After welcoming the first rays of the new year, the "Ertan to Gesala National Mountain Hiking Conference," themed "Green Hiking, Bathing in the Warm Winter," concluded yesterday in Yanbian County, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province.
On January 1st, at the Gesala Scenic Area in Yanbian County, hundreds of outdoor sports enthusiasts participating in the event climbed up to the Yellow Emperor’s Tent on the alpine pasture and nearby mountaintops to greet the first sunlight of the new year. Cheers erupted as the event came to a satisfying close.
Before New Year’s Day, on December 31st, the final day of 2011, the fun competitions of the event were held at "Ancient City," the filming location of the large-scale mythological TV series "Legend" within the Gesala Scenic Area. Participants dressed in Yi ethnic costumes completed challenges reflecting local Yi life in Gesala—such as carrying water, hauling firewood, and bride kidnapping. The unique cultural display thrilled the audience, drawing continuous applause.
It is introduced that Gesala means "a beautiful paradise where humans and nature coexist harmoniously" in the Yi language. As a national AAAA-level scenic area, Gesala is located in Gesala Township in the northwest of Yanbian County. The area features tens of thousands of acres of pine forests, azaleas, primeval forests, 20 square kilometers of green stone forests, natural virgin woods, alpine meadows, and wetland lakes. It is a tourist destination that combines natural ecology, karst landforms, and ethnic minority culture.
The Yanbian National Mountain Hiking Conference was jointly organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the People’s Government of Yanbian County, the Panzhihua Municipal Tourism Bureau, and the Panzhihua Municipal Sports Bureau, and was planned and executed by Neo (Beijing) Public Relations Planning Co., Ltd. Neo has extensive experience organizing large-scale outdoor hiking and camping events, ensuring more standardized organization and management. It is particularly worth mentioning that during the event, the People’s Government of Yanbian County placed high importance on the conference, mobilizing departments such as medical, transportation, fire, public security, and power to fully support the outdoor enthusiasts from across the country, providing strong logistical guarantees.
