The most dangerous trail in the world is China. “The Path of Death”, which not everyone can walk along. Mount Huashan: deaths

January 16, 2013, 10:58 pm

Spain. El Caminito Del Rey Balancing on the brink between life and death, thrill seekers from all over the world walk along a narrow, crumbling path, which is laid at an altitude of more than a hundred meters above the ground, trying not to think that any careless movement could be fatal for them.
The El Caminito Del Rey Trail was created in 1905 to facilitate the movement of workers between two hydroelectric power plants.
It is also known as the King's Path. To walk along it, you must be at least 12 years old and have good height tolerance. China. Huashan Mountain Trail The Qinling mountain range divides the Chinese central province of Shaanxi into two parts. Here is Mount Huashan, to the top of which the Hua Shan Yu walking trail was built back in the 4th century. This trail was improved during the Tang Dynasty, but remains extreme even today. Despite safety measures (stone steps have been built, the width of the path has been increased and railings have been added), fatal accidents still occur here.


But the second path leading to Mount Haushan is the most dangerous; it is literally a road over an abyss. It is also known as new Yueyang trails or "Path of Death" Both daredevils come here who want to prove to themselves and the world their own fearlessness, and people who are weak in spirit and dream of getting rid of their inner insecurities. The “Path of Death” consists of boards nailed to a sheer cliff hundreds of meters high, and chains that you can hold on to. Creating these trails is very difficult and dangerous. An entire army of “spider people” from Hunan province is building hundreds of meters of mountain trails at enormous heights, using only seat belts. Each such path is only a meter wide and is not even equipped with railings. As the head of the team of trail builders, Mr. Zhang Bin, said, workers who build a trail among steep cliffs must be very brave and, at least, extremely resilient psychologically. China. Mountain path to school
IN Western China The village of Gulukan is located. Probably the most fearless children live here, because every day they have to walk to school along a narrow path carved into the rock, which is located at an altitude of 1500 meters. There is simply no other road from the village. France. Roche Veyrand
There are about 120 via ferratas in France, which range from easy to very difficult routes. (Via ferrata or “iron path” is a rocky area equipped with wooden or metal structures to make it easier to overcome). Roche Veyrand is one of the most difficult and dangerous mountain trails in France. The trail is located in the south-eastern part of the country, in the Rhone-Alpes region, in Saint Pierre d'Entremont.
Switzerland. Ebenalpe Trail In Switzerland there are the prehistoric Ebenalp Caves, which are very often visited by tourists. So that travelers could reach this natural attraction, the Ebenalp trail was built, which begins at the mountain station of the same name. The journey along the trail takes only 20 minutes, but the impressions of this route will remain with tourists for a lifetime. Unfortunately, there was only one photo of this trail. Ireland. Cliffs of Moher This trail is intended for those cyclists who like to tickle their nerves. The Cliffs of Moher Path is considered the most dangerous cycling trail on the planet. It rises 215 meters above Atlantic Ocean, and the width of the path in some places is less than one meter.
It’s scary even just walking along this path over the abyss, not to mention riding a bicycle. But if dangerous hiking trails exist mainly for thrill-seekers and adrenaline addicts, then moving along equally dangerous highways is a severe daily necessity for residents of those places that will be discussed below. There are countless such roads around the world. Below are three of the most prominent examples of them.
Some roads are more forgiving of minor driving mistakes, some less so, but Old Yungas Roads doesn't forgive anything. Every year, the number of deaths among those who dare to drive along the forty-mile Old Yungas Road exceeds one hundred. Ironically, this route has become a place of tourist pilgrimage among those foreigners who want to add “riding the most dangerous road in the world” to their list of achievements. One lane, steep slopes, and lack of guardrails only add to the danger. In addition, fog and rain can reduce visibility and cover the road surface with mud, as well as loosen the rock above. Guoliang Tunnel in Taihang Mountains (China).
The name of the tunnel is translated from Chinese language as “The road that makes no mistakes.” First, a tunnel was created by villagers from the remote region of the Taihang Mountains to get to the outside world. It is now a 3.1m wide road which is quite scary for drivers. The tunnel has 30 windows to see what's what.

Halsema Highway, Philippines
Magnificent, but in places very dangerous road on the island of Luzon. In addition to unpaved parts of roads, landslides and large rocks, heavy fog is possible.

For those who are bored with monotonous tourist programs with visits to various monotonous temples and an endless number of museums, there is an excellent alternative for real extreme sports enthusiasts: this is the death trail on Mount Huashan in the city of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

This trail is located at an altitude of about 2000 meters at sacred mountain Huashan has five petal-shaped peaks, the most high peak– Its southern height is 2154 meters from sea level, the lowest Northern peak is 1614.9 meters high.

How to get to the top

There are two ways to get to the mountain, there are two entrances, one entrance from the West, which is equipped with a cable car and you can only go to the top along it (the cost of a one-way lift costs 140 yuan, which is about $20), the cost of a bus that will take you to it is $3.

Second entrance from the North, there is also a cable car here, but it costs a little less than 120 yuan in both directions. But there is also walking route with steps carved into the rock and rope bridges. But the journey will not be easy and will take you about 6-8 hours to climb.

What is the path of death

At the top there is simply stunning views of the mountains and nature of China.

The trail on Mount Huashan is very popular tourist place both among visitors from other countries and among the Chinese themselves. Therefore, very often there is a decent queue for it, so get ready to stand in it for at least 20-30 minutes. (maybe, of course, you will be lucky and you will pass it, but we were not lucky).

Although the death trail looks scary from the photographs, it is practically safe, since before you start you are given special safety equipment (belts and a cable with a carabiner, the total cost is about 30 yuan - that’s about 4 bucks).

After you receive the ammunition and put your things in the storage room (so as not to accidentally drop them while walking along the trail to the bottom).

You'll have to wait a little longer, since the path has only one end and you can only return from there the same way you came, trying to miss the people coming back to meet you.

Only after this can you hit the road. The trail begins with a descent along metal piles driven into stone.

At the bottom you will be met by a Chinese man who will help you fasten the carabiner from one cable to another.

Somewhere in the middle of the path, there is a booth in a hole in the rock where you can take first-class photographs, but if you have a phone with you, you will not need its services; the main thing is not to drop your gadget down. The Chinese say that this happens very often, maybe they do it to sell their photos, but it’s better to be safe.

The route lasts only 15-20 minutes. Climbing to the top you can see a small sacred altar and beautiful landscape opening from Mount Huashan.

Be sure to visit the death trail, get new emotions and enjoy the views of the surrounding nature.

Watch the video

Many people are not ardent followers of extreme recreation, but there is a fairly decent number of fans of thrills, a chilling sense of danger and If you are one of them, then Mount Huashan in China is what you need. Walking route, known as the death trail, does not require any special technical skills, but extreme caution is required while negotiating the long train of stone steps of the so-called heavenly staircase.

The Cure for Fear

Famous for its majestic rocks (path of death) is China, which is located near the city of Xi'an (Shaanxi province). There are many breathtaking routes on offer, including ziplining, rock climbing and hiking. The climb, which is about 14 kilometers long, is accompanied by a certain amount of risk; in some places there is not even a road, but only steps carved into stone.

The preferred option for many tourists is to climb from the foot of the Northern Mountain to its top using a cable car. This saves everyone a lot of time and energy. But there is a tourist route transition from north to south, which will make the bravest travelers simply petrify with fear or, conversely, feel a feeling of wild delight.

Path of Death

The number of tourists wishing to visit the death route on Mount Huashan is not decreasing, but, on the contrary, is growing every year. Those who dare to make such an extreme journey overcome a path made of boards built over the abyss and move to the peak of the mountain, holding on well to the chains attached to the vertical rocks. There are no fences, on one side there is a powerful rock, on the other there is a bottomless abyss and a crazy wind.

Of course, there is still a minimum safety kit there, this is a belt with a small cable and a carabiner. The prize for brave climbers will be not only a wonderful view from the top of Huashan (mountain), but also a whole storm of emotions that does not leave those who managed to overcome the deadly climb alone. Climbing a dangerous path is not a one-way journey, it is a round trip, but the descent is usually a little easier, and sometimes harder, as the accumulated tension and fatigue make themselves known.

How dangerous is climbing Mount Huashan? Climbing there should not be considered as mountaineering, which involves the use of modern equipment, and therefore the definition of mountain tourism is more suitable here. In numerous photographs you can see people in ordinary clothes and without special shoes. They resemble ordinary pedestrians, only very brave ones.

Mountain traditions

There is a big difference between mountaineering and mountain tourism. Climbers have undergone appropriate training, experience and special equipment. They are also quite aware of the risks they are taking. - this is what amateurs usually do, especially since you need to be especially careful and be in good physical shape.

Those who manage to get to the very top usually leave some personal item there. For example, among couples in love it is customary to attach shiny locks and red ribbons, the abundance of which simply makes your eyes wide open. Each of those who conquered the dangerous path joyfully shares a pleasant feeling of satisfaction from the ascent. The famous one flowing far below looks like a thin trickle, and everything seems so tiny. The unforgettable, awe-inspiring view from a great height and the pictures will remind you of a crazy and exciting adventure for a long time.

Mount Huashan in China

This one is huge mountain world resembles a separate reality, its own small world. Huashan (mountain) has five peaks, the highest of which is the South Peak, which reaches 2154 meters. The eastern peak is 2096.2 meters high and is best place to watch the sun rise. The Western Peak has a height of 2082.6 meters, the Central Peak is 2037.8 meters (another name is the Jade Maiden), and the Northern Peak with a height of 1614.9 meters is also called the Terrace Cloud.

In ancient times, Mount Huashan (path of death) was called the most dangerous and steep mountain in all of China. The most famous part of the path is called the Green Dragon's Rib, flanked by two huge chasms. Covering the distance from the village to the top of the mountain takes from 6 to 9 hours, but if you wish, you can stay overnight in the village itself, where there is a small but cozy hotel.

sacred place

In the second century BC, this place was a major religious center, in the heart of which a Taoist temple was built. It is also a center for traditional martial arts. Many emperors came to this sacred place to pray and make a sacrifice to the God of Mount Huashan.

They say that Lao Tzu, the founder and patriarch of Taoism, once lived and preached here. Since then, pilgrims, monks and nuns began to gradually populate the mountainous surroundings. Access to five mountain peaks, each of important religious significance, is possible through a network of narrow paths built from wood and stone. There is a tea house on one of the three peaks.

Mount Huashan: deaths

IN last years, thanks to the large influx of tourists, the paths have been more or less improved, but still the road to the peaks remains an extremely risky undertaking. Although there are no official mortality statistics, it is said that Huashan (the mountain) steals about 100 human lives every year.

Making their way along the narrow and winding path, tourists risk their lives every time. There is a high probability of receiving various types of injuries during climbing. These steep mountains under the skies are the real natural miracle. The breathtaking, sharp rocks and cliffs present a daunting challenge for those climbers who dare to conquer them. The landscape changes dramatically at every step of this winding path. There is a feeling that the beauty of the mountain has a real magical effect on everyone who visits it.

Even from the photographs taken, you can see how dangerous this route is. On some parts of the journey, it only takes one mistake to cost your life. Despite this, many tourists make an annual pilgrimage to Mount Huashan. Worldwide famous attraction In China, Huashan - Death Mountain is not free. Entrance to the mountain costs about $30 dollars ($15 for students).

If you cannot live without thrills and simply dream of a new dose of adrenaline, then the extreme “attraction” on the Chinese Huashan Mountain is for you. Both daredevils come here who want to prove to themselves and the world their own fearlessness, and people who are weak in spirit and dream of getting rid of their inner insecurities. Huashan Mountain is an effective pill for fears and an effective vitamin of self-affirmation.

Flower Mountain, which is how the word Huashan is translated into Russian, is a sacred Chinese mountain that unites five petal-shaped peaks and is located near the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province. There are many fascinating tourist routes here - among them there are climbs to cable car, and hiking. Curious travelers can, if they wish, reach each of the five peaks of Huashan - South, North, West, East and Central.

The most convenient way is to take the funicular and climb from the foot of the Northern Mountain to its top. The road to the Western Peak is also safe. The hike to the North Peak, starting from the eastern entrance, with all the tortuosity and steepness of the ascent, although it requires a fair amount of physical training, is also not associated with much risk, since it is laid along fairly wide stone steps.

But there is also a tourist route that can make the most impressionable tourists faint - this is the transition from Northern peak Huashan to the South. Some travelers, having taken the first step, literally turn to stone with horror, unable to unclasp their cramped fingers and move from their place. And this is not surprising.

It’s not for nothing that this road, laid along steep vertical cliffs, is called the path of death - falling off the narrow boards into a bottomless abyss would mean certain death, but the flow of tourists trying to make the risky climb is not thinning. Travelers step on boards nailed over the abyss and move to the top, hugging the rock or holding on to chains firmly soldered to the stone wall.

No railings or fences - just you, a stray wind, and hundreds of meters under your feet. Of course, there is some kind of insurance - all daredevils are wearing a belt with a cable and a carabiner on it so that they can cling to the safety rope stretched along the entire route.

The reward for brave tourists will be not only the marvelous panorama opening from the South Peak - the highest of all five “petals” of the Huashan flower, but also a whole bouquet of stormy emotions experienced by travelers who have overcome the ascent. The news that climbing the most dangerous path is not a one-way route, but a two-way road, sounds like a thunderbolt to many tourists. clear skies, but the descent, as a rule, is easier.

Couples in love who believe in lucky omens leave symbols of unquenchable feelings on the top of the conquered mountain - shiny locks and red ribbons, the abundance of which dazzles the eyes. Each of those who submitted dangerous path, happily shares the extraordinary sensations of climbing - at first it is panic fear, and then a delightful euphoria from the fact that he did not give up, managed, overcame, won.


The Death Trail is considered the most dangerous hiking trail in the world. Extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world come to the foot of the mountain to which this road leads to tickle their nerves and loudly declare their courage. The whole danger of the “Path of Death” lies in the fact that it is made of narrow boards hanging over a bottomless abyss.


In order to climb Mount Hua Shan in China, you need to go along one of the most extreme roads in the world. This trail begins at its foot with steps carved directly into the mountain itself, which rise upward almost perpendicular to the surface of the earth.



But the climb up the mountain does not end on this stone path. For those who want to reach the south side of the peak, the further journey will be more dangerous. After overcoming the mountain slope along the carved stone " heavenly staircase", travelers will find its extreme continuation - a road made of wooden planks. Tourists who have any health problems are offered to get to the southern peak by a special cable car.



It is because of the second part of the road that climbing Mount Huashan is considered the most dangerous place for pedestrians.





Chains nailed down as handrails appeared relatively recently. 700 years ago, when the path was built by hermits, people climbed the mountain only on rough planks.





Mount Huashan is sacred to the Chinese. Its name is translated from Chinese as “Flower Mountain,” which is quite justified, since it unites five peaks, thus resembling the shape of a petal. In addition to the “Road of Death”, there are many less dangerous tourist routes to Huashan.



A narrow wooden path leads to the very top of Mount Huashan, which is located far beyond the town of Xi’an located at its foot.



So much effort put in by travelers on the most dangerous path in the world does not bring them untold riches. At the end of the road there is an ordinary tea house, which was once a Taoist temple. In it, travelers can rest and replenish their strength after a difficult journey.