activity. Dozens of locally licensed minibuses or coaches were lined up on one side of the plaza. Reporters noticed that most of these vehicles were buses bearing the logos of various travel companies, where tourists were gathering with their backpacks. The reporters randomly approached one group and started chatting with the team leader, Xiao Wang. He told them that they were planning to hike up via Liuching River, pass through Nantianmen to Taiping Pool, then continue through Longtan Bay, and finally descend via the Bashui River scenic area. "This is a classic route. This time, we must go fast and beat the team led by 'Panghu'," said Xiao Wang, adding that the team leaders often compete on time—whichever team finishes faster wins. Upon learning that the reporters wanted to join the climb, Xiao Wang readily agreed. "We originally had eight people meeting online, but two haven’t shown up yet. You can take one of their spots. Let’s get going right away without waiting," said Xiao Wang, who decided to push for a "quick march" in order to win.
Most hiking routes are off-trail paths.
The reporters followed Xiao Wang onto a minibus to Liuchinghe Village. "We need to stay safe on the way up, stick with the group, and not fall behind," Xiao Wang reminded the team members before starting the climb. After counting the people, he led everyone up the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, reporters noticed signs indicating it was a non-tourist zone where climbing was prohibited, but besides this group, many others were also ascending from here. Reporters observed that there were almost no formal paths, only small trails with lots of rocks and numerous forks, making it easy to get lost. After two hours of climbing, the group arrived at Nantianmen, where the mountain temperature was low and patches of snow remained unmelted. After a short break, Xiao Wang decided to press on, but the reporters and another hiker felt exhausted. "Team leader, can we rest a bit longer? We really can’t climb anymore," the reporters asked Xiao Wang, but he responded that there was still a long way ahead and suggested the reporters and another teammate return the way they came. Seeing that the reporters and the other hiker were still sitting and resting, Xiao Wang gave a few brief instructions and began leading the rest of the team up the mountain.
It’s common to see people falling behind.
After resting for half an hour, the reporters and the fatigued backpacker decided not to continue and instead headed back the way they came. Since they had only passed through the uphill route once, they could only roughly follow the direction downhill. Along the way down, they encountered three other backpackers who had fallen behind—one by one, they had either gotten separated from the main group due to exhaustion or been left behind. The five of them rested as they walked and finally reached the base of the mountain around 4 p.m. "At this time every day, a lot of people come down the mountain after falling behind," said Li, a local villager, who added that they’ve become used to seeing such situations.
Netizens call for earlier regulation.
Reporters found on several travel forums that experienced netizens often post their thoughts on regulating outdoor activities. "Backpacker" Gaoshan believes outdoor sports should be treated as an industry with unified standards and criteria, including qualification requirements—random individuals shouldn’t be allowed to form teams. There should also be assessments and standards for professionals, along with a dedicated organization for management. Jiang Xu, the team leader of Qingdao Tianren Outdoor Mountaineering Club, believes that the lack of barriers to selecting team leaders is problematic. Many current leaders are young people who have only climbed a few mountains with others, gained some outdoor experience, and then enthusiastically started leading "newbies" on adventurous routes. "Newbies" often prefer "thrilling" routes, and with insufficient safety awareness, they panic when problems arise. Team disagreements in such situations further exacerbate issues. "Currently, there are no corresponding laws or regulations to standardize this. When accidents happen, there’s often a lack of rescue mechanisms and accountability systems, casting a shadow over adventure tourism," Jiang Xu said, calling for the early regulation of outdoor sports management.
