The claustrophobia of
life in the grey capital has
been known to suffocate the outdoorsy
types who end up living in
Beijing. But on a clear day,
the mountains just beyond still coax
and call, their little explored ridges
and trails beckoning some away.
I'm not talking about the
Badaling and Mutianyu Great Wall
sections, rammed with tourists. Somewhere
out there are actual escapes, quiet
valleys to clamber and peaks to
summit.
Since 2001, Beijing Hikers
has been organizing multiple trips
every week to hiking destinations
which would be tricky for the
average Joe to discover. In addition,
some particularly unique trips help
fill the roster such as a hike
by the light of the full moon,
or a winter river hike where at
points fish can be seen through
meter thick ice.
Last
Wednesday, I joined the group to
check out their Silver Pagoda Loop,
a nine kilometer ramble past two
towns, a quarry, a Buddhist shrine
and an impressive series of
six-century-old Buddhist stupas.
【1】 【2】 【3】 【4】 【5】
