To improve professional mountaineering skills, nearly 200 top athletes started a two-month winter mountaineering training program in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Nov 5, Xinhua reported.

The training program is scheduled for two months, with up to nearly 200 participants composed of members of Tibet Mountaineering Team, students from Tibet Mountaineering School and Mountain guides from Tibet Sheng Shan Expedition Company. A series of subjects including mountain rescue, mountain iatrology, mountain meteorology, disciplines for foreign affairs, etc. will be taught by a group of domestic experts in mountaineering.

Nyima Tsering, leader of Tibet Mountaineering Team said, winter training is an important approach to increase the endurance of the mountaineers. To further improve the athletes' capability in the field, trainees will be gathered at the Yangbajain mountain training base, to receive field trainings from ice and snow operations, ice and rock climbing, mountain rescue, etc.

In recent years, to cater the needs of the development of mountaineering sport, Tibet Mountaineering Team has set the goal to popularize the sport and establish the mountain rescue system. And such training programs are considered crucial to educate mountaineering talents and speed up the development of mountain rescue.