Beijing

Most people would shiver at the thought of climbing the Great Wall in midwinter. Todd Balazovic discovers a group who thinks it's great fun to be trekking the Wall in sub-zero temperatures.

While most are bundling up against Beijing's brisk winter winds, one group of hearty adventurers has taken to trekking one of China's greatest monuments, despite the chill.

Heading out to an unrestored section of the Great Wall in the midst of winter may not sound like a fun daytrip for the faint-hearted, but for the Beijing Hiking Club it's the primetime get-away.

"It's actually better to go during the winter. During summer, Beijing's heat gets so intense, you can only remove so many layers. At least in winter, you can put on as many layers as you want," says Zachary Chen, a guide for the Beijing Hiking club.

Chen and his fellow guides from the club lead monthly expeditions to the unrestored Gubeikou section of the Great Wall throughout the coldest months of winter, and surprisingly they're never alone.

"I think places like the Great Wall, or the Grand Canyon are best when viewed during winter. It's lovely to see the snow covering everything and there's a lot of peace and quiet. It's a good time to reflect," he says.

Teetering on the border between Beijing and Hebei province, the Wall is built on top of the Yanshan Mountain range in the northeast section of Miyun County, more than a two-hour drive from downtown Beijing.

But the best trips are always worth the drive, Chen says.

"If you want to see the best parts of the Great Wall, you have to be willing to go where no tourist goes."

The seven-kilometer expedition along the frozen fortification pits hikers not only against the elements, but also against narrow paths scattered with loose stones and, in the coldest months, potentially troublesome ice.

For Max Nilsson, who recently joined one of the Club's outings, it was a chance to circumvent the crowds and tromp on a genuine artifact from China's past.

"It's a big step beyond what I've heard about Badaling," he says, referring to the part of the Great Wall most tourists visit.

The 20-year-old Swede spent the last month and a half traveling China and had arrived in Beijing just one week before being told about hiking Gubeikou in the depths of winter.

"I was going to see the Great Wall regardless and when someone recommended a trip to the unrestored section, it sounded like the perfect adventure," he says.

But it's not just young adventurers who seek the serenity of a mid-winter march on the Wall.

Of the 100 plus regular members of the Beijing Hiking Club, more than a quarter are over the age of 30, with many walking the Wall, regardless of temperature, as a way to unwind on weekends.

"It's a relaxing way to meet people and see some of the best parts of Beijing," says Chen. "It would be too strong to call what we do a sub-

culture, but I would call it a community activity. At the very least, we're just good folks enjoying nature."