A place well worth a visit is Dengfeng, a comparatively small city in the heart of China. Dengfeng is most famous for the widely renowned Shaolin Temple – the birth place of both Kong Fu and Zen Buddhism. Surrounded by impressive mountain ranges, Dengfeng is not only a place for those interested in culture, it also offers great opportunities for outdoor activities, especially hiking and mountain climbing. Probably the more well-known mountain in the area is Songshan (shan = mountain), which is accessible via the Shaolin Temple grounds. However, another mountain worth climbing is Taishi Mountain, with an altitude of about 1440 m one of the highest peaks in the area. Not far from the city center, it’s easy to access and takes you right into a beautiful landscape of bizarre rock formations and untouched nature. The only downside to hiking up Taishi Mountain: you have to be willing and able to climb lots of stairs. And – like many other scenic spots in China – accessing the mountain isn’t free, unless you can find …