A hiker in China survived after being lost for 10 days in a cold mountain by eating toothpaste. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, Sun Liang, 18 years old, was stranded while hiking in the mountains of northwestern China. He started climbing on February 8 in Qinling, a mountain range in Shaanxi province with an average height of 2,500 meters.
Two days later, the battery of his electronic devices ran out so his family could no longer contact him. He also fell several times while trying to get down to the river, breaking his right arm. In the bitter cold, he hid behind a large rock and made a bed out of dry grass and leaves. When food ran out, he was forced to drink water from the river, melted snow, and eat toothpaste.
After a week, Liang was found on February 17 by a rescue team with more than 30 members. He noticed the smell of smoke from the rescuers so he shouted for help. According to the report, the route he took was one of the "most difficult hiking trails in China" due to the changeable weather. More than 50 hikers have been lost or died on this trail, so authorities banned it in 2018. Liang didn't know about the ban.
After his rescue, Liang said he was horrified by what happened. According to him, the trail is very difficult, does not have good views, and is dangerous due to strong winds and heavy snow. He also warned other hikers not to attempt the Ao-Tai Line because life is more important.
Liang's family spent 80,000 yuan (P637,011) for the rescue operation. According to a rescuer, the rescue is paid to prevent other hikers from entering the dangerous trail. Besides the extreme weather, there are wild animals in the area such as bear, antelope, and wild boar. Several rescuers were also injured while searching for Liang.
