Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels: China

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Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels
China - Dynamic Yunnan 24th to 31st August 2011
Day 6 : 29th August 2011

Tibetan Yurt

Today is snowy mountains viewing day. Enroute from Shagri-la back to Lijiang, we went up even higher (about 3,500m above sea level) to the Blue Valley Mountain and from there ride cable cars up the Shika Snow Mountains. Later we will visit another ancient town, the Dukezong Ancient Town before proceeding to Lijiang.

From Shangri-la back to Lijiang by the same route about 172 km, but we stopped by to see a grand mountain. (10hrs bus ride including stops) (see Google Interactive Map)

Packing our bags, we had a last look at the Shangri-la hills and valley and departed, somehow I don't think I will miss the place that much - I was expecting so much more after reading about this paradise on earth. I suspect that they named this place just to attract people, as in maps the place is referred to as Deqen. It is nice but definitely not what one would envision from the story books.

We reached the base of Shika Snow Mountain, it's only half an hour from Shangri-la. But just before reaching, we stopped by at a shop to by thicker clothing for some colleagues, woolen gloves for ourselves - and as recommended, oxygen cans! We will be going up to the top base (not the top) of the snowy mountains at it will be around 4,500 meters above sea level where the air is even more rarefied. Hence the oxygen cans to help out in case any of us run short of breath.

Going up the cable car and looking down, the valley is seen shrouded in the clouds, we are that high up for that to happen. But the view, although a bit, eerie was captivating.

On the way up we can see the Shika Snow Mountain, only thing is there's no snow! Well it's late summer, so no snow...
But we can see some yaks grazing on the mountain slope (see those 3 black/brown dots somewhere in the middle). They seem so comfortable on the steep slope, this is THEIR environment.

The cable car ride is in two stage with a mid-station stop at a valley pasture. Each stage of the ride takes about 30 minutes.
At the mid-station stop, far away, across the pasture, huts of the Nixi tribes can bee seen; those yaks roaming the mountain slopes must be theirs.

We are now at 3750 meters above sea level, the trail of the cable car towers leading to the top of Shika mountains formed an intricate pattern.
The cable cars move continuously, each car can seat 6 persons. So we are grouped into batches of six, and quickly hopped on! No falling there....

Station at top of Shika Mountain

Finally we are at the top station!
4,500 meters above sea level!
That's the height of Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in South East Asia.

AMAZING!
That's the word that came to my mind when I looked down from the top.
The clouds are well below us and Shangri-la was nowhere to be seen.
But what about the mountaintop itself?

The top is quite desolate, devoid of trees and with some grass growing on gentler slopes. Other than that it is a barren, rocky place. The peak is another 100 meters up, with a radio tower standing strategically on top.
Boardwalks have been erected for the tourists to easily walk around the area.

This panoramic view shows two other mountains, the Yulong & Meili Snow Mountains, shooting up even higher!
In the far background are the lower ranges of the eastern tip of the Himalayas. This gives a scale of how tall the Himalayas are, with Mount Everest being more than double Shika's height!

Here we are, my colleagues & I, at the central platform of the boardwalk.
Notice the colorful pennants blowing in the wind?
No, there is no fair going on here. These are religious items to ward off evil spirits.

Well, time to go down - back to earth. One cannot be on top of the world forever.
Reaching the bottom, it was close to noon and the mist have cleared. With the sun shining through, these lilacs bloomed colorfully skywards.

Entrace to Dukezong Ancient Town

We said our goodbyes to the scenic mountain and headed for Dukezong Ancient Town just across town. It's similar to Lijiang Ancient Town but is set in a hill slope. No automotive traffic here too.
There are stone paved streets with shops on both sides. But I found Lijiang more rustic, more appealing.

At the entrance courtyard, there is even a yak for tourist to go on a short joy ride around the square for RMB10. But this yak was not as handsome as the one I rode Dali a few days earlier.
I missed my old handsome friend.

At one end of the entrance courtyard is a small shrine. The entrance to the ancient town is to the left and right of this shrine. We had our lunch nearby.

As we left Dukezong to head back for Lijiang, I peered out of the coach window and saw the Shika mountains far away.

Goodbye mountain. Goodbye Shangri-la.....

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