There are three rock climbing areas in the vicinity of Kunming, Yunnan, only two of which are still active.
LOCATION MAP The first place to be developed was in the unique karst topography of the Stone Forest (Shi Lin), 100 km east of Kunming. During 1999 and early 2000, four sport routes were pioneered on the short limestone towers that constitute the "forest." These were the first sport climbs in Yunnan. Stone Forest climbing was largely abandoned when the enormous potential of the Western Hills (Xi Shan) was discovered in 2000. This area, 15 km southwest of Kunming, currently has the largest number and diversity of rock climbs in Yunnan. The Western Hills still have nearly unlimited potential for new routes, from short, sport routes to high-end, multi-pitch lines on big walls. During May 2002, development began of a new area in a relatively remote valley of Fumin County. Lying 30 km northwest of Kunming, the atmosphere of this quiet, rural canyon is in sharp contrast to the mass tourism of the Western Hills at the edge of metropolitan Kunming. This guide covers Western Hills and Fumin Canyon climbing in detail. A short section on the Stone Forest appears at the end.
　　A small sport climbing area was developed near Lijiang in 2002. Lijiang is in northwestern Yunnan,600km from Kunming, and is the only other developed rock climbing area in Yunnan. To date there are 6 climbs in a limestone canyon south of town.
　　All told, there are more than 100 rock climbing routes reported in this version of Yunnan Rock. Be aware that new routes are going up regularly at Fuming Canyon and the Western Hills, which will make this guide out of date as soon as it is distributed..

　　 Climate: All sport crags lie on the Yunnan Plateau, a rolling subtropical highland, ranging in elevation from 1700 m in Fumin Canyon to 2200 m at Lijiang. The relatively high elevation, at a subtropical latitude (25o N), makes for a very pleasant climate. Indeed, Kunming is nicknamed the Spring City because of its enjoyable year-round weather. As expected then, climbing at the Western Hills can take place throughout the year. Having said this, however, the best seasons to climb are autumn, winter, and spring. The dry season begins in late September and runs through June. Monsoon rains begin sometime in June and persist into September, with the possibility of at least some rain nearly every day. There are times during the winter when the Spring City moniker seems like a marketing ploy by overly optimistic city fathers. It can be quite cold at times, especially if it's cloudy. But if the sun is out, it's going to be pleasant on the rock. The crags at Fumin are about 200-300 m lower in elevation than the Western Hills, so will be comparatively warmer, both during the summer and the winter. It is very rare for Kunming to experience freezing temperatures or snow. Because this is the subtropics and rarely freezes, the frost shattering doesn't weaken features on the face and you end up with reliably solid holds.
　　 Gear Shops in Kunming: The availability of rock climbing equipment in Kunming is very limited at present, but anything can be ordered from shops and be in Kunming within a week. At present, the best shop is:
o Climber Outdoor, 20 East Dong Feng Road (opposite City Hall), Kunming, proprietor: Mr. Yi Jiabao, phone: 871 313 2783, mobile: 1398 718 0286, pager: 198-87119035.

　　 Western Hills: The Western Hills Forest Park Management Office administers the Western Hills as a scenic area. An unfortunate event took place in April 2001. A journalist standing on the access trail was killed by falling rock from the Dragon Gate tourist trails while covering a top-roping competition. This was not a climbing accident. Park authorities immediately closed the trail that they had recently constructed for the event with a cement wall. The sign on that wall warns people to enter at their own risk. The park management authority is very worried about their liability for injured climbers and closed the area during the spring of 2002. A group of local climbers signed an agreement with the park management abdicating them of any responsibility for all climbers, therefore opening access again.
　　 Fumin Canyon: The climbing at Fumin is in the countryside away from any major population and tourist centers. Right now there are no management and access issues, but be considerate of the local farmers and goat herders that use the area. For example, crop fields lie at the base of the River Crags. Do not trample the fields.

　　 Grades: The standard for rating the difficulty of climbs in China is the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). The rating under the YDS is based on the difficulty of the single hardest move on the route. This guide follows that standard. See table for a cross-reference various rating systems used worldwide. GRADE CONVERSION

　　 Equipment: Most climbs are bolted on limestone faces. The first bolt was purposely placed relatively high off the ground and sometimes a long reach from the stance. This was done to prevent local villagers from stealing the hanger, a common problem at Moon Hill, China's most famous climbing area near Yangshuo, Guangxi Province.
There are few crack climbs on the Western Hills, although most are very fun. A word of caution--most cracks have been created or altered by water (solution) erosion and are very uneven-sided. Nuts, tri-cams, hexes, and threaded webbing often afford the best protection. Be very careful when placing camming units.
　　Helmets are highly recommended! The rock is generally solid, but so few climbers have ascended these routes that some still have loose stones. Be especially careful on multipitch routes and when pulling ropes and toproping. Helmets are essential for pioneering new routes.
　　A 60 m rope is recommended for climbing in Yunnan, especially at Old Red Rock in Fumin Canyon where many single-pitch routes are 30 m long and can only be top-roped with a 60 m rope. The same is true of newer climbs in the Western Hills.
　　 Anchors: Most belay anchors on single pitch routes are chains bolted to the rock. Longer pitches and multi-pitch routes often have Metolius rappel hangers. However, some belay anchors consist of webbing, threaded through solution pockets in the rock, around trees, or through bolt hangers. Some are slung around boulders and horns. Always check the webbing for signs of being chewed on by animals or melting from rope friction. It's a good idea to bring extra webbing to replace or backup old, worn-out webbing.
　　 Language: The Chinese names for climbs and places in the English version of the guide are parenthetically indicated in Pin Yin (official system for writing Mandarin characters using the Roman alphabet). Hopefully, this will help facilitate access to Kunming climbing areas and communication among climbers on the escarpment. Speaking of which, we have compiled a short English-Chinese dictionary of climbing terms used around Kunming.
　　 Route Photos and Topos: Color photos are included for most routes. Route topos are included for multi-pitch climbs.
　　 Trail and Route Conditions: The crags described here are off the beaten path. As the small Kunming climbing crowd has shifted activity to new areas, access trails and, in some cases, the climbs themselves have become overgrown with subtropical brush. Be aware that the descriptions in this guide are written as if the trails were open and the climbs had just been cleaned.
　　 Nasty Insects: During the late summer and early fall you'll see a bright red caterpillar common on the brush. This beautiful little creature has a nasty bite that raises a large welt. Stay away!
　　 First Ascents: First Ascent (FA) information is provided in the description of each climb. Multi-pitch climbs were often pioneered over several weeks (sometimes months) by various groups. Names of first ascentionists mentioned in this version of the guide:

　　 For more English information contact anyone listed below. Also, please keep us informed of new routes,
　　changes to old routes, and other interesting experiences:
　　Kunming Redpoint Rock Climbing Club:0871 337 2350
　　Bob Moseley: bobmoseley@hotmail.com; mobile 1370 849 5921; home 0871 536 6898