A GORGE-ous View

Another early wake-up. A van drove us along with some other tourists staying at our hostel 40 miles north along a winding, mountainous road to the town of Qiaotou. Our destination for the next few days was the infamous Tiger Leaping Gorge. Considered the world’s deepest river canyon, the Gorge was absolutely stunning. The mighty Yangtze River flows between two huge snow blanketed mountains – Jade Dragon Snow Mountain & Haba Snow Mountain creating a beautiful, diverse rugged landscape. We weren’t prepared for the sheer power & beauty that lies at this southern-most point of the great Himalayan Mountain Range.

Fertile River Valley at the Start of the Trail

We had researched a lot for this hike because there are many options to take in the gorge. Many people make it a day trip and drive straight to the middle gorge or stop for a few hours on the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La even further north. Located at above 9000 feet, we knew we wanted to hike because we heard it is one of the finest in the world. There’s a low trail along the recently paved road and a more adventurous high trail with waterfalls, cliffs & steep inclines. After the treacherous Mount Huashan experience, we figured the high trail couldn’t be THAT tough.

The Crew About An Hour Into It

We met a couple travelers on the van who we decided to hike with. Mark from Germany and Walter from Belgium. (German travelers are everywhere BTW) Long hikes are much better with company and it was interesting sharing stories with them during the two day hike. We got off the van and proceeded along the unmarked trail. There wasn’t much clear direction. Just little blue signs every once in a while giving us assurance that we weren’t completely lost. We immediately started to go up and before we knew it, we already had a great view of the fertile river valley below. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was immediately ahead of us shrouded in mysterious clouds.

Mark Taking a Break from the 28 Bends

After 2 hours of moderate hiking through beautiful terrain, we reached Naxi Family Guesthouse where we stopped for lunch. Most people stop at this guesthouse to recharge & refuel for the infamous 28 bends just ahead. The 28 bends are basically an insanely steep incline of 28 switchbacks straight up this massive hill. Because of the physical torture, extreme altitude & loss of breath, we had to stop every 3-4 minutes or so. Still, it was rewarding to see the views just get better and better as we struggled up and up. Eventually, we leveled off at portion with a gorgeous viewpoint over the Gorge & the powerful Yangtze River way down below. A stunning reward for 45 minutes of physical pain.

Our Reward After an Hour of Torture

Despite it raining on and off for the next 3 hours, the hike was amazing! We passed cascading waterfalls, terrifying rock face cliffs & moaning mountain goats. I can’t really describe the magical aura of the place. Just incredible views & the feeling that we were so miniscule compared to the power & mystique of Mother Nature.

Mountain Goat Man

Goats & Waterfalls

After 6 hours of hiking, the 4 of us reached our destination for the night; The Halfway Guest House. What a crazy place to spend a night. Yes, the rooms weren’t all that nice. Yes there was no heating. Yes it was noisy. Was it all worth it?? Hell yea! We had the most amazing views because it’s located directly in the middle of the Gorge! The open-air toilet looked right out over the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain! We had a wonderful dinner & plenty of Dali beers with the Europeans while soaking in the inspirational views. Their upper deck dining area is coincidentally named Inspiration Point and it speaks for itself. It was a very memorable evening at a very memorable place.

Our Guesthouse For The Night...Inspirational Indeed

More rain the next day. This was supposed to be the dry season! We headed out early and continued our trek across the Gorge. This time, we only had 2 hours of downhill hiking to Tina’s Youth Hostel & the paved road below. The views continued to be spectacular and we arrived around 10AM. We could have ended our Gorge experience at this point and waited for the minibus to pick us up & take us to our next destination Shangri-La, but we still had 4 hours to kill and we weren’t quite satisfied yet.

Despite the ever increasing rain, there was no way we were going to do this incredible hike and not go down to the Yangtze River. We decided to take on the steep climb down the ‘Middle Gorge’ to the Tiger Leaping Rock on the river. This section was actually steeper than the 28 bends we had conquered the day before. Every step brought us closer to the roaring rapids of one of the world’s greatest rivers. After the 30 minute descent & multiple entrance fees we reached the water and were confronted with a scary looking hanging wooden bridge.

Almost to Tiger Leaping Stone

We slowly walked over the bridge to the rock and had it all to ourselves! We had made it to the Yangtze River and were on Tiger Leaping Stone!  Legend says that in order to escape a hunter, a tiger leaped across the narrowest point in the river onto the very rock we were standing on. The rapids were beyond strong. It was scary just being near to the extreme power that such a massive river creates. We spent a long time just soaking in the sheer power & beauty of the scene. The river isn’t navigable. Too dangerous. In fact in the 80’s, four rafters tried to go down the river but were never seen again.

Me & The Mighty Yangtze

Heavenly Ladder

Scary But So Worth It

One the way back up, we decided to take a shortcut and climb the ‘heavenly stairs’. Basically a wobbly vertical ladder 100 feet up, it was exhilarating & scary with the rain coming down. We made it back to the guesthouse with an hour to spare & our Tiger Leaping Gorge Trip had finally come to an end.

Thinking back at it, the Gorge was definitely one of the most naturally stunning places I’ve ever been to. These mountains were so steep that they almost looked like we could hit them with a rock from the other side. 6000 feet up sheer rock faces into the snow & clouds above. I appreciated the fact that although it’s a set trail, we really felt off the beaten path throughout the trek. I’m so glad we fit this excursion into our trip because it’s a place we’ll never forget.

Yunnan Charm

Himalayas & Local Farmer

Up next on our Chinese adventure was a trip into the mountains of the Southern province of Yunnan. We were a little tired of the constant mayhem & development of city life & were ready for a little nature & small town charm. We decided to book a flight from Chengdu to Lijiang instead of take a 25 hour train. It was a great call despite the monk in the row behind us chanting during the entire early morning flight! I know violence against monks is unspeakable, but Jody was tempted!

Bustling Streets of Lijiang

Lijiang is a beautifully preserved ancient Chinese Town in the mountains of the Yunnan Province. Built 800 years ago, the “new” old town is now geared towards Chinese tourists.  Every shop was selling similar stuff & we even managed to find the obligatory McDonalds & Starbucks! Despite being overcrowded & touristy, we really felt like we were stepped back in time here. Spending the day getting lost in the winding cobblestone streets, flowing canals & bridges was a nice change of pace.
















Lijiang reminded me of Venice. Water everywhere and no grid structure for the streets, so every turn takes you into some new, interesting area. It’s impossible not to get lost especially with the hoardes of Chinese people everywhere. We found a recommended restaurant for dinner & enjoyed dining on the local Naxi (indigenous) cuisine. Back at the hostel, we played some pool, met some travelers & booked our future transportation.

Hangin Around in Shuhe

Shuhe Night Dancing

Lijiang turned out to be a little overcrowded & touristy for us so we decided to venture out to some of the surrounding towns. We spent a night in the little quaint town of Shuhe (about 20 minutes by public bus from Lijiang).  Shuhe was similar to Lijiang but so much more peaceful. They say that it’s what Lijiang used to be like 10 years ago. We spent hours stopping in cute little cafes, shopping for handmade leather purses & sitting down watching daily life go by. The locals even washed their vegetables in the crystal clear streams that wound their way around the cobblestone alleys. We attempted to dance with the locals at night. I say attempted because each song has a dance routine that is excessively more difficult than the night markets of Thailand we’re accustomed to. It was interesting to see the community gather round a bonfire & joyfully dance the night away.

Beautiful Bike Ride!

The following day, we rented bicycles and rode around the surrounding countryside for a few hours. It was a beautiful bike ride yet surprisingly difficult. You see, these mountains that I’ve been talking about are actually the southern- most section of the Himalayan Mountain Range! The majestic snow capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain overlooks the entire valley. We were biking directly towards the mountain and some fierce, frigid mountain breezes as well. Add to that the steady incline that comes at the base of the most notorious mountain range in the world, and it was a tough ride. Still, we enjoyed strolling past flower patches, local farmers plowing their fields with oxen & elderly Chinese sitting on curbs gawking at us.

Baisha

We stopped in the little town of Baisha for lunch. Even more remote & less-touristy than Shuhe, Baisha Old Town is the real China. It was the first city we’d come across that isn’t developed or developing. It was refreshing to see the locals still living in original houses & the peace & quiet that comes with no construction! We enjoyed a quiet lunch with Yak Butter Tea in this little village that’s overlooked by most tourists. A tranquil, genuine experience indeed.

Hot Pots, Pandas + Buddhas O My!

After a few crazy days in Xian, we planned for some rest & relaxation at our next destination. We hopped on another overnight train ride, and 15 hours later arrived in the city of Chengdu. The Capital of the Sichuan Province, Chengdu is a rapidly developing, modern city with a population of 14 million. We were glad to spend a few days soaking in a unique region of the country. Unfortunately, we happened to be travelling during a holiday – May Day to be exact. The Chinese Labor Day isn’t a major holiday but they still get 3 days off & people were everywhere!

Mr. Mao Overlooking Downtown Chengdu

After checking into our hostel, we spent the first day exploring the city. Chengdu is a giant, urban city with all the conveniences of western culture. New mega-malls, McDonalds & Starbucks were littered throughout the sprawling downtown area. A constant theme throughout our trip, there were buildings being constructed all over the place. The city seemed to be shrouded with a layer of dust & debris from so much construction which didn’t help my allergies. A new underground metro was being built & that will make transportation so much easier. We were stuck with public buses. Despite being stuffy & overcrowded, the buses were frequent & efficient. A huge statue of Chairman Mao towered over the main square & served as a reminder of the country we were in. We explored some parks and walked around the city a bit more, but honestly, we were tired after a long hike and a couple of near sleepless nights on the mountain and the train. We spent a lot of time taking advantage of our hostel’s free DVD collection and lovely outdoor garden.

Jinli Ancient Street - A Cool Place to Relax

The Sichuan province is famous for its spicy food and we definitely sampled some of the traditional cuisine. During our 4 day stay in Chengdu, we tried Mapo Tofu, Sichuan Hot Pot, Kung Pao Chicken & twice cooked pork. More on the food in a later post, but the food in Chengdu really stood out. One night after some of the best wantons we’ve ever had, we strolled through the beautiful Jinli Ancient Street. A busy commercial center since 200 BC, Jinli Street has been hustling & bustling for over 2000 years. Nowadays, ‘new’ ancient traditional buildings line the streets & it was a great place to wind down & people watch for a few hours. Among the traditional shops & restaurants were beautiful gardens & water features lit up by Chinese lanterns.

Most people make a visit to Chengdu just to see the giant pandas. Considered China’s national treasure, they are only found in this region of the country. There are now fewer than 1000 giant pandas of which 80% are within the Sichuan Province. We woke up bright & early and headed out via public bus to the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center (6 miles away). The goal of this massive facility is to mimic the natural habitat of the giant panda in an effort to breed & increase the population of the endangered species. It is home to 60 giant pandas as well as some red pandas & 20 other species of rare birds.

Snuggles

Munching Away

Thankfully, we arrived early before the tourist crowds & were able to spend some private time with the pandas! They really are beautiful, cute bears & were so active in the morning after their bamboo meals. The facilities were impressive & the pandas had ample room to play & lounge around. We watched two cubs playfully wrestle for a good 20 minutes while the mother joined in on the roughhousing. There were nurseries for baby pandas as well as research laboratories & training centers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any babies when we were there, but we did see pandas of all ages. 

Don't Wake the Red Panda!

We checked out the Red Panda exhibit which was interesting. They reminded me a little bit of raccoons due to their long striped tail. We were walking through the exhibit & right in front of us on the path was a red panda taking a nap! We were a bit flustered because we didn’t know if the panda had escaped the exhibit or what. We slowly walked past careful not to agitate it because we read that they can be quite aggressive & bite people. It was an interesting experience for sure. We would never have that up-close & personal interaction at a Western zoo! A couple of hours is all we needed to see it all and by 10AM, the place was packed with tourists. We headed back to the city with our Panda fix satisfied.

One of the main reasons we came to the Sichuan province was to see the Leshan Giant Buddha and on our last day in Chegdu we took a van 75 miles out to the city of Leshan. Built during the Tang Dynasty in 713 AD, the statue is the largest stone Buddha in the world! It was incredible.

That's One Big Buddha!

The Buddha was actually built for protection. Located at the confluence of 3 rivers, the local people often lost ships to the dangerous water currents. They simply chalked the tragedies up to the water spirits. A monk named Hai Tong decided to carve a massive statue right on the river thinking that the Buddha would calm the waters & protect the local people from further suffering. Incidentally, the fallen stones that were deposited into the river during the 90 years of construction actually altered the water force there! The passage became safer for passing ships & the Buddha worked a miracle!

Sea of Chinese People

When it was carved, a 13 story wooden structure covered in Gold was built to protect it from the weather & deterioration. Unfortunately, the structure was destroyed by the invading Mongols and since then, the stone has been exposed to the elements. In addition to the massive size of the seated Buddha, the engineering of the statue is impressive. A sophisticated drainage system was built to reduce weathering after rains and it’s still in working order!

Staircase to the River Below

We marveled at the statue from above before waiting in a huge line to walk down the cliff to the figure’s feet. After one hour in a queue surrounded by hundreds of glaring Chinese people, we were finally able to walk down the steep steps towards water level. It was amazing standing at the Buddha’s feet looking up. We felt like ants. Just to give some perspective, the smallest toenail is large enough to accommodate a seated person and one shoulder is big enough for a regulation basketball court!

A Little Perspective

There were some interesting temples, ancient caves & waterfalls in the complex that we checked out before leaving. We really enjoyed the trip to Leshan and won’t forget the splendor of the massive Buddha.

2 Unforgettable Days in China!

What an incredible experience! Definitely the highlight of the trip! I really don’t know where to begin so I guess I’ll start from the top. A late addition to our itinerary, we wanted some ruggedness & outdoorsy adventure amongst the major city life we were experiencing. Mount Huashan fit the bill perfectly. Known as “most precipitous mountain under Heaven”, it’s one of China’s 5 Great Holy Mountains and as such, a popular site for pilgrimage. Despite its reputation as being the most dangerous hike in the world, we added it to the schedule.

Chilling on the Bullet Train

I mentioned that we had met Felix the German guy the day before at the Terra Cotta Warriors. Well, on the bus back to Xian after that, I mentioned to him we were planning on hiking Mt. Huashan the very next day. He seemed intrigued by the whole thing and had to admit that he had heard about it, but was a bit skeptical from its dangerous reputation and his parents’ concerns. He had crossed it off his list. Because we were dead set on making it happen, it became a realistic possibility for him to do it as well. We were happy to have some company on the hike so we were glad to accept when he asked if he could tag along.

Chinese People Everywhere!

The next morning, we debated the options to get to the mountain from Xian. 2 hour bus or 25 minute bullet train? Guess which one we chose? The high speed train is a real testament to China’s innovation. Moving at 190 MPH without so much as a bump was a strange phenomenon! Once at the Huashan station & after explaining that we wanted to hike up the mountain and not take the Cable car (cop out!), we hopped in a taxi to the entrance. Well, not exactly. He dropped us off in some random street surrounded by hundreds of Chinese people. Getting to the entrance was an adventure in itself. I think it was a festival or something because of the sheer amount of energy & excitement shared by the hoards of Chinese. We finally made it to the ticket booth and after paying the fee, we were on our way!

Will We Ever Get There?

Felix, Jody & I Ready to Tackle the Mountain

Now, it’s worth mentioning that there are many ways to reach the top of Mount Huashan. I mentioned the cable car which is the easiest & fastest (yet most expensive) way. We knew we wanted to hike because it’s what all the locals have been doing for hundreds of years. Traditionally, Chinese do the hike at night in order to reach the peak by sunrise. They assume it is simply safer to not be able to see the extreme danger of the ascent (NUTS!) We wanted to appreciate the beauty & actually see our surroundings so we started in the afternoon and spent the night on top. Among the various routes, we opted for the traditional 6KM one developed in the 4 century from Huashan Village to the North Peak (lowest of the 5 peaks). It was spectacular.

So Much Fun!

Quads Burning

The next 4 hours were a blur of endless stairs, sweat & hundreds of Chinese. I have the say it was definitely the most difficult yet memorable hike I’ve ever done in my life! The peak was staring us in the face the whole time, yet despite minute after minute of steep incline, we felt no closer! We passed numerous temples, beautiful jagged boulders & countless rest stops selling extremely overpriced food & water. 2 hours into it, we reached a steep, practically vertical section with chain links on both sides to hold on to. It’s just too dangerous to not hold grab the railing and it was a thrilling yet difficult 15 minutes.

At North Peak Finally!

After an hour more of agonizing hiking, and some more vertical steps we finally reached the North Peak & the sun hadn’t set yet! We had made great time and passed loads of Chinese people along the route. Apparently, it takes most people 5 hours to reach the top and we managed to do it in 3! Most of the locals seemed surprised to see Westerners doing the hike along with them because it’s mainly Chinese that hike up. Still, it was great to talk with them (if we could) and share this unique experience together. I was amazed at the people of all ages & hiking abilities that joined us on this hike. Once at the North Peak, we took a few minutes to marvel at the amazing view & reflect on the thousands of feet we had already climbed!

One Memorable Hike

Unfortunately, our destination for the night was not the North Peak. We wanted to make our way to the East Peak so we could easily see the sunrise the following morning. We still had 2 hours of hiking ahead of us and it was getting dark quickly. It was then that we met a group of giddy Chinese that made our trip even more memorable. They were absolutely hilarious! So energetic despite the exhausting day of hiking, I wanted to try whatever it was they were drinking. They were grateful & curious to spend time with Westerners & we shared a mutual feeling. Maybe it was the fact that they were Chinese and I felt safer climbing with them then trying to figure out the way up on our own (signs weren’t exactly clear or in English!) We spent the next two hours conversing with them about a range of topics while continuing our dangerous ascent into the dark night.

Thousands of Locks

90 Degree Stairs

The stairs were lit by the full moon above & lanterns along the path. Additionally, thousands of gold locks with vibrant red Taoist ribbons were fastened all along the rails for good luck from previous hikers. Despite the danger, it was so special and something I’ll never forget. There was one section where the stairs were beyond 90 degrees up a rock face! They actually went backwards! By then our legs were beginning to get a little wobbly but with our destination close by, we completed the difficult section and reached the Middle Peak around 7:30PM. We were tuckered out and strongly considered staying in the disgusting 16 person dorm on the Middle peak. However, we were told by the Chinese group with us that the East Peak was a short 20 minute hike away so we continued on (despite our grumblings). At one point, Felix was so exhausted; he started speaking to Jody in German without realizing it. Hilarious!

We reached the East Peak in no time although it was past 8PM. After checking in on the mountainside hotel & meeting a Chinese guy who studied abroad at EWU in Spokane of all places, we sat down to our well deserved dinner of PB&J Sandwiches, Snickers, chips & dried fruit. The awesome Chinese people we made it up with offered some marinated tofu & bread sticks to us as well. Sleeping conditions were rough! 8 person shacks with possibly the hardest beds I’ve ever slept on. Constant Chinese chatter with cigarette smoke & the light never being turned off. We were so exhausted it didn’t matter much though. We could have slept outside on the cliff itself because of how mentally & physically tired we were.

Sunrise on the East Peak

Cool Temple Between East & South Peaks

After a lovely 5 hour sleep, I awoke before the crack of dawn to start what I consider to be one of the greatest days of my life. The East Peak cliff face was spectacular. Because we arrived at night, we hadn’t seen the views yet, so to see them slowly illuminate with the dawn of a new day was a sight to behold. Also, knowing that thousands of Chinese people have experienced the same views after the same rigorous hike for hundreds of years added to the mystique of it all. Once the sun was up, we quickly left in order to beat the rushes of Chinese tourists. After all, the sun rises every day right? We passed a beautiful Cliffside temple on our decline from the East Peak over to the South Peak which took a good 30 minutes. At above 7000 feet, the South Peak is the highest on the mountain & our next destination was the most exhilarating thing we’d ever done.

The infamous Plank Walk at Mount Huashan is what the daredevils & thrill-seekers come for. The cliff-side path is something that could only be in China & after seeing videos on YouTube, it quickly became a bucket list item for us. Despite our reservations & the supposed reports of fatalities (many speak of around 100 deadly accidents on the Huashan Trail every year but due to Chinese censorship there are no official records of any such incidents) we had to do it. Call us crazy.

The Stairs We Had to Go Down!

 I could feel a lump start to develop in the pit of my stomach. You know that feeling where you can’t think straight & your legs feel weak because of dreadful anticipation? This was our feeling as we walked on the narrow path alongside the cliff to the harness station. We paid 30 Yuan ($4) for a harness and without any instruction, we were off. This harness provided us with at least some assurance because we were attached by two straps to the cliff wall at all times. I had expected some people to be doing the walk when we arrived, but to my dismay there was nobody. We were the first ones of the day! Without any examples, we were going to have to figure it out for ourselves. I decided to go first & set the pace because Jody & Felix were a little hesitant to put it mildly. Hell, I was freaking out as well, but I found trust in the fact that people of all ages & abilities had done it before.

I'm Scurred

Jody & Felix On the Plank Walk

Taking My Sweet Time

Almost to Safety!

The stone walkway suddenly stopped and chaos began. Below was a set of “steps” if you could call them that. Basically small stone rods hammered into the rock going straight down. We were staring directly down 3500 feet to the valley below. A total face-your-fear type moment. Slowly, I descended hesitant step after hesitant step trying to fight off that thought in the back of my mind that said “one slip & I’m a goner”. Before the wooden plank started, small footholds are carved into the mountain & we had to slowly shimmy our way step after step. The plank walk was something else. Just sets of 3 long wooden boards for a few hundred feet, fastened to the side of the massive rock face with rusty nails. Some of the half-rotten boards weren’t exactly stable, and I found myself testing them out by tapping on them with my foot to see if it would hold my weight. It was a crazy few minutes. I tried to capture the experience with pictures & video but it was difficult with my extremities shaking & mind focused on staying alive! Once finally on solid ground we celebrated! It was short lived when we realized that it was a dead end and we had to continue back the way we came. Basically conquering the plank walk twice.

One Badass Mountain Climber!

Unforgettable

Looking back, being the first of the day meant that we had the entire place to ourselves. I’m very grateful for that. We could go at our own pace and not worry about squeezing past other terrified Chinese people in one of the most dangerous places we’d ever been. The walk back, while much easier was more complicated. Many other people had arrived and we had to slowly go around them making sure our harnesses were correctly fastened on. While returning on the planks, we sat down & soaked in the views. It’s easy to not enjoy & appreciate an experience like this because you have bigger concerns at the time. It’s really is an awe-inspiring place & the weightless feeling of sitting on air taking it in is surreal.  We slowly made it past bunches of Chinese people on our way back up the vertical stairs. At last, we reached the entrance & the Plank Walk was checked off the list! An accomplishment that we will cherish & remember forever.

Some of Our Chinese Friends at the South Peak

We felt like we had conquered the world after that. Intense hike, gorgeous sunrise, most thrilling hour of our lives and it was only 8AM!! Next, we hiked to the highest peak on the mountain - the South Peak where we took way too many pictures. The obligatory ones with just us as well as many with random Chinese that wanted us in their photos. We couldn’t say no! After that, I bought a small lock for Jody and myself because I had a plan.

Play By Play with West Peak In Back

                 

Our Special Moment

We Left Our Mark on the Mountain

I knew that I was going to propose to Jody at some point during the China trip. I figured a memorable place to do it would be on the mountain after the crazy Plank Walk. I prepped Felix with this information the night before with the hope that he could capture the moment for us. I decided to do it on the hike from the South Peak to the West Peak. There was this perfect picturesque veranda with the dynamic West Peak in the background and I got on one knee and asked Jody to marry me. She said yes and we both couldn’t be happier! I didn’t think we could be on more of a high after our morning, but the place took on a new significance for us after that. We walked up to the West Peak and fastened our lock onto the edge of the cliff. Then, I took the key and tossed it over the edge sealing our love forever! Needless to say, it was a special moment for the two of us.

Sealing the Lock & Our Love Forever

By 10AM we had pretty much done all we could do at the top of Mt. Huashan so we decided to reward ourselves with the cable car down. After a quick & easy scenic descent we couldn’t help but wonder how different our trip would have been if we had taken the Cable Car up instead of hiking. Our trip to Mount Huashan was at its end and we were exhausted. Just writing this makes me excited. It will forever hold a special place in our hearts. If you ever happen to be in Xian, make Mount Huashan a must-visit. You may be able to brag about conquering the world’s most dangerous hiking trail…if you survive it!

So Happy!

On Cloud 9

Check out this video I took on the Plank Walk:

Plank Walk - Mount Huashan