Many seasoned backpackers are aware of Bolivia’s “most dangerous road” in the world. If you want that kind of excitement–and perhaps more so since this is a hiking trail–check out China’s Huashan trail, a very doable itinerary if you happen to be in Beijing for the Olympics.
To do justice to the experience, see the pictures here and here. Words can’t describe some of the harrowing sections of the trail–which, again, is suppose to be a hiking trail. That means no climbing gear is available. I can easily see people falling to their deaths, and apparently because of China’s less-than-stellar press freedoms, many deaths are kept quiet.
To get there, fly into Xian, which can take up a whole series of posts by itself (terracotta soldiers are there, for one). Then take the minibuses that run from the train station directly to Huashan. Or you can take the train, which drops you off some 25 km east of the mountain.