"We didn't actually start the climb until 9:30pm. It took us four and a half hours, with frequent stops to catch our breaths. 7,200 steps is a lot! And despite the fact that it was night, and we were gaining elevation, it was warm. For the last hour or so of our ascent, we were engulfed in mist. At the summit, we had to stick close together, to avoid losing one another! The mountaintop remained shrouded in fog well into the next morning, so there was no sunrise. It wasn't until we were about halfway down - past the cable car landing - that were finally even able to see the mountain we'd climbed. Obviously, we should have gone on a better day, but we didn't have the option. The souvenir hawkers were amusing at first, but got a bit tiresome after a while - though it was nice to be able to buy water as we went. We could smell the toilets long before we saw them. It was ... an experience, one I'm sure I'd have appreciated more if I could have seen it." — RSperling • Jul 29, 2015

"It was once of my first mountain "hike", although the trail mostly consists of stairs. I wasn't an experience hiker so the climb was rather grueling, plus the day was foggy so we didn't have any view. It's still one of my fondest memory of China! So much history, so many temples to visit, it's hard not to be impressed with the religious, cultural and historical significance of Mount Taishan!" — v_racine • Sep 29, 2009