From 1st January 2011 new Chinese regulations will make it financially much harder for small parties to attempt virgin peaks in Sichuan.

Compared with 2010, climbers will face anything up to five or six times the cost, with the rise in royalties more acute for lower altitude peaks.

Even for previously climbed peaks, individuals will need to pay more than double this year's prices.

For peaks above 7,000m the fee in 2011 will be 2,800 Yuan per person. In reality, as there is only one peak of this height in the Province, and it has seen several ascents since 1932, this figure applies to parties attempting new lines or repeating established routes on Minya Konka (7,556m).

Attempting an unclimbed peak between 6,000 and 7,000m will cost 25,000-45,000 Yuan per expedition, though if the mountain has already been climbed, this drops to 1,800 Yuan per person (or a total of 15,000 for an expedition of 10 members or more). At the time of writing the criteria that define the sliding scale for expeditions remain unclear.

Between 5,500 and 6,000m the equivalent royalties will be 20,000-35,000 for an expedition attempting an unclimbed peak or 1,000 per person for a climbed peak (9,000 for a team of 10 or more). Compare this with 2010 prices, when an expedition was charged 9,000 Yuan.

From 3,500m to 5,500m the cost is 15,000-30,000 per team for an unclimbed peak or 500 per person for a previously climbed summit (no expedition price quoted).

Those wanting simply to rock or ice climb will be required to pay 500 Yuan each, while everyone is required to contribute a 200 Yuan environment protection fee. When climbing within a national park, local entrance and environmental fees would be additional.

Staff fees will see less drastic increase. A Liaison Officer (officially mandatory when climbing on a mountain above 3,500m) will cost 680 Yuan a day. This price includes wages, equipment and insurance.

Assistant LOs and Interpreters will cost 580, cooks 480 and other staff 300 Yuan. If a high altitude porter is employed, the cost will be 880 Yuan per day. On top of this each member of the Chinese staff will need a food allowance of 120 Yuan per day.

It also seems likely that climbers will have to pay a service charge of five percent on the overall expenses during their expedition.

At the time of writing 1 Yuan is approximately 10p.

Thanks to Tamotsu Nakamura and Jiyue Zhang for help with this report

The photo shows the unclimbed Baihaizi Shan (5,924m), the second highest peak in the Lamo-she Massif south east of Kangding, seen from the west.
 

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