10 days lost in the mountains and manages to survive thanks to his ingenuity and mixing the river water with an unexpected “food”

An 18-year-old named Sun Liang in China has faced a terrifying ordeal. He was lost for 10 days on a frozen mountain, situated over 2,500 meters above sea level, with no way to communicate with anyone. This experience is likely one of the most extreme and distressing challenges he will ever encounter, and thankfully he lived to tell the tale. This harrowing story was first published in Spanish by the Huffington Post.

Liang’s ordeal began on February 8, when he set out to climb the mountains of Ao-Tai Pass in the Qinling range of Shaanxi, northwestern China. What was meant to be an unforgettable adventure—an opportunity for the young man to find himself and take in the breathtaking natural scenery—became unforgettable for a much more tragic reason.

Just hours into his journey, all of his electronic devices stopped working, leaving him completely disoriented. Lost in the towering and treacherous mountains of Ao-Tai Pass—one of the most dangerous in all of China—he wandered, surviving solely on toothpaste.

Conditions get worse as Liang becomes more disoriented

To make matters worse, Liang’s situation became even more dire when he followed the path of a stream and suffered multiple falls. One of these falls resulted in a broken arm, as later confirmed by the media outlet My News after speaking with his family.

Stranded in a region that spans up to 170 kilometers, with no food, no communication, and freezing temperatures, Liang’s hope of being found dwindled with each passing day. Over the past 20 years, 50 climbers have either disappeared or died on these slopes, leading to the area’s closure in 2018.

In an effort to survive, Liang built a makeshift bed using dry leaves and straw, hoping to get some rest. He sustained himself by drinking river water, melted snow, and the toothpaste he had with him.

But on February 17, fate gave him a second chance. Smelling smoke from a fire intentionally set by rescue teams, Liang followed the scent until he finally encountered his rescuers. His family had raised the alarm after several days without any contact, prompting an extensive search effort.

More than 30 rescuers took part in the mission, which ended up costing his family over €10,000. After being saved, the young man admitted he had been “terrified” and urged others not to take the same risk. “I didn’t know Ao-Tai was off-limits. I came here just to challenge myself‚” he said. His family is happy to have him home and is grateful to the rescue team that was able to bring him out of harm’s way.

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