Tourists Visiting Mount Yan Dang in China Experience Panic as They Encounter “Mountain Traffic Jam” and Get Stuck on a Vertical Cliff for an Hour.
China recently endured a long 5-day International Labor Day holiday, leading to familiar scenes of congestion everywhere, even on steep cliffs.
A tourist visiting Mount Yan Dang in Wenzhou city (Zhejiang province, eastern China) posted a video stating that he encountered a “mountain traffic jam” and was stuck on a vertical cliff for an hour.
Tourists stuck on a vertical cliff at Mount Yan Dang, China. (Photo: Sohu).
The video shared online shows a large number of climbers unable to move on the steep slope. Surrounded by sheer cliffs and with a deep chasm below, the situation was extremely dangerous.
“We were ‘stuck’ and couldn’t move forward or backward.” The tourist recounted. “There were even some children on the trail who could be in danger at any moment.”
In the video, some tourists were seen panicking and crying due to being trapped for too long.
The surge in visitors during the holiday caused the cliffs to also experience a “jam”. (Photo: Sohu).
Rescue Services Available but at a Cost
After the incident went viral on social media, Si Jian, a management staff member at the Yan Dang scenic area, responded, stating that their climbing program is always monitored to ensure safety.
He said: “Generally, the number of tourists significantly increases during the holiday, and some climbers move slowly or stop to take photos, which leads to congestion at scenic spots that already have limited capacity.”
Si Jian further revealed that if tourists feel anxious about being stuck in the mountains, they can call for rescue but will incur a fee of 300 yuan per person (over 1 million VND). “Previously, rescue services were free, but due to many tourists calling for help even when they were not in distress, we now charge a fee.”
According to this staff member, the mountain climbing program at Yan Dang has three main routes. Route A is approximately 400 meters long and difficult to climb, typically taking about one and a half hours to complete. Route C is the shortest and lowest in elevation, more suitable for elderly individuals and children. The “mountain traffic jam” images circulating online are from Route B.
“Due to individual physical conditions, the time required to complete the routes varies. However, overall, the time needed for each route during this holiday is doubled compared to before,” Si Jian shared.
Climbing route at Mount Yan Dang on a day when the path is clear. (Photo: The Paper).
This incident has sparked intense discussions among netizens in China.
“Just watching the video makes me feel anxious. For an adventure like this, even if I were paid, I wouldn’t participate,” commented one user.
The rescue fee at the scenic area is 300 yuan per person. Some netizens argued that the price is reasonable because “after all, it’s a life-saving fee.”
However, some opinions contend that the responsibility for tourists getting stuck in the mountains lies with the scenic area management.
