Measure the Dangers of Nujiang with the Body—The Sichuan-Tibet Highway Warrior Challenge
The Nujiang River 72 Turns Canyon Scenic Area is home to the most dangerous section of the G318 Highway.Inspired by the iconic "hairpin turn" road layout of the Nujiang River 72 Turns, perched on the cliffs of the Nujiang Canyon with a drop of over 130 meters, the steel truss extends outward with a cantilever of 37 meters. The ground is paved with high-transparency safety glass, creating a true "heavenly road" in the air. This allows visitors to deeply immerse themselves in the majestic wild beauty of the Nujiang Canyon. The steel's rugged texture harmonizes with the untamed landscape.
A Dream Perched on Cliffs—Six Years of High-Altitude Engineering Challenges
Extreme weather with continuous snowfall for 5 months every year and high altitude demanded exceptional physical endurance from workers. The scenic structures span both banks of the 260-meter-wide Nujiang River, with some points on sheer cliffs requiring workers to take measurements while suspended by safety ropes. Large machinery being inaccessible, initial pile foundation work relied on manual drilling. The deepest of the 39 piles reached 25 meters, with workers descending into 1.8-meter-wide shafts to break rocks by hand before hauling debris up in baskets. Six teams rotated over six months to complete this phase.
The glass viewing platform's steel truss, with cantilevers extending 37 meters and hovering 130 meters above the river, was factory-fabricated in 46 segments for on-site assembly. Red weather-resistant steel and imported SGP laminated glass were chosen for their durability and ease of installation.
The project has created 48 local jobs, generating over 3 million yuan annually. We hope it will invigorate regional tourism, foster cultural exchange, and boost agricultural exports, planting seeds of hope on these rugged cliffs.