During the Spring Festival holiday, the northern scenery in the mountains is very appealing to many outdoor hiking enthusiasts. Recently, posts calling for outdoor cross-country trips during the Spring Festival have appeared on multiple hiking forums in Shaanxi Province. However, hikers vary in skill level, and with recent snowfall in the Qinling Mountains, the difficulty of crossing has increased. Blindly joining outdoor adventure groups may pose dangers.
Local mountain residents and outdoor rescue organizations warn that hikers should be cautious about climbing Taibai Mountain during the Spring Festival.
Taibai Mountain resident: “Unless it’s to save someone, I definitely won’t go up the mountain.”
Local mountain residents and outdoor rescue organizations warn that hikers should be cautious about climbing Taibai Mountain during the Spring Festival.
Taibai Mountain resident: “Unless it’s to save someone, I definitely won’t go up the mountain.”
On the 20th, a heavy snowfall occurred in the downtown area of Baoji. Due to higher surface temperatures, the snow melted as soon as it hit the ground. “The snow is much heavier in the county. It will be hard to travel tomorrow morning. If the snow melts and then freezes in the middle of the night, that’s when it becomes dangerous,” said He Bingli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of Taibai County Party Committee, over the phone. On the 20th, Taibai County, the highest-altitude county in Shaanxi Province, experienced its heaviest snowfall of the winter so far, with the entire county blanketed in goose-feather-like snow.
“The snow is even deeper in the mountains. Don’t go up in this kind of weather—it’s not easy to find your way,” said Mr. Wang, a local resident from Huangbaiyuan Town, Taibai County, whom reporters interviewed by phone yesterday. This villager, who has crossed the Aotai Line alone nearly a hundred times in the Qinling Mountains, warned hikers based on his nearly 20 years of living experience in the mountains: “Don’t come into the mountains recently unless it’s to save someone—I definitely won’t go up.”
“This summer there was a lot of rain, and many places in the mountains have collapsed or been hit by mudslides. Many of the old trails are gone. If you can’t find your way in the mountains, accidents can happen,” Mr. Wang revealed. New trails and animal paths may also have traps like rabbit snares secretly set by hunters before the snowfall. Accidentally stepping on one could lead to unimaginable consequences.
According to forecasts from the Baoji Meteorological Bureau, there may be continuous precipitation in the Qinling Mountains during the Spring Festival.
Outdoor rescue teams: It’s best not to engage in wilderness exploration during the Spring Festival
With the Qinling Mountains’ seventy-two valleys, Shaanxi Province has a large number of hikers, and it’s common for some to encounter danger in the wild. To assist public security, forestry, and other departments in rescue efforts, several volunteer-based civilian rescue teams have been formed. Last Spring Festival, the disappearance of hikers in the Aotai Line prompted a joint rescue effort involving over a hundred volunteers. The Shaanxi Outdoor Rescue Corps, which participated in the rescue, had several members injured while searching in waist-deep snow. Recently, they also issued a warning to hikers about cross-country adventures.
As the most challenging Aotai (Aoshan to Taibai Mountain) crossing route east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, every season sees confident enthusiasts attempting the trek, but multiple accidents have occurred. “Don’t attempt the Aotai Line in winter—the journey is too difficult, and the mountain scenery isn’t necessarily worth appreciating at such a risky time,” suggested “Wuyan,” captain of the Xi’an Outdoor Sports Association Outdoor Rescue Team. He advised against participating in wilderness exploration during the Spring Festival. Even truly professional and experienced hikers should travel in teams and prepare to tackle well-established routes.
Currently, there are many outdoor clubs in Shaanxi Province, but their qualifications vary greatly. Some clubs only have one leader who also serves as a guide when organizing trips. Once unexpected situations occur in the mountains, they are often unable to rescue themselves, which can lead to tragedy—or waste significant social resources, requiring police and volunteers to undertake difficult mountain rescues.
After winter began, both Aoshan and Taibai Mountain were closed to the public, but due to the many possible routes up the mountains, it’s difficult to monitor or register hikers. “Some outdoor enthusiasts don’t even bring phones, let alone walkie-talkies, when they go up the mountain. When emergencies happen, they can’t even call for help,” said rescue team captain “Wuyan.”
