To the bemusement of locals, three climbers make a first ascent of a striking and technical peak looming over a remote valley in Gansu province.
OLA LOOKED TOWARDS ME WITH A CONCERNED EXPRESSION, then returned her attention to the wall. I understood, yet held my words. Finally she couldn’t stay silent.
“He’s really runout and his existing protection’s not very good,” she said.
Despite being 30m up with only two cams and two mediocre-slung bushes between him and the ground though, Chuan continued to move confidently over the rock. I agreed with her, but suggested we give him a little more time. If any of those pieces failed, he was looking at a ground fall. Then he entered a technical section with few holds and no options for protection, and stalled. Ola shouted up, suggesting he place a bolt. After contemplating his predicament, Chuan down climbed to a good stance and called up the drill to place a bolt. Ola and I exchanged glances of relief. The adventure was just getting started, this was no time for any of us to take a bad fall.
Our team had first learned of Zhagana in the summer of 2016 when a photo showed up in the Yangshuo climbers’ We chat group. In the picture, a prominent beak of rock protruded from the middle of a jagged limestone massif. Below, an idyllic village nestled among terraced hills. The scene set the chat group afire with questions about whether the peak had been climbed and who would climb it first. While most claims didn’t make it out of the chat group, Ola Przybysz quietly set about researching and planning an expedition for the following year.
In the months after seeing the photo, Przybysz reached out to Beijing-based Chuan He, a climber with many first ascents to his name. Chuan quickly agreed to join her but insisted they bring a third member to mitigate the risks associated with unknown terrain on remote walls. Przybysz then asked me to join. I needed little convincing to fly in from the US and our little team fixed a date in May 2017.
Denne historien er fra May - June 2018-utgaven av Action Asia.
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Denne historien er fra May - June 2018-utgaven av Action Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Policing Paradise
Palau’s President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr has established his country in the vanguard of global efforts on ocean conservation, in particular with the 2015 designation of much of its territorial waters as a marine reserve and no-take zone. Policing this vast area though remains immensely challenging.
The Not-So-Silent World
Human activities may be emitting levels of noise that harm marine life.
Once Were Warriors
A visit to the 2018 World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan is a surreal trip to a time and place where martial skills matter.
The Secret Life Of Pangolins
PALAWAN – IT’S 1AM AND MOST PEOPLE are safely in their beds. Instead I’m deep in the jungles of Palawan with an international team of researchers and a squad of Philippine Marines, searching for pangolins, the most illegally trafficked mammals on Earth.
Feast Your Senses
The Alta Via 1 is the classic Dolomite trail, bringing the peaks within arm’s reach as you hike between homely refugios and historic war-time fortifications.
China's Olympians Show The Way
WITH 40 RIDERS FROM 12 COUNTRIES, THE KTA made its second visit to the Desaru Coast in Malaysia with its Asia Pacific Hydrofoil Tour Series , which welcomes amateur and professional riders a like . Chinese Youth Olympians Haoran Zhang and Jingle Chen took first places in the Men’s and Women’s classes, while Korean veteran Soon Ho Kwon was crowned champion in the Masters.
China's Masses Warming To Snow
TWO YEARS AGO, CHINA opened the world’s largest indoor ski slope with two black runs, a blue run, snow play area and beginner slopes all served by chairlifts and magic carpets. Interestingly, it choose to build this behemoth in Harbin, where real snow piles high every winter and temperatures plunge low enough to host the annual International Ice and Snow Festival.
A Quieter, Cleaner Everest In Store?
FOLLOWING RECORD deaths during the Everest climbing season earlier this year, Nepal’s government and the climbing community are suggesting a new list of preconditions for any summit attempt.
A Life List Of Adventure
There’s a first time for everything. But some firsts matter more: experiences that are life-altering, that change perspective, build confidence and teach you about all you can do and all you can be.
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool
