‘Painless mountain climbing’: critics say tourist escalators at China scenic spots ‘kill’ joy of hiking
- Installation of 350-metre moving mountainside walkway helps tourists enjoy views better, reach peak faster
- Escalators cut journey time to peak but critics say they remove joy of hiking, detract from natural beauty of area
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Escalators on mountain stir debate in China
Tour operators in China have installed escalators on a mountainside to help visitors enjoy the views without having to endure the challenges of climbing. But not everybody is a fan.
Some have praised the amenity for bringing convenience to the elderly and very young, but some say it destroys the joy of climbing and the natural beauty of the area.
Online critics say moving walkways create “no-pain mountain climbing”, and while this service makes it easier and quicker to reach the top, it ruins the physical experience of hiking.
The escalator was built on Tianyu Mountain, Chunan county in eastern Zhejiang province, last year.
It now takes just 10 minutes to arrive at the end of the moving walkway before visitors complete the last 3 kilometres of the journey to the peak on foot. The total trip used to take 50 minutes.