A great spot to hang out

"It looked like it might be a continuous 300-meter roof climb here! It's insane, but definitely not a joke," an international climber commented on route database Mountain Project in 2009.

The goro were still climbing barefoot when they first encountered overseas climbers. Some gave Wang a few pairs of climbing shoes.

Reflecting on the experience, Wang said: "Those shoes were too tight. I still prefer wearing rubber shoes."

Today, Wang still wears the military-style green canvas "liberation shoes" commonly used in the mountainous regions of southwest China, even outpacing two overseas climbers in a speed climbing competition.

While climbers point out that the goro routes have more hand and footholds, and are therefore considered less difficult in the sporting context of modern climbing, none deny their courage and skill.

Today, nearly all of Ziyun's youth have eschewed this ancient profession. Now, only a handful of goro remain.

Whether they serve as coffin artisans or park employees, climbing has always been about survival in extreme environments. As economic conditions improve and career options expand, the decline of the goro is unsurprising.

Modern competitive climbing, however, has rekindled the Getu River's centuries-old culture.

In 2011, Petzl, a globally renowned climbing gear manufacturer, brought over 600 climbers from around the world to Ziyun as part of their famed Petzl Rocktrip series. It was the first time such an event had been held in China.