Outdoor sports are loved by more and more people.
On January 14, 2012, the Sichuan Mountaineering Association organized the "Sichuan Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Rescue Conference," reporting on three mountain disaster incidents in 2011 caused by rule violations, resulting in one death and two people missing. According to data published by the China Mountaineering Association, from 2001 to 2010, the number of deaths in mountaineering and outdoor sports in China reached 233, of which 166 were due to outdoor sports accidents—far exceeding those from mountaineering. In particular, the October 2011 incident in Sichuan Province, where "14 hikers went missing for 12 days during a traverse of Siguniang Mountain," garnered widespread social attention and discussion. Why do outdoor safety accidents keep happening? A journalist conducted an investigation.
[Journalist Investigation]
Violations and "Sneaky Climbs" Account for Over 85% of Mountain Disaster Incidents
According to the report, on May 17, 2011, two hikers from Nanjing went missing while traversing from Wolong to Haizi Valley in Siguniang Mountain, Aba Prefecture. After more than 20 days of search and rescue efforts, there was no result. In October 2011, two people climbing Xuebaoding were caught in an avalanche—one climber died and another was trapped. Soon after, the Sichuan Mountaineering Association received news that nine hikers and five local guides had gone missing during a traverse of Siguniang Mountain. On October 12, the group safely exited, but over a hundred search and rescue personnel were deployed, with rescue costs amounting to 100,000 yuan. Investigations into these three mountaineering and outdoor incidents in Sichuan revealed that all involved illegal or non-compliant behavior, referred to in the industry as "sneaky climbs."
"Sneaky climbs" refer to mountaineering or outdoor activities that do not comply with regulations such as the "China Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Management Measures." Specifically, this means not declaring, registering, recording, or paying the national mountaineering registration fee as required.
According to the head of the Sichuan Mountaineering Association, sneaky climbs have become a persistent problem in China's mountaineering and outdoor sports. From 2001 to the present, sneaky climbs have accounted for over 85% of mountain disaster incidents. Sneaky climbs are not limited to domestic participants but also involve international outdoor enthusiasts. Faced with the frequent safety accidents, mountain management authorities have had to adopt some unconventional measures. Siguniang Mountain has installed a steel guardrail over 500 meters long at altitudes above 4,800 meters up to near the summit, at a cost of 200,000 yuan. Some climbers say the guardrail looks like a bloody scar on the beautiful face of the mountain. The Siguniang Mountain Administration responded that nearly a thousand people sneak up the mountain each year, and building the guardrail is entirely for the safety of visitors.