At around 12 pm on November 12, at the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, a Chery Fengyun X3L attempted to climb the “Heaven’s Stairway” in a step-climbing challenge. However, the vehicle slipped backwards during the attempt and crashed into part of the guardrail.

After the collision, the car remained stuck on the steps for about two hours without being moved. The scenic area authorities subsequently closed off the stairway section and adjusted tourist routes, requiring visitors to take the mountain elevator to reach Tianmen Cave instead.

In the early hours of November 13, Chery Automobile issued an apology, extending its sincere apologies to the Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, tourists, partners, and all those concerned about the incident. The company pledged to fully repair the damage, take responsibility for compensation, and properly handle all follow-up matters.

Staff at Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park stated that the “Heaven’s Stairway” was closed to tourists on both November 12 and 13 due to events organised by Chery. When asked about the failed car climb and damaged guardrail, staff said they were not aware of the details.

The “Heaven’s Stairway” at Tianmen Mountain is nearly 300 metres long, with a vertical drop of 150 metres and a total of 999 steps. It serves as the main route leading to Tianmen Cave. The steep and slippery staircase is considered so challenging that even imported off-road vehicles rarely attempt it.