Conquering the Holy Mountain

Last year, I had one of the most amazing and unforgettable adventures of my entire life. I'm so excited to finally write about my favorite experience in China (and maybe my life)...climbing Mount Hua Shan! 

Mount Hua is one of the Five Great Mountains of China, known to be the imperial pilgrimage destination for Chinese emperors throughout history. The mountain's five peaks are associated with Buddhism and Taoism, located in the Shaanxi province of China. We woke up on an early morning and caught a bus to to the city of Huayin:

We decided to take the cable cars up to the top, which turned out to be one of the most terrifying experiences of our lives. We started the journey, but they stopped the entire cable car line halfway through because it was so windy. We were left hanging in a car 3,000 feet in the air swaying wildly around in the wind. It was only supposed to be a 15 minute ride in the cable car, but we ended up suspended in the wind for almost 1.5 hours...

The cable cars dropped us at almost the top of the mountain, where the views were breathtaking and the air was fresh and chilly.

We had now reached the point where most tourists visited...but we couldn't stop there. Being the thrill-seekers we are, we had to reach the absolute tip of Mount Hua, and there was only one way forward...

How does one climb 90 degree stairs...?

Just your average selfie before you purchase gloves for 2 kuai to protect yourself from the coldest you've ever been in your life and face the possibility of imminent death...

 Here we go!! Attempting what the internet calls one of the most dangerous hikes in the world (well, at least Buzzfeed does):

Finally, a picture to celebrate our conquering of Mount Hua, plank-walk and all. There are rumored to be tea houses at the top of one of the peaks, but we found a small, secluded temple when we reached the top. We were so aware of every single breath, an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for our lives, all the privileges we have, and to have shared this once-in-a-lifetime experience with each other...

Hope you enjoyed this post - please send your comments and feedback my way!

Xoxo