After some more time at Black Dragon Pool, we went on to Shuhe Ancient Town as Cynthia hadn't been here. Crossed the 400 year old bridge and walked through the streets and square. It is overdeveloped for tourists with shops and stalls. Briefly visited the Tea Horse museum as the Tiger Leaping Gorge Trail is part of the old tea horse trail from China to Tibet and on to Asia Minor and Europe.
Drove to Qiaotao to start the walk. Set off at 3:30pm for the walk to Naxi Guesthouse estimated at 2 hours away. Made it in 2hours 15 minutes. Some of the climb was tough and it was very hot, about 26 degrees - a dry heat. Our room had the biggest bathroom imaginable - up till late last year these 3 ensuite rooms had been the barns in which they kept the livestock. Met a guy from Sandy Bay. Also a friendly couple from the Dandenongs in Victoria.
April 16 we set off at 7:30am after a pancake breakfast to face the challenging climb of the 28 bends to a height of 2640m. We walked up for 45 minutes on a faily steep track to the beginning of the 28 bends climb. Cynthia had opted for a horse to ride up ths section. (Thank God!) John kept on ahead and summitted about 15 minutes in front of the horse party. Some sections were very difficult for horse and rider, with steep drops over the edge. The rest of the walk to the Tea Horse Guesthouse was much more pleasant, mostly downhill. The walk offered spectacular views of the 13 peaks of the Jade Snow Mountains, the highest at 5660m. The narrow rocky track was daunting at times with vertical drops to the Yangtse River over 200 metres below. Arrived at the guest house at 10:40am - a good time for the section. Spent the rest of the day lazing on the balcony in awe of the peaks which seemed only an arm's length away. The brilliant sunshine accentuated their ruggedness and sharpness against a clear blue sky dappled with powderpuff clouds.
April 17 started at 7:10am to beat the heat and complete the Tiger Leaping Gorge walk as far as Tina's Guesthouse. Jonathon said it would be an easy downhill walk. There were still plenty of ups and downs including one big up of 200 metres over a kilometre or so. Passed a beautiful waterfall that fell from high up, down over the track and continued down to the Yangtse hundreds of metres below. At times the walk was a steep descent over the rough, rocky, twisting track. Arrived at Tina's at 11:05. After a short break, John and Jonathon descended an almost sheer track to the Tiger Leaping Stone. On the way back up they selected the route up the 'scare' ladder - a vertical ascent up a home-built ladder in two stages, made out of 'reo' and attached to the rock face. John's concern was not so much the vertical ascent but the 'Chinese engineering'. Meanwhile Cynthia had hired a room for a rest after yet another tiring walk.
After lunch we drove on to Shangrila (Zhongdian) - a route that was a mix of climbing, twisting passes interspersed with flat plains dotted with Tibetan villages and many yaks. On arrival in Shangrila we walked through the cobbled streets of the old city to our Tibetan hotel. It was
traditional in style and the bed was more of a platform with Tibetan carpet and cushions. On this was placed a sleeping pad and quilts for the night. The wooden furniture was ornately carved. After a pleasant meal at Rose's Restaurant we went to the square and joined in the traditional Tibetan circle dancing with the locals and other tourists.
Breakfast in the hotel, the dining area was heated by a charcoal burner in the middle of the table. The decor included weapons from guns to bow and arrows to daggers - all traditional Tibetan. the entrances were hung with heavy drapes to prevent draughts. Then off to Shika Snow Mountain in Blue Moon Valley. This mountain is 4700m high. We boarded the two stage cable car under blue skies but with threatening clouds beginning to encompass the summit. At the end of the first stage there was a plateau between the peaks into which nestled a Tibetan village, with yaks scattered over the grasses. As we went up the second cable stage to 4500+m, snow flakes began to fall. As the cable car went up we were surrounded by spectacular views of snow covered valleys and peaks. Some of the trees were draped with long strands of lichen. As we ascended the snow became heavier and the wind increased with the cable car swinging in the gusts. By the time we reached the station it was snowing heavily with strong winds. John and Jonathon set off to do a circuit walk to Mirror Lake but as they climbed to the viewing platform it became a blizzard with horizontal snow lashing like bullets into their faces. Their attempt to the summit was thwarted by the track being closed. After spending half an hour enduring the blizzard they returned to the station because of the dangerous conditions. Cynthia had a look outside and lasted 2 minutes.
The first part of the cable car ride down was hazardous, being lashed by gale force winds. Once in the lee of the ridge the trip became a pleasant ride in a winter wonderland over the top of tall pine trees and tree rhododendrons. It was almost an anticlimax coming into the mid-stage station. Continued down the other stage to be picked up by the driver and off to lunch in a restaurant frequented by track drivers. Tibetan bread and pancake and yak meat among our chosen dishes.
Then on to Ganden Sumtselling Monastery - a 300 year old Tibetan monastery with 600 monks. The most important in south west China. Renovation is ongoing since 1986. It was badly damaged by the Red Guards in 1960. As with all monasteries there were many, many steps leading to the main buildings. There were many large rooms, one of which contained over 100 prayer wheels. As you passed through you could hear monks chanting in prayer in side rooms.
In a large temple there were many Buddhas. The main temple had a huge 19m high Buddha, it was heavily gilded. The temples were decorated with paintings of grotesque creatures. The vultures (heaven's birds) soared around the top of the buildings. The Buddhists and Tibetans allow the vultures to clean the deceased body of flesh and thus allow the soul to fly to Heaven. The bones are then cremated.
April 19 and after breakfast we left for the drive to Feilaisa. Had news that a bus had crashed down a 300m ravine the day before with 20 injured people flung out and scattered down the slopes. We climbed up out of Shangrila and stopped to look back over the Napu Lake, partly filled at the moment but it covers the plains after the summer rains. The road wound up through scenic pine forest dotted with patches of deciduous tree just showing colour. Passed a 'blue' truck on its side where it had overturned and crashed into a rock face spilling part of its
load. Continued to climb and saw picturesque villages below and on the high slopes above.
Stopped at a lookout at the top of te first of many passes. This was manned by an old mute man dressed in army uniform who collected one yuan for the use of the public toilet. He seemed to have a sense of humour and enjoyed a joke with the driver and Jonathon. The terrain was rugged and arid, with steep barren slopes many purely rock. We descended into a valley through which the Yangtse River rushed. We crossed the river. This is the province border of Sichuan and Yunnan.
After crossing the bridge we were stopped at an army checkpoint as we were going into an area where pro-Tibetan terrorists had supposedly been operating. John's passport was checked here. Continued on to Benzalin for a lunch stop. Our next stop was to see the "Omega" of the Yangtse, one of its important bends. We then began a long and amazing climb up the pass on Baimang Snow Mountain. This took in excess of one hour of twists and turns, sometimes on rough gravel roads which eventually became a cobbled surface. We stopped at a viewing place at over 4200m. John and Jonathon headed out to climb a snow covered peak adjacent to the road. The view from the top at 4700m was a 360 degree panorama of snow covered peaks up to 5600m. The pair of them returned after an hour and a half in high spirits, but with wet and cold feet from trudging through snow. We stopped a few kilometres later at the highest point of the pass at 4317m.
From here the road continued in a similar vein as it descended into Deqin. We stopped at Tibetan chortens (stupas) on the top of one ascent where we observed the truck drivers buying branches of juniper to burn on the prayer=fire for peace and a safe journey. They also bought prayer flags to add to the many hundreds fluttering in the breeze. They burned insence as
well. During the final descent into Deqin we saw an injured victim from yesterday's bus crash being attended on the roadside by local women. We suspect he may have been overlooked and had made his own way up the steep bank to the road.
Deqin is nestled right into the head of a valley. It is a service centre with very few old, traditional style buildings and lacked character. Continued round the side of the mountain to Feilaisa. The road was partly blocked by a long line of trucks queueing for petrol. Booked into our hotel room with a view over cloud covered Meili Snow Mountains with glimpses of Kawa Karpo (6740m) and the more beautiful Miacimu (6045m) to the south. This peak is affectionately known as Mother Peak.
Kawa Karpo has never been climbed. In 1996 seventeen Japanese climbers perished during an attempt to reach the summit. There is a memorial to them in the village. The Tibetan people have closed access and will not allow climbers on it now. This is one of their holy mountains. Dawn brought magnificent views of the range from our hotel bedroom window. As the sun rose the mountain was blessed by an early morning glow. Whisps of cloud in front of and behind the peaks caught the rays of the rising sun.
After breakfast walked down to the chortens where many villagers had been for prayers and insence burning. A monk was praying with his beads with the beautiful snow covered peaks towering behind him.
Then on to Ganden Sumtselling Monastery - a 300 year old Tibetan monastery with 600 monks. The most important in south west China. Renovation is ongoing since 1986. It was badly damaged by the Red Guards in 1960. As with all monasteries there were many, many steps leading to the main buildings. There were many large rooms, one of which contained over 100 prayer wheels. As you passed through you could hear monks chanting in prayer in side rooms.
In a large temple there were many Buddhas. The main temple had a huge 19m high Buddha, it was heavily gilded. The temples were decorated with paintings of grotesque creatures. The vultures (heaven's birds) soared around the top of the buildings. The Buddhists and Tibetans allow the vultures to clean the deceased body of flesh and thus allow the soul to fly to Heaven. The bones are then cremated.
April 19 and after breakfast we left for the drive to Feilaisa. Had news that a bus had crashed down a 300m ravine the day before with 20 injured people flung out and scattered down the slopes. We climbed up out of Shangrila and stopped to look back over the Napu Lake, partly filled at the moment but it covers the plains after the summer rains. The road wound up through scenic pine forest dotted with patches of deciduous tree just showing colour. Passed a 'blue' truck on its side where it had overturned and crashed into a rock face spilling part of its
load. Continued to climb and saw picturesque villages below and on the high slopes above.
Stopped at a lookout at the top of te first of many passes. This was manned by an old mute man dressed in army uniform who collected one yuan for the use of the public toilet. He seemed to have a sense of humour and enjoyed a joke with the driver and Jonathon. The terrain was rugged and arid, with steep barren slopes many purely rock. We descended into a valley through which the Yangtse River rushed. We crossed the river. This is the province border of Sichuan and Yunnan.
After crossing the bridge we were stopped at an army checkpoint as we were going into an area where pro-Tibetan terrorists had supposedly been operating. John's passport was checked here. Continued on to Benzalin for a lunch stop. Our next stop was to see the "Omega" of the Yangtse, one of its important bends. We then began a long and amazing climb up the pass on Baimang Snow Mountain. This took in excess of one hour of twists and turns, sometimes on rough gravel roads which eventually became a cobbled surface. We stopped at a viewing place at over 4200m. John and Jonathon headed out to climb a snow covered peak adjacent to the road. The view from the top at 4700m was a 360 degree panorama of snow covered peaks up to 5600m. The pair of them returned after an hour and a half in high spirits, but with wet and cold feet from trudging through snow. We stopped a few kilometres later at the highest point of the pass at 4317m.
From here the road continued in a similar vein as it descended into Deqin. We stopped at Tibetan chortens (stupas) on the top of one ascent where we observed the truck drivers buying branches of juniper to burn on the prayer=fire for peace and a safe journey. They also bought prayer flags to add to the many hundreds fluttering in the breeze. They burned insence as
well. During the final descent into Deqin we saw an injured victim from yesterday's bus crash being attended on the roadside by local women. We suspect he may have been overlooked and had made his own way up the steep bank to the road.
Deqin is nestled right into the head of a valley. It is a service centre with very few old, traditional style buildings and lacked character. Continued round the side of the mountain to Feilaisa. The road was partly blocked by a long line of trucks queueing for petrol. Booked into our hotel room with a view over cloud covered Meili Snow Mountains with glimpses of Kawa Karpo (6740m) and the more beautiful Miacimu (6045m) to the south. This peak is affectionately known as Mother Peak.
Kawa Karpo has never been climbed. In 1996 seventeen Japanese climbers perished during an attempt to reach the summit. There is a memorial to them in the village. The Tibetan people have closed access and will not allow climbers on it now. This is one of their holy mountains. Dawn brought magnificent views of the range from our hotel bedroom window. As the sun rose the mountain was blessed by an early morning glow. Whisps of cloud in front of and behind the peaks caught the rays of the rising sun.
After breakfast walked down to the chortens where many villagers had been for prayers and insence burning. A monk was praying with his beads with the beautiful snow covered peaks towering behind him.
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