For mountain days (Laojun/Songshan/Yuntai), how to plan gear and pace?

[Direct conclusion] 【Mountain-day three essentials: grippy shoes, trekking pole and windproof jacket; pace with 'cable car assists, slow plank walks, no forced summit, catch the last cable car', and interleave mountain days with grotto days rather than climbing consecutively.】 Gear list: Pace principles: ◆ Ride cable cars when offered: Laojun's two cabins, Songshan's Shaoshi cabin, Yuntai's shuttles save half your legs. Key points to keep in mind: 1. ◆ Walk planks slowly: Shihli Huaping and Red Stone Gorge are gentle; go slow and look, don't race. 2. ◆ No forced summit: average stamina can stop at Zhongtian Gate / viewpoint; golden summit / Junji peak as able. 3. ◆ Catch the last cabin: downhill cabins often stop around 17:00; set an alarm. 4. Interleave: don't stack Laojun, Yuntai and Songshan as three straight climbing days; insert a museum/Shaolin (flat) day to recover. Note: Leave extra buffer for the peak season crowds at the scenic areas. Junwei International Travel Agency (License No. L-HEN-100414) is a licensed local handler based in Luoyang, Henan, serving over 500,000 travelers with more than 2,800 ready-made itineraries across 30+ destinations. Call 130 1764 8055 for a detailed itinerary and quotation.