XINING - "My friends, I've scaled the Gangshika snowy peak. It's meaningful to complete such a feat on the first day of the new year. I wish you all the best," Geng Ru, an outdoor sports fan, wrote on WeChat on Monday.

On New Year's Day, Geng, together with her mother, was a member of a climbing team that participated in the 2018 New Year Mountaineering and Body Building challenge, hosted by Qinghai Sports Bureau, in the Menyuan Hui autonomous county, Qinghai province.

Recalling the beauty of Gangshika peak, Geng said: "We humans can't conquer nature, but only admire and understand it. Climbing is a form of worship for us."

With an elevation of 5,254.5 meters, Gangshika is the highest peak in the Qilian mountain range. Its ice, snow, gravel and small rock wall make it a perfect destination for climbers.

Wei Jie, another mountaineer who just returned from a camp at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, told Xinhua News Agency that she camped with some 60 climbers on the afternoon of New Year's Eve.

The next day, the climbers had a campfire with fireworks to welcome the New Year against the chilly temperature of-10 C.

"I had kind of a holy experience when I looked at the snowy mountain. It made me feel on the top of the world. Here, I prayed for 2018," Wei said.

For a successful climb, logistics support is indispensable. Ma Yi, a 42-year-old villager in Menyuan, is one of the locals who provides a service transporting vegetables, food and equipment to climb teams.

"I'm delighted to provide the supplies for those out-of-town friends, and I hope they can feel our hospitality," Ma said.

"Climbing for fitness in the New Year is the theme of our activity, and I hope it will become a habit for all people," said Cairangtai, director of the Qinghai Sports Bureau.

Xinhua