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Yulong Snow Mountain Every snow-capped mountain is a traveler's dream
With a pious heart, pursue those dreams hidden in the snow-capped mountains
In every traveler's heart
There is always such a place
such a scenery
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain will make them relentlessly pursue it. The desire to travel is simply human instinct. No matter how dull a person may sound, they are inherently yearning for distant places. When people mention Lijiang, their first impression is that it's a "city of romantic encounters," with the ancient city and bars dominating the landscape. But Lijiang offers far more than just romantic encounters; there are also snow-capped mountains! Lijiang boasts abundant outdoor resources, and around Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, there are many beautiful places for hiking and trekking. 📌Route and equipment recommendation
Route: Lijiang Old Town → Yuhu Village → Buckwheat Field → Leech Dam → Valley of Suicide → Arrow Bamboo Forest → Quicksand Slope → Green Snow Sea → Snow Mountain Grand Canyon
Recommended equipment:
1.Outdoor supplies: backpack (30-50L), trekking poles (useful), raincoat (essential, weather is unpredictable), outdoor flashlight, heat patch, etc.
2.Clothes: quick-drying underwear T-shirt, combat pants, outdoor hiking shoes, hat (sun protection), magic towel, mask, etc.
3. Supplies: Snickers (energy bars, etc.), 1L water (in a water cup, can be refilled at any time)
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Lijiang, some people go for the hot pot, some for the beautiful women, some for the movies, and for me, maybe just for the snow-capped mountains!
Lijiang Old Town I arrived in Lijiang and stayed in Lijiang Old Town to experience this legendary "City of Romance." After a tour, I'm not sure whether any of the romances were true or not, but I encountered quite a few wine-selling touts. I don't know if there are any in Lijiang, but the snow-capped mountains are enough!
I got up early and set off from the Old Town, heading for the snow-capped mountains I'd longed for! The Old Town in the morning is the real Old Town, without the hustle and bustle of tourists or the noisy hawking of bars.
The weather is very good, which means that today's climbing will be smooth!
Lijiang Ancient Town 
Lijiang Ancient Town The dogs I met in the ancient town were very vicious! 
Lijiang Ancient Town 
Lijiang Ancient Town The bus intervals to Yuhu Village are quite long, so if you’re going with a group, be sure to plan your trip in advance!
We arrived at Yuhu Village a little after 9am. Yuhu Village is quite unique, with houses all built of stone. Due to time constraints, my friend and I didn't take a closer look before we started hiking!
Let me introduce my friend, Axu, who is from Xiamen. We have hiked many places together.
Lijiang 
Lijiang The Grand Canyon route is the only one of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain routes that can be found online. This route is known as a mountaineering training route. It's not difficult and has low danger, but it has a large altitude difference and a long route, making it suitable for those with good physical fitness.
On the way, we met our mountain guide. We were really lucky to have a great person come to the Snow Mountain Grand Canyon to train and prepare for the Siguniang Mountain 100km race. For first-time mountaineers like us, it was really helpful.
Starting from Yuhu Village, we left the village and reached a meadow. We then crossed the meadow and entered the forest. We followed the caravan route through the woods. The path was easy to follow, with a steady climb and minimal difficulty. Don't worry about taking the wrong route; at most, you'll take a detour; the route always leads to the same destination. There are rest areas for the caravan along the way. The first large rest area we reached is called Buckwheat Field. After crossing the buckwheat field, we entered the forest again. We continued along the road until we exited the woods and arrived at the leech dam. The woods were quite boring, so we didn't take many photos. There's a large rock at the leech dam. It's said that a spring will emerge from it when it rains, but I haven't confirmed it. Once at the leech dam, we could see the quicksand slope from a distance. Arriving at Machheba, my eyes lit up. Lijiang's autumn truly astonished me. The mountains and forests were dotted with a rainbow of colors, making it feel like I'd stepped into a fairy tale world straight out of Andersen's.
You can already see the quicksand slope from here. Silly me, I initially thought it looked like snow from a distance, but when I got closer I realized it was all stone.
There's a hut on the rocks after the leech dam where you can rest, but remember to arrive before 10 a.m., as villagers will be guarding the area and prohibiting anyone from climbing up. There's firewood and cooking utensils inside for emergencies. (Because there are Cordyceps on the mountain)
The road will become more and more difficult from now on, so please buy more supplies here. I heard that there are really leeches in Mahuangba, and they will come out when it rains, so please watch your step when climbing!
Then began the long climb to the Valley of Suicide and Bamboo Forest. This section began to become more difficult, with a steeper slope, but the path was easy to walk on, and the views became increasingly better. The view of Lijiang Basin and Pearl Lake under Jade Dragon Snow Mountain became increasingly clear.
After Mahuangba, after a long climb, the first stop is called the Valley of Suicide. There are several places called the Valley of Suicide in Lijiang, but this one on the mountain is the least famous. There's a stone with these three words inscribed on it. This place must also have a story, but unfortunately I didn't get to know it.
After passing the Valley of Suicide, we arrived at the last major supply point, the Arrow Bamboo Forest, at an elevation of 3800 meters. It can be said that the Arrow Bamboo Forest is the last place on this route that doesn't have a random elevation mark. After that, the elevations are just random, so feel free to share them.
The view gets higher and higher, and I can see the road I came from. The scenery here is beautiful, so without further ado, here are some pictures!
You can already see the quicksand slope.
After the arrow bamboo forest, we reached the most interesting quicksand slope, also known as the Cordyceps Slope. This is the most challenging and most exciting part of the entire route. The ascent is difficult, but the descent is easy: over an hour up, ten minutes down.
The quicksand slope is quite steep, and the zigzag pattern, with a vertical elevation gain of 500 meters, is incredibly demanding. My friend developed altitude sickness here and subsequently descended, while our guide and I continued our climb.
I hadn't imagined seeing yaks and sheep in the mountains—it was truly a relief. Our guide was incredibly helpful, helping us carry our belongings, pulling my friend up, and encouraging us to keep climbing.
There's a water point at the end of the quicksand slope where you can rest and refill your water supply. I have to say the snow water is really delicious. It's safe to drink; the mountain water is truly clean!
After crossing the quicksand slope, you can overlook the entire Lijiang River. Now it feels like the clouds are within reach. The quicksand slopes are covered in small gravel, so be careful.
Further up, you'll reach the Green Snow Sea. The sign for the Green Snow Sea is on a ridge. After passing the sign, just follow the ridge. The altitude marking for the Green Snow Sea is seriously exaggerated; I estimate it's around 4,300 feet. As you go up the ridge, you'll see several Mani piles. Continue walking, cross the small hill behind the Mani piles, and you'll reach a rocky mountain. After crossing another small hill, you'll reach the end of this route - the Grand Canyon.
Although I was a little short of breath, I couldn't help but yell a few words to vent my excitement. The snow-capped mountains are truly sacred. Please don't leave anything behind.
We are all travelers on the road.
With a pious heart, we pursue the dreams hidden in the snow-capped mountains.
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