Shangri-La, The Impression of The Most Beautiful Snow Mountain

The Meili Snow Mountain sits at the region where the Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nujiang River flow in parallel, whose main peak, Kawa Bogegard, rises to 6740 meters, the highest peak in Yunnan Province. As the head of the eight holy Tibetan mountains, Meili is a sacred pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists. People who come here are proud to see it in full. Meili Snow Mountain is still a virgin peak that has not been summited, and a place where countless mountaineering teams have been buried. The most painful event happened in 1991 when the 17 members of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team were all killed. In 1996, the Chinese government banned the climbing of Meili Mountain, returning the holy mountain to its eternal peace. There are two main ways to visit Meili Snow Mountain: Most tourists choose to start from Feilai Temple and climb up to the Mingyong Glacier Viewing Platform where they can overlook the nearby glacier. The whole journey takes about 4-6 hours; Outdoor hikers will challenge themselves by choosing the Yubeng route through which they can reach the Xiaonong base camp, taking about 2.5 to 3 days.

Haba Snow Mountain is located in the southeast of Shangri-La County. Its main peak rises 5,396 meters, and is the fourth-highest peak in Yunnan Province. Covered with ice and snow all the year round, the mountain is surrounded by large glaciers, among which are the remnants of many ancient glaciers. There are many lakes at the lower end of the glacier, of which the Black Sea is the most famous with the most beautiful scenery. Haba Snow Mountain has become the only snow mountain suitable for climbing in Yunnan since climbing the Meili Snow Mountain was forbidden due to mountain climbing accidents. With a climb of less than 1,400 meters and a relatively smooth slope above the snow line, Haba Snow Mountain is a beginner-level destination for mountaineering enthusiasts who can make a round trip from the snow line to the peak within one day. The full trip from base to summit takes two to three days. The perfect season for climbing Haba Snow Mountain runs from the mid-March to the end of June to avoid adverse conditions in the rainy season, windy season, and snowy winter. As the traditional climbing route, the west slope route starts from the western side of the base camp at 4100 meters above sea level. This route is longer, but the slope is gradual and more suitable for climbing.

Shika Snow Mountain is located in the southwest of Shangri-La County, about 7 kilometers away from the county seat and next to the Napahai Lake. Although it is called a snow mountain, snow only appears here between the months of November and April or May. For the rest of the time it is covered by a meadow and blooming azaleas. It is very pleasant to wander through. The scenery at Shika Snow Mountain is enjoyable all year around, and has distinct seasonal features. In spring, there are flocks of cattle and sheep on the green meadow at the foot of the mountain. In summer, azaleas bloom everywhere. The meadow in autumn is dyed red by the blooming of Chinese Stelleras, while the mountain itself is covered with golden sequoias. And in winter, those snow-capped mountains look especially holy against the blue sky and clear clouds. From the viewing platform at the top of Shika Snow Mountain, many others can be seen surrounding it, such as the Biluo Snow Mountain, Meili Snow Mountain, the three holy mountains of Aden, Haba Snow Mountain, and Yulong Snow Mountain. The best time to see all those mountains is between November and April, when the sky is most likely to be cloudless.

Feilai Temple is located 10 kilometers away from Deqin County on State Highway 214, facing the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain, Kawagarbo. It is an ideal place for a close-up panoramic view of Meili Snow Mountain. The Feilai Temple is especially renowned for the spectacular view of "Rizhao Jinshan," the golden lights of sunrise showering over those snow-covered mountains. Originally only a small temple on the path to Meili Snow Mountain, Feilai Temple has become a tourist gathering center along the Yunnan-Tibet line as more and more tourists choose to visit. A "Feilai Temple Viewing Platform" was built near the temple. White towers on the platform line up in front of the snow mountains, forming one of the classic angles from which to photograph the holy mountains. There are many hotels in Feilaisi Village, such as the fancy Guanjing Tiantang Hotel which targets wealthy clients and the Juesedianxiang Youth Hostel for backpackers. Some hotels offer rooms with windows facing Meili Snow Mountain, allowing guests to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the holy mountain without even leaving their rooms.

Situated in Deqin County, the Baima Snow Mountain National Reserve is the largest and highest-altitude nature reserve in Yunnan Province. Enjoying a reputation as the "Kingdom of Mountainous Plants and Animals in the Cold Temperate Zone," the reserve is home to various rare plants and animals that are listed on the state protection catalog, such as Circaeaster agristis, Pseudotsuga forrestii, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, clouded leopard, red panda, etc. If you cross Baima Snow Mountain via National Highway 214, you will crest two mountain passes, namely, the Shuolalaka Pass at 4000 meters above sea level and the Baima Pass at 4292 meters, where you can pause for photos. There is a byroad along the Shuolalaka Pass leading to the old 214 national highway. In spring and summer, purple mountain azaleas crowd both sides of the road, which is called "azaleas corridor" by locals. Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve covers a large area of primeval forest, with several hiking routes crossing through. The Reserve is currently not open to individual visitors, so those who want to go inside must go through the examination and approval procedures of the reserve administration before entering.