Teamwork

"It doesn't matter whether you are experienced or a novice, it is important to be with a team. During the snowstorm on the Xinjiang trekking route, we worked together to get off the mountain. How could anyone survive in that situation without another person's help?" she said.

The day before the team started the trek, one member decided to tackle the route alone, and he left without telling anyone. Wu and her remaining companions completed the route on the sixth day as planned, but when she turned on her mobile phone she found a number of missed calls from the police saying the hiker who had set out alone had gone missing.

A month later, a body was found lying between rocks in a stream on the route. A DNA test confirmed the body to be that of the lost hiker, a 40-year-old swimming coach.

"It was such a shame. Hiking alone is risky, especially in the wild without a (phone) signal. Injuries such as sprained ankles are common, and partners can help each other," Wu said.

According to the Chinese Mountaineering Association's report, people who hiked alone or as part of a family group accounted for 68 percent of the accidents, while those who used professional agencies or experienced partners encountered fewer mishaps.

When recalling her trip across Xinjiang, Wu said that when her team finally reached the top of a mountain after walking though snow for six hours, they found a dead cow lying on the ground.

"Despite its covering of fur, it had just frozen to death," she said.

Huo Yan in Xi'an contributed to this story.