Though perceived as dangerous, the sport is for anyone who can conquer their fear

Enthusiasts climb an ice formation at the Yunmeng Gorge Scenic Area in Beijing's Miyun district on Jan 15. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

This winter, the Yunmeng Gorge Scenic Area in Beijing's Miyun district has become a hot spot for the capital's ice climbing enthusiasts.

One Saturday last month, more than 100 climbers were practicing on the area's ice formations. Yu Kaiyi, an ice climbing promoter who was responsible for designing the artificially enhanced formations in Yunmeng, said they were mostly members of ice climbing clubs at Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University and the Beijing Institute of Technology.

Yu Kaiyi (right) and a colleague help maintain ice formations at the scenic area on Dec 17. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

According to Yu, ice climbing is still a niche pastime in China, which is why he is trying to popularize the sport.

As an international ice climbing referee, he was involved in organizing the Chinese rounds of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation's Ice Climbing World Cup over four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020. He was also the contractor for the 2017 Ice Climbing World Cup in Changchun, Jilin province, in 2017 and developed the Changchun Mount Lianhua Ice Climbing Arena, which hosted the 2020 Ice Climbing World Cup's China rounds.

Although many people think of ice climbing as an extreme sport, Yu said that any healthy person can learn once they gradually overcome their fear.

An instructor walks at the ice climbing zone of the park. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

Enthusiasts practice on an ice wall on Jan 15. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

Yu Kaiyi works to create an ice formation on a slope on Dec 17. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

Students from Beijing Normal University eat lunch at the climbing site on Jan 15. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

Yu climbs an ice wall on Jan 15. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

An instructor plays with his students at the climbing site. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

Contact the writers at weixiaohao@chinadaily.com.cn