In 2021, Liu Junfu and I were looking for a mountain on which we could climb a new route of moderate difficulty in a one-day push. We chose Yangmantai (5,666m, 31°11’58.31”N, 102°53’38.11”E). Viewed from the Changping Valley, Yangmantai is an elegant rock pyramid, first climbed in 1997, solo, by Charlie Fowler (USA) via the south ridge. It would be our first mountain climb as partners.

In early November, after a few days of heavy snowfall, we camped to the south of the peak at 5,100m, aiming for the southwest ridge. As we got closer, we decided to try the triangular west face, about 400m high. Because the lower rock was highly polished due to glacial retreat, we started below the southwest ridge and then worked up left into the face.

We led in blocks of three pitches. The crux, a slippery dihedral with a small overhang, was M5. Above, the climbing was easier, but it was hard to find protection on the snow-covered rock. We slanted back to the southwest ridge and then moved together to the summit, which we reached at 4 p.m. We named the route Hard Men of West Sichuan (5.8 M5 65°). [On December 6 of the same year, these two climbers repeated the 2009 route The Free Spirits on the south face of Siguniang (6,250m). They rated the climb D+ M4+ AI3 70°.]

— Chen Junchu, China, translated by Xia Zhongming