Ice climbing getting popular

Though perceived as dangerous, the sport is for anyone who can conquer their fear

This winter, the Yunmeng Gorge Scenic Area in Beijing's Miyun district has become a hot spot for the capital's ice climbing enthusiasts.

One Saturday last month, more than 100 climbers were practicing on the area's ice formations. Yu Kaiyi, an ice climbing promoter who was responsible for designing the artificially enhanced formations in Yunmeng, said they were mostly members of ice climbing clubs at Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University and the Beijing Institute of Technology.

According to Yu, ice climbing is still a niche pastime in China, which is why he is trying to popularize the sport.