The irony here is, of course, you’re likely to die while doing it. And that’s no exaggeration. Located in the 陕西 province (Shaanxi) in the northwest of the People’s Republic of China, 华山 (Mount Hua) is one of the five sacred famous mountains of China, and one of the scariest freakin’ hikes in the world. Imagine Yosemite’s Half Dome, ten times scarier, with wooden planks precariously nailed into the sheer rock face as your only path, some rusty chains your only lifeline. And that’s when the weather is nice, and people routinely do this hike in the snow, in their worn-out night market abibas and reedock shoes.

Of the five peaks that adorn Huashan (north, south, east, west, central), South Peak is the tallest and most dangerous - or the most fun, depending on what kind of bucketeer you are. From the steep Heavenly Stairs ascent to the even steeper Black Dragon Ridge, climbers then continue up to West Peak, where a gondola takes them over to South Peak. In addition to the near- vertical stairs (Lord of the Rings comes to mind), there’s the short section shown at the left there, affectionately known as the “boardwalk” to some intrepid climbers from the western world.

For all the extreme bravery suspension of self-loving it takes to do this climb, there is some rather spectacular scenery to be had, with little chess-playing pavilions bordered by three sheer rock faces, incredible views of the valley below, and the kind of breathtaking mountain scenes described by legendary poets of the past. It’s no wonder why Mount Hua is one of the sacred mountains, and it’s no wonder why so many people travel great distances to experience it!

So how about it, who’s with me?