Baotou boy conquers summit of 'father of ice mountains'

In a final push, Du reaches the summit of Mount Muztagh Ata to jubilantly pose for a victory photo. [Photo provided by Kaitu Expedition to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

Known as the "father of the ice mountains", the 7,546-meter-high Mount Muztagh Ata welcomed its youngest climber to date – 15-year-old Du Hanchen from Baotou city, located in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Having just graduated from junior high school, Du successfully reached the summit of Mount Muztagh Ata on July 18, meeting the evaluation criteria to be designated a first-level athlete in China.

In the interview held by Zhou Jianhui, a reporter from the Baotou Convergence Media Center, Du said, "This time was a particularly big challenge for me. It was really difficult, but I managed to reach the summit. It feels incredible and I'm very proud of myself".

Mount Muztagh Ata is located on the border between Akto county and Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Part of the Kunlun Mountains, it's covered in snow all year round and is ranked sixth tallest mountain in Xinjiang and 43rd globally. Each year, the General Administration of Sport of China approves only 300 climbers to ascend Mount Muztagh Ata between June and August.

"My calligraphy teacher loves outdoor activities and often shares his hiking and mountaineering experiences with us during our free time," Du said.

"This sparked my interest in mountaineering. Because I reached the summit of Haba Snow Mountain in Southwest China's Yunnan province last year, I met the standards for Muztagh Ata and I applied for it this year," Du said.

For nearly six months, he prepared for both his high school entrance exams and targeted mountaineering training. He committed himself fully to running, climbing stairs with weights and other exercises during weekends and lunch breaks – ensuring at least seven hours of sleep each night to maintain his physical fitness.

"The conditions on the mountain were much harsher than I had imagined. The base camp consisted of only a few tin houses with shared beds for a number of people inside," he recalled.

Du's team strikes out to climb Mount Muztagh Ata. [Photo provided by Kaitu Expedition to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

The entire climb required ascending from the 4,350-m base camp to the 7,546-m summit. Each step on the cold and hard rocks was challenging. The expedition lasted 18 days, with three training sessions before the official climb.

At 3 am on July 18, Du launched his final rush on the summit.

"There were some crevices we needed to carefully cross and some icy areas that required us to step firmly to avoid slipping. The ice was particularly hard and if you only stepped lightly you could slip," Du said.

He recounted that the weather on the day of the summit attempt was extremely harsh, with wind speeds reaching 40 kilometers per hour and snowfall increasing.

The extreme cold, low oxygen levels, strong winds, intense sun exposure, heavy snow and hail – combined with symptoms of altitude sickness like headaches, tinnitus and sleepless nights – left a lasting impression on him.

"Above 7,300 m, I felt completely bewildered. This was the point where most people give up," he said.

"Facing the vast snow slope, I also thought about quitting. But with the encouragement of my guide and teammates, I believed that as long as I kept moving forward, I would reach the summit, so I didn't give up".

With his tenacious will and active cooperation with the professional guide team, Du ultimately reached the summit successfully. The entire ascent and descent took 12 hours.

Du hunkers down as he makes his climb. [Photo provided by Kaitu Expedition to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

On returning to the base camp, Du received his high school entrance exam results and was admitted to a key high school in Baotou. His parents offered their congratulations by setting off fireworks back home, thousands of kilometers away.

"My next goal is Mount Qomolangma, which I plan to achieve during my university years," Du promised.