Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

7. Trail to the Top of Huangshan

You don't need to ride the cable car to get to the top. You can take the trail for no additional charge. You take the trail via a stone staircase cut into the mountain. A mere 5-mile hike, with only 20,000 stone stairs that lie between you and the top. Three hours of hard climbing should get your exhausted soul to the top gasping for air. And what's more you needn't climb if you have money. For a $100 US you can ride on a swinging sedan chair to the top. More than one Chinese Emperor made it to the top riding in such a device propelled on the shoulders of powerful runners. This picture taken from the cable car shows the path as it passes through a rest stop of some vendors who offer food and drink to the weary hikers.