**Eighteen-Year-Old Hiker Survives Five Days on a Deadly Mountain by Eating Toothpaste**
Eighteen-year-old Sun Liang from China had only begun hiking regularly a year ago, but he felt prepared to tackle a new challenge: the Ao-Tai Trail in the Qinling Mountains of northwest China. After two weeks of preparation, equipped with tech gear and a trail map, he set out on his adventure.
However, the harsh cold proved too much for his technology, causing it to fail within just two days. Suddenly, Sun found himself alone and vulnerable in a perilous environment. Things took a turn for the worse when he fell badly, lost consciousness, and subsequently lost his food supplies. Alone on what is regarded as the deadliest trail in China, he faced the grim reality of being lost without food or a means to call for help.
The Ao-Tai Trail spans approximately 170 kilometers between Ao and Taibai mountains near Xi’an, with an average altitude of around 2,500 meters. It is notorious for its unpredictable and often frigid weather conditions, and the challenging terrain adds to the trail’s dangers. Between 2012 and 2017, numerous individuals died or went missing in the area, leading authorities to ban entry in 2018.
Despite the dire circumstances, Sun felt, correctly, that he was closer to the trail’s end than the beginning. He bravely pushed through the pain, hunger, and fatigue. In a desperate attempt to sustain himself, he turned to an unconventional source of nutrition: toothpaste, which allowed him to survive for five additional days.
On the tenth day, February 17, Sun caught a whiff of smoke. Recognizing it as a sign of nearby people, he began to shout for help. Fortunately, the smoke came from a team of rescuers, who quickly located him. They provided food, and together, they spent one final night on the mountain.
Following his rescue, Sun shared a cautionary message: “I urge others not to try this trail – life is too precious to risk.”
