Rise Above: The City’s Best Climbing Spots and the People to Show You
Whether you’re looking for bouldering, traditional, top-rope, sport or lead, there is an abundance of climbing opportunities in and around Beijing as popularity for the sport grows. The mental and physical energy exuded when tackling a route is enticing for a number of reasons: it’s something anyone with a little muscle and willpower can enjoy, it allows for exploration outside of the city, you’ll meet a bunch of easygoing and like-minded folk, and it gets you in great shape.
Most novices will want to start with gym climbing, that is, clambering up an artificial wall, for which there are a number of options, all offering equipment for hire (RMB 50 should cover a day pass and gear rental). It has been said that these walls are still somewhat hard for the completely uninitiated, so if possible, take along someone with a little experience so that intricacies and safety measures can be conveyed correctly. The following locations have bouldering and rope options:
O’le Climbing: A longstanding wall in a popular sports center with friendly and bilingual staff.
Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-8pm. 5 Shimencun Lu, Baiziwan Qiao East, Chaoyang District (186 1846 1002)
奥莱体育园: 朝阳区东四环中路百子湾桥东石门村路5号
Capital Indoor Training Stadium: Made up of five walls, has knowledgeable staff, and caters to a range of sports.
Daily 10am-9pm. 54 Baishiqiao Lu, Haidian District (6833 5552 ext. 8389)
首都体育馆: 海淀区白石桥路54号
Touchstone: Located outdoors in Ritan Park, this wall is only open between March and November.
Daily 10am-9.30pm. Ritan Gongyuan (northeast gate), 6 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District (138 0105 2361)
朝阳区日坛北路6号
University walls: If you’re lucky enough to be enrolled in one of these universities you may have access to a wall already: Beijing Forestry University, Aviation University, Agricultural University, Peking University, and Beijing Geosciences University.
Making the transition from rookie to expert can be tricky business in the capital as prospects of gaining outdoor experience once you’ve mastered the gym walls are limited. One option is to pay for courses and expeditions through the Beijing Climbing Club (beijingclimbingclub.com), which will cover transportation, accommodation, meals, all equipment, and instructor’s fees.
If you feel ready to hit the road with a group then you will first need to buy your own equipment. Once you’re kitted out, contact the Beijing Rock Climbing Group (meetup.com/beijing-rock-climbing-group), where you’ll meet the city’s climbing fanatics, raring to go out on weekly trips and who will be happy to guide you to the best spots. The party usually arranges a private driver and any costs incurred are divvied between participants.
Beijing’s main climbing areas won’t take longer than two hours to reach door-to-door and are clustered in three main zones: Baihe, Hauirou, and Shidu. All have between 10 and 30 routes at varying levels of difficulty and elusiveness, which is why you’ll need to tag along with others.
If you’re searching for a comprehensive guide to climbing Beijing and beyond, Climb China (2014) is your best bet. Unfortunately, the book isn’t sold anywhere in China other than Yangshuo so you’ll have to track it down online before you head out on your adventure.
Special thanks to Howard Bernstein who was kind enough to share his knowledge of the Beijing climbing scene.
More stories by this author here.
Email: tomarnstein@thebeijinger.com
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Photos courtesy of Howard Bernstein
