Huashan Changkong Plank Path (South Peak)

The Changkong Plank Path is a narrow via ferrata bolted directly into a vertical cliff face below the South Peak of Mount Hua in Huayin, Shaanxi, and is widely cited as one of the most exposed walkways in the world. Participants clip a safety harness onto a fixed steel cable strung along the rock before stepping onto a run of wooden planks roughly 30 cm wide, with a sheer drop of several hundred metres beneath them and only the cable and a chain-assisted rock traverse for support. No formal certification is required, but the route demands a genuine tolerance for heights and steady footing; children, anyone with vertigo, and travellers with mobility or cardiac concerns should not attempt it. Harnesses, carabiners, and helmets are issued and fitted by staff at a queue point just before the path begins and must be clipped to the cable at all times; sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes are mandatory and gloves can be rented on site for grip on the chains. The path is managed directly by the Mount Hua Scenic Area Management Committee rather than a private operator, and staff at the queue point control single-file access and can halt entry during crowding or bad weather. A verbal safety briefing on clipping technique is given before entry, and staff stationed along the route can direct a slow evacuation back the way climbers came if conditions deteriorate, since there is no alternative exit from the plank sections. The path is best attempted April through November in dry, calm weather; it closes without notice during high wind, rain, or ice, and queues can run long in summer, so an early-morning start is recommended.