Shaanxi (China) - An 18-year-old who got lost while hiking in a snowy mountain range in China was rescued after ten days. In order to survive, the teenager resorted to strange measures.

Over the past two decades, more than 50 hikers have fallen victim to the treacherous route between the Ao and Taibai mountains in China. For this reason, the dangerous region was closed to visitors back in 2018, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Nevertheless, a young man ventured onto the so-called AI Tai route and almost died there.

On 8 February, 18-year-old Sun Liang set off alone on a hike to conquer a striking east-west mountain range called Qinling at an altitude of 2,500 meters in the snow.

But after just two days, he lost contact with the outside world when the batteries in his electronic devices ran out. The 18-year-old, who was also completely disoriented as a result, decided to follow a stream downstream in the hope of finding civilization at some point.

During his descent, the teenager fell several times in the snowy surroundings and even broke his right arm.

Because his supplies ran out at some point, the 18-year-old tried to survive by drinking river water and melted snow. He even ate his toothpaste so that he could at least eat something.

To protect himself from the icy storms, the hiker built makeshift camps of dry straw and leaves behind large rocks.

While he struggled to survive, his worried family desperately searched for him. They also hired a local rescue team. The search team was able to track down the missing man by chance on February 17 - around ten days after Sun had set off.

When the team started a fire during a rest stop, the hiker smelled the smoke and then shouted for help. His rescuers became aware of this and found the completely exhausted 18-year-old.

After his rescue, the teenager claimed that he had known nothing about the ban on the Ao Tai route. He simply wanted to "face the challenge" on his hike.

However, he now realizes that the area is anything but suitable for an excursion. "The wind was so strong that I could barely stay on my feet," Sun recalls. The snow also hindered his navigation.

"I advise all mountaineers who are considering tackling the Ao Tai route: Do not go there under any circumstances, because life is priceless," warns the rescued man.

Even though his family is delighted that the 18-year-old was found alive, the shock was certainly immense when they received the bill for the rescue operation. The search team, which consisted of more than 30 people, cost Sun's relatives 80,000 yuan (the equivalent of around 10,550 euros).