Hikers attempting to reach the summit of China’s Mount Tai may find themselves facing an uphill battle of a different kind: a battle against wobbly legs and unsteady feet.
A video has captured the comical spectacle of adventurers struggling to keep their balance as they ascended the mountain’s ancient steps, leaving many crawling, crying, comforted by other hikers and even carried to safety on stretchers.
Mount Tai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China’s Shandong Province, is famous for its stunning beauty and historical significance.
But as the video reveals, conquering its summit is no easy task, especially when faced with the enormous challenge of climbing 6,600 stone steps between heaven and earth over a period of four to six hours.
While Mount Tai may have tested their physical limits, it also provides an unexpected dose of fun for those lucky enough to witness the spectacle; After all, who knew that conquering a mountain could be as entertaining as it was challenging?
Hikers attempting to reach the summit of China’s Mount Tai may find themselves facing an uphill battle of a different kind: a battle against wobbly legs and unsteady feet.
Mount Tai, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and located in the Chinese province of Shandong, is famous for its stunning beauty, but conquering its summit is no easy task (file image)
X user @roaneatan, a native of Shibuya, Japan, created a fun compilation of hikers’ experiences at the historic site and it has since been viewed nearly 8 million times since it was uploaded to the social media app on the 17th. of April.
A caption written by Roanea accompanies the clip and reads: “Mount Tai in China. It has 7,200 steps and takes 4 to 6 hours to reach the top, so tourists often regret visiting it.”
In the video, many hikers can be seen clinging to handrails for dear life and grabbing walking sticks to support their tired legs as they slowly ascend the mountain, their expressions ranging between determination and pure exhaustion.
In one clip, a woman bursts out laughing desperately as she pushes herself off the ground, before her unsteady legs wobble and pull her down.
Another woman falls down a small staircase in a later clip as a hiker laughs in front of her, while groups of men crawl on their hands and knees up steeper flights of steps across the mountain.
Others are shown carefully taking tactical pauses and taking hesitant steps while their legs and feet shake uncontrollably from the pressure their muscles are under.
Several people can be seen crying as they feel overwhelmed by physical discomfort, and one woman offers a comforting hand to a fellow hiker as she bows her head and sobs into her own arms.
In a shocking clip, an exhausted individual is seen being carried down a series of steps on a stretcher by healthcare workers dressed in high-visibility orange jackets.
A woman falls down a small staircase in a later clip while a hiker laughs in front of her.
A fellow hiker offers a comforting hand to a woman as she bows her head and sobs into her own arms during the hike.
In a shocking clip, an exhausted individual is seen being carried down a series of steps on a stretcher by healthcare workers dressed in high-visibility orange jackets.
Groups of men crawl on hands and knees up steeper steps across the mountain.
Stunned X users reacted to the video by mocking the physical effects that resulted from the demanding hike, as well as offering stern advice for inexperienced climbers.
Stunned X users, mostly from Japan, reacted to the video by mocking the physical effects that resulted from the demanding hike, as well as offering stern advice for inexperienced climbers.
One person wrote: “I didn’t know he could move that much…”, while another said: “Everyone’s knees are laughing.” Ha ha ha. I want to go!’
A third individual warned: “Climbing Mount Tai requires strength and time, so it is important to plan your visit carefully.”
Another explained: “When we walk too much, the balance between the brain and leg muscles becomes disturbed, and our legs start to shake against each other.”
Meanwhile, shocking figures from 2021 show that almost one in six ascents of K2, the second highest peak after Mount Everest, located between China and Pakistan, ends tragically in death.
But that doesn’t seem to discourage wealthy Westerners who are turning to K2 amid a wave of post-pandemic thrill-seeking: some trips to K2 for the ultra-rich are available for £54,700.