Mountaineers took to the Mount Tai Scenic Area in hundreds on Nov 11, touring some of the area's most scenic sights.

Gathering at the Wangyue West Road, more than 500 enthusiastic climbers set off on the 21-kilometer race.

The climbers rush out from the starting line during the Mount Tai climbing challenge held on Nov 11 in Tai'an, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This was the eighth time the Mount Tai climbing challenge has been held in the city of Tai'an, which has had growing numbers of participants each year.

The picturesque Hongyu River, Chilin Brook and Tiefo Temple were just a few of the scenic spots on the climbing route, with finish line set at the Taohua (peach blossom) Valley Scenic Spot.

Jointly organized by the Shandong Administration of Sports, the Shandong Tourism Development Committee and the Tai'an government, the event was a major part of the Mount Tai Scenic Area's "Taishan + Sports" strategy, which is designed to increase tourist source and raise the scenic area's profile by cultivating influential sporting events, developing high-end tourism products, and enhancing cooperation with sports associations and clubs.