At the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau lies a remarkable region where mountains rise dramatically above the valleys and their rugged beauty instills awe onto those who come here.
Within this rugged landscape, four revered mountains stand beside each other. They are called Siguniang, which means four girls. The highest is a 20,500-foot technical alpine pyramid called Yaomei Feng.
Embark on an exciting tale of adventure where setbacks and obstacles are overcome and history is made on Siguniang — one of China’s most challenging peaks.
For American alpinist Jon Otto, Chinese alpinist Ma Yihua, and filmmaker Tim Boelter, climbing Siguniang started as a casual affair. But after nearly being killed by rockfall and losing the battle against weather, it was anything but casual.
A year later they return to this stunning and challenging peak. Only this time the motivation is different, the expedition larger, and the stakes higher.
For Jon and Ma — as the cofounders of the Arête Alpine Instruction Center in Chengdu, China — the challenge of Siguniang goes beyond getting themselves to the summit. They are determined to get the first Chinese climbers on top, a feat thought impossible in the Chinese climbing community.
For filmmaker and climber Tim Boelter, documenting the risks and obstacles of climbing this mountain are challenging enough, but in an ironic twist of fate, it’s not the rock fall or avalanches on Siguniang that nearly kill him. He suffers a traumatic head injury away from the dangers of the mountains, in a place you’d never expect. His team of doctors urged him not to climb again. But that advice went unheeded and seven months later he returns to the mountain.
Returning to Siguniang is about more than just climbing a mountain — it’s about achieving Higher Ambitions.
