Development at its peak

Yet Tianmen Mountain was not this accessible when Tian Huilin first stood at its base in 2003. "It was a wild peak that tourists could only stare at from below," recalls Tian, general manager of the Tianmen Mountain scenic area.

It is a typical karst platform formation, ringed by sheer cliffs. Aside from occasional local climbers, almost no one could reach the top.

Over the following two decades, cable cars were built, walkways were carved into rock, and steps were cut into the mountain. The peak gradually opened to the world.

"Developing Tianmen Mountain meant first solving the transportation problem," says Tian, who arrived when the cable car construction began.

They built one of the world's longest cable cars at the time — more than 7,400 meters from downtown to the summit, with a vertical drop of over 1,200 meters. They also built a winding road from the base to the top."Both projects were extremely difficult," Tian notes.

In September 2005, the cable car opened. Tianmen Mountain officially began receiving visitors.

What Tian didn't expect was that the cable car and road, originally just transportation solutions, would themselves become attractions. "This cable car crosses the city and countryside, and goes directly into the mountain. It's a moving viewing corridor. Floating in the air, the experience is unique," he says.

Human creativity kept adding new value to the mountain. In 2011, Tianmen Mountain managing team built China's first glass skywalk. They intended it as a small addition to enrich the experience. "We didn't expect it to become such a hit, leading scenic areas across China to replicate it," Tian says with a smile.

Tian's team is now working toward the next phase of infrastructure improvements.