The "Ten-Year Peaks and Clouds" mountaineering team consists of 15 members, including 4 female members. Among them, 7 are experienced climbers who have previously scaled snowy mountains, and 8 are new members. The team was officially established on April 21. Since then, the members have held themselves to stricter standards and undergone rigorous training. Training activities included loaded and unladen stair climbing, loaded and unladen mountain hikes, 10-kilometer runs, sprinting, rock climbing, rope ladder exercises, ascending and descending techniques, as well as limb strength training. Medical care, equipment use, food preparation, photography, and other training sessions were also integrated throughout. After the intensive training, everyone’s physical stamina, technical skills, and team cohesion improved significantly, and all members are full of confidence for the upcoming climb.
"2013 Xuebao Ding, here we come!" — On July 26, 2013, after bidding farewell to the climbing wall, the team boarded a train bound for Chengdu.
On the evening of July 27, 2013, at 8:15 PM, the train arrived in Chengdu on schedule, and the main group of the "Ten-Year Peaks and Clouds" team finally reunited with the advance party. Also there to greet them were the support team from the Cloud Friends Association — the lovely Liu Xiting, a senior with great charm, and Wan Fangqing, a senior with impressive abs.
How did they get through those long days of travel?
Fortunately, they had air mattresses to enjoy soft-sleeper-like comfort; fortunate to have cookware sets to boil instant noodles and stir-fry diced sausages; fortunate to have several decks of cards, keeping card players busy — some even with faces covered in paper notes... Of course, best of all were the veteran team members, who shared stories from climbs on Que'er Mountain and Banji Peak, exchanged all kinds of gossip, and, most importantly, emphasized the various precautions to take before and during the mountain ascent.
Now, the team is staying in Jinniu District, Chengdu. The advance party briefed them on the current local transportation, weather, rainfall conditions in Sichuan, and the progress of preparatory work. Tomorrow, they will handle grocery and equipment shopping, rent gear from the Mountaineering Association, contact instructors, and finalize travel arrangements.
For college students, mountaineering is not just about pursuing altitude and pushing personal limits — it also reflects their longing for freedom and a cleansing of the soul. At the same time, it's a kind of sentiment, a powerful force that transforms emotion into passion. "Please believe us, we can do it!" said Yin Dongmin, a new team member, in her Renren post.
In this climbing expedition, Tianluntian Outdoor, Heibing Outdoor, Kailas Outdoor, Gaote Glasses, Qiyun Equipment, and the ion HD sports camera provided strong support to the "Ten-Year Peaks and Clouds" mountaineering team. We extend our sincere gratitude to these companies.