Mount Huashan Plank Walk

Mount Huashan Plank Walk, or Huashan Cliffside Path is one of the most dangerous parts of Mount Huashan Scenic Spot. The whole plank walk is constructed on the cliffside of South Peak of the mount, with wooden planks, iron stakes, and iron chains. It’s known as one of the top 10 scariest cliffside walks in the world, and adventurers flock to challenge this thrilling path.

Why is the Mount Huashan Plank Walk so dangerous? There are three reasons: (1) One section of the plank is almost vertical, and tourists on it have to cling to the iron chain all the way. (2) One section of the plank walk surrounds the cliffside without guardrail, and the bottomless abyss is right under the feet of tourists. (3) People have to return by the same way, which doubles the thrills and spills.

Why is the Mount Huashan Plank Walk so popular? Because the adventurous traverse on it would be an exhilarating experience during people’s Huashan Mountain tours. Even imagining the scene makes one’s heart race. Nevertheless, although it’s attractive, it’s not a necessary way to reach the peak of Mount Huashan, so it’s an option instead of a task for tourists.
  History: 700 years
 Location: Eastern side of South Peak
 Length: More than 100 meters (110 yards)
 Width: 0.3 meters (12 inches)
 Vertical height: at least 650 meters (2,100 feet)
 Danger level: Though it looks risky, the experience is actually very safe. With a compulsory harness that cannot be removed during the traverse, you don’t need to worry about falling down as long as you hold on tight to the iron chain and tread carefully. Actually, accidents rarely happen on the Huashan Mountain Plank Walk each year.
 See also: Dangerous Passes on Mt. Huashan
 It was built over 700 years ago by a Taoist priest named He Zhizhen, to reach the platform at the end of the walk and cultivate his morality there. With only one rope to suspend in the air, he chiseled stone holes one by one on the cliff, and inlayed stone nails to support wooden boards. It’s incredible to think how difficult it is to build such a challenging path. Nowadays, the walk has been strengthened with wooden planks and iron support frames, and professionals regularly renovate them to ensure the safety of tourists.
 

Mount Huashan Plank Walk

Difficulty rate: ⭐️⭐️
The 20-meter-long (22 yards) beginning section is a relatively smooth path chiseled out on the cliff. The 0.7-meter-wide (28 yards) path is quite enough for a person to walk along, and it’s equipped with an iron guardrail, quite safe to pass.
 Difficulty rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
At the end of the first section, the difficult level of the plank walk soars. Composed of iron rods running across the crevice and two iron chains on both sides, the second section, with a vertical height of 10 meters (30 feet), is like a hanging ladder. Moreover, with an inclination of almost 90°, this section is extremely steep. You have to grab the iron chains to keep balance and go down step by step on the rods very slowly. What’s even more thrilling is that precipitous cliffs are just right in front of you, and thus you must watch every step downward.
 Difficulty rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Here comes the real challenge of the Huashan Mountain Plank Walk, the third section surrounding the cliff. This section features 0.3-meter-wide (13 inches) thick wooden planks without a guardrail. During the traverse, people have to follow one after another to walk through, hold onto the iron chain with one hand, and move the safety buckle with the other hand. As a result, they face the cliff wall, and traverse it foot by foot. With the bottom of the abyss under feet and mountain ranges around, it feels like walking on clouds.
 1. For hikers, your route goes like this: Jade Spring Temple at the foot of Huashan Mountain → North Peak → Black Dragon Ridge → East Peak → South Peak → Mt. Huashan Plank Walk. The whole journey takes you 6 to 8 hours. This route is more suitable for those night climbers.
 See also: Classical Routes for Mount Huashan Hike; Guide for Mt. Huashan Hiking at Night

2. For those taking a Huashan Mountain Cable Car to the upper station on the West Peak, your route is: Huashan Tourist Service Center → Lower Station of West Peak Cable Car → Upper Station of West Peak Cable Car → South Peak → Mt. Huashan Plank Walk. It takes you 2 to 3 hours to finish the trip.

3. For those taking a North Peak Cable Car, your route is: Huashan Tourist Service Center → Lower Station of North Peak Cable Car → Upper Station of North Peak Cable Car → Middle Peak → South Peak → Mt. Huashan Plank Walk. This route takes you 3 to 4 hours.
  CNY 30.
 1. Tickets can only be booked in the main areas of the peaks of Huashan Mountain.
2. It’s not so easy to book the ticket of the walk, since each time, only about 30 tickets are released online.
3. Here’s another situation: for those who fail to book an online ticket, they can choose to queue and take a chance to buy a ticket with CNY 30 in cash, because those with online tickets may fail to arrive in time.
 

Peak Season / Slack Season	Online Ticket Release Time	Offline Ticket Checking Time
March - November	6:30 8:00 10:00 12:00 14:00	7:30 9:30 11:30 13:30 15:30
December - February	7:00 8:30 10:30 12:30	8:00 10:00 12:00 14:00

 (1) Those who are no taller than 150 cm (5 feet) or over the age of 55 cannot book the ticket.
(2) This activity is not suitable for those with heart disease, hypertension, or acrophobia.
(3) Those in dresses or high heeled shoes cannot challenge the walk.
(4) Individual tourists are not allowed to book the ticket of the walk, and only two or more people in groups can experience the walk.
 For a round trip on the walk only, it takes about 1.5 hours. Since tourists in the queue cannot start their traverses until all the members of the last group experiencing the walk return to the starting point, the queue time depends, being from 1.5 to 3 hours.
 1. On days in bad weather conditions such as heavy rain, strong wind, thunder, lightning, or blizzard, Mount Huashan Plank Walk is likely to be closed. You can further click Huashan Weather for the latest weather broadcast.

2. For a stable walk on the path, it’s suggested to wear anti-slippery climbing shoes and gloves, and keep holding the iron chain during the traverse.

3. The earlier you get to the main areas of mountain peaks, the higher chance you have to book the ticket of the plank walk. Thus, those who choose to hike up the mountain at night and take cable cars in the early morning are more likely to get the ticket. Besides, for people taking a cable car up the mountain, once you step out from the cable car, you need to book the ticket immediately in case of missing the latest chance to experience the plank walk.

4. Given that at least 1.5 hours will be spent on the plank walk, it’s suggested to arrange your itinerary properly and set aside sufficient time for descending the mountain.   Further Reading:
Xiyue Temple of Mount Huashan
How to Travel from Xi’an to Huashan
Mount Huashan Travel Tips