Simatai to Bailingguan

[Hugo]

Originally Posted by greatwallforum

In between Simatai and Bailingguan

Hey! do you have experience or can you imagine
to walk along the ridge from Simata to Bailingguan?
I hope to try this one day!

[greatwallforum]

Originally Posted by Hugo

Hey! do you have experience or can you imagine
to walk along the ridge from Simata to Bailingguan?
I hope to try this one day!

I have never attempted this, but I have seen the terrain. If you're interested in Great Wall hiking, I would definitely look elsewhere. If you're looking for some mountain climbing, you've come to a good place! You would be traversing some pretty serious mountains along a knife-edge ridge to follow the approximate path of the Great Wall between Simatai and Bailingguan. For example, directly behind me in the photo above is a sheer drop of about 100 meters. It could not be climbed without ropes unless you're a very experienced rock climber.

The Great Wall is not at all continuous in this area. Most of your climbing would be from tower to tower with some wall fragments here and there.

So, unless you have significant climbing experience, I recommend you don't attempt this section of the Great Wall. I don't know of and have not heard about anyone who has done it. That might be a good reason to try it, but it should give you an idea of how serious of an undertaking it would be.

Here are some photos to give you an idea.

The rock at left center of this photo is where I was standing in the photo you quoted in your post.






The tower to the left of this photo is Wangjinglou, tower 16 of the Simatai ridge.


Bailingguan is just past the right side edge of this photo. This is not my photo, and I can't tell you much about it. I guess it was taken from Wulingshan.

[Kim]

Probably one of the most dangerous treks that can be made on the Great Wall - wouldn't recommend it to anyone!

[chinoook]

It is not easy to leave the touristic part of the Simatai Great Wall. There are many "guides" who take care no one walks to the dangerous parts. It is almoust impossible to get rid of them. In my opinion the only way is to go very early in the morning or late in the evening after the gates are closed. I was told there that some years ago a group of chinese students died by climbing the wall there. I am sure that if you hand some money to any local there they will show you paths to get up their. I have been offed this some times.

Nathan Gray writes in his book that he did the walk along the ridge. Polly Greeks also describes that.


-chinoook

[greatwallforum]

Originally Posted by chinoook

Nathan Gray writes in his book that he did the walk along the ridge. Polly Greeks also describes that.

I think they only went as far as the Ju Xian tower. The deaths and injuries at Simatai have occured on the Heavenly Ladder and Sky Bridge. Three separate deaths I have read about.