On January 27, Fujian tourist Chen Zhi was blown off the summit by strong winds while attempting to reach the peak of Mount Siguniang’s Third Peak. On that day, the Siguangshan Branch of the Sichuan Mountain Rescue Team dispatched six rescue teams totaling 45 people to search for him. The search continued until January 28, when the team found Chen Zhi’s luggage and body.
Chen Zhi had entered the Changping Valley scenic area for sightseeing but did not complete the necessary procedures for engaging in outdoor activities, nor did he obtain a climbing permit from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association or the Mount Siguniang Scenic Area Administration. He didn’t even purchase an entry ticket to the scenic area. Investigation revealed that Yang, who claimed to be a guide, actually held neither a high-altitude support qualification nor a guide certification. The actions of both individuals were a clear case of illegal climbing.
This is not the first tragedy caused by unauthorized climbing. According to the head of the Sichuan Mountaineering Association in a media interview, illegal climbing has become a persistent issue in China’s mountaineering and outdoor sports. Since 2001, incidents caused by unauthorized climbs have accounted for over 85% of all mountain-related accidents.
It is understood that the management committee of the Mount Siguniang Scenic Area incurs search and rescue expenses exceeding 300,000 yuan annually due to unauthorized outdoor activities. The cost of deploying rescue teams ranges from as little as 20,000 to 30,000 yuan to as much as over 100,000 yuan, including expenditures on transportation, food, and manpower.
So, should these irresponsible hikers foot the bill for the rescue costs themselves?
Liu Shen, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law and vice president of the Administrative Law Association, said in an interview with China Youth Daily that this situation differs from damages caused by natural disasters. “Making individuals pay for their own rescue costs is legally sound. Rescue is a special service—the costs arising from your actions should be borne by you. There’s nothing to complain about.”
Mo Yuchuan, a professor at the Law School of Renmin University of China, stated: “When hikers enter areas with explicit prohibition notices, their actions create significant social costs. It is reasonable for them to cover the expenses themselves—this is also a matter of balancing interests. The government cannot ignore injuries caused by the non-compliant behavior of individual hikers. These ultimately translate into social costs, forcing the entire public to foot the bill.”
“If you go climbing and something goes wrong, you need to analyze who caused it, how it happened—whether it was natural disaster, human error, or a combination. If it was both, how much responsibility does the human factor bear?” said Liu Shen. The violations by these hikers are acts of fault. Professor Xue Gangling from China University of Political Science and Law explained that administrative law is about balancing public burdens. “If it’s your own negligence, is it fair for everyone else to pay for you?”
However, China currently lacks comprehensive legal regulations governing outdoor adventure activities.
Nationwide, the “Domestic Mountaineering Management Measures” issued by the General Administration of Sport of China, implemented in 2003, contain only three penalty clauses. For those who “organize or participate in mountaineering activities without approval,” the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China or the provincial sports administrative department where the mountain is located will halt the activity and disqualify the results. Climbing coaches or high-altitude guides involved may also have their certifications revoked.
Because it is difficult to differentiate between varying degrees of unauthorized climbing activities, most provinces have further specified their own mountaineering management measures, but few address the issue of sharing rescue costs.
In 2011, a group of 14 mountaineering enthusiasts illegally entered the Mount Siguniang Scenic Area and lost contact with the outside world for 12 days. To rescue these 14 climbers, local authorities deployed over a thousand personnel, costing nearly 130,000 yuan. In the end, the group paid the volunteers of the Sichuan Mountain Rescue Team 3,600 yuan for accommodation, meals, and subsidies. The Sichuan Provincial Sports Bureau and the Sichuan Mountaineering Association issued a fine of 1,500 yuan, with each of the nine hikers being penalized just 167 yuan on average.
This was the first time Sichuan Province issued fines to individuals rescued after unauthorized mountain exploration, based on the “Sichuan Mountaineering Management Measures.” Article 15 of the regulation lists four types of violations eligible for penalties, with a maximum fine of 2,000 yuan.
Reports indicate that the Chinese Mountaineering Association is researching detailed regulations for such high-risk outdoor sports.