Xuelongbao Mountain Hiking Trekking Climbing Mountaineering Travel Tour

Introduction of the Xuelongbao Mountain

Longitude: 103.40053°

Latitude: 31.45173°

Altitude: 5527m

Climbing season: late spring or late autumn

Address: Shangmeng Township, Li County , Aba Autonomous Prefecture ,Sichuan Province

The Xuelongbao Mountain , or Maidoshegu Kamiyama , with the height of 5527 meters above the sea level, is located at Laojun Gully in the Shangmeng Township of Li County , the north –west area of Sichuan. The mountain is for beginners to climb, for there are no extremely tough sections, but moderately difficult ones with beautiful landscape in all varieties. Up the Laogou Gully, the path leads through Shed one to Shed Five, Lianghekou, Shed Six, Xinhaizi and Dahaizi. According to different speed , it takes about half an hour to one hour between two places below Xinhaizi. From Xinhaizi to Dahaizi are the slopes above 35 degrees, full of zigzag ways. The mouth of the gully is 26km away from Dahaizi at an altitude of 2060 meters, Lianghekou 3200 meters,Xinhaizi 3350 meters, Dahaizi(the base camp) 4100meters , C1 area 4660 meters ,C2 area 5052 meters and the summit is 5527 meters above the sea level.

Dahaizi, long and narrow , is an alpine lake, running from south to north. The base camp can be set up on the slopes in the south or on the water front of Dahaizi. You need to climb over a 60-meter-long rock at an incline of 55-60 degrees to go from the base camp up along the gravel to the place about 4400 meters high. And then, you need to keep climbing right along the slope covered by snow.

After climbing over one section of the rock comes to the glaciers in the bottom of the eastern wall.

If time permits, you can set up C1 here to reduce intensity of climbing and to increase adaptability to changes. After going ahead in the right direction for a while , you should go up to glaciers as soon as possible. It’s easy to miss the best route for the vision along the journey is not wide and clear. The terrain is also different from that observed in the campsite. It’s lucky that the journey is not so long. Persisting to climb up will bring you a broad field of vision.

Glacier cracks can be seen everywhere. The crack near the place of 5000 meters high develops more abviously, so watch for it. The incline of the slope obviously declines after getting through the fracture area. That‘s the best place to set up C2 area.

You can see the glacier edge of cornice and a steep slope below cornice. The lower slope gets gentler and connects with C2 area, which is the only way to the summit.

The snow slope near the mountain ridge clines to 60 degrees. Climbing on the ridge, you can go up straight all the way. You can see the stone summit of the main peak after climbing a long snow slope of about 60 degrees.

The ridge close to the summit is very steep. Here, You can appreciate extremely sheer cliff. In the west, the main peak of Siguniang Mountain in the distant south as well as Dahaizi near BC area in the east.

The mountain is located at an altitude of 5527 meters (data of GPS surveying is 5525.8 meters).The local Jiarong Tibetans calls it as Earl Shegu Kamiyama. The peak is located in the eastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau ,which lies at the transition area between the second step ( the Yunnan – Guizhou Plateau) and the third step (The Qinghai –Tibet Plateau) in China’s territory.

Climatic Conditions of Xuelongbao Mountain

The weather cycle is about 5 to 7 days. The lowest temperature is no less than ten degrees below zero at clear night in October. It rains frequently in summer and it’s not easy to command the weather cycle. Glaciers are not steady. In winter, the mountain is not suitable to climb for it is covered with heavy snow and the temperature is quite low. Moreover, mountainous climate is obvious in the region. There are changes in weather at about 4:00 every autumn, especially in the alternant period between good and bad cycle. Therefore, it’s a reasonable tactic to set off early.

Entry Route to Xuelongbao Mountain

The route starts from Chengdu and goes by Dujiangyan, Wenchuan County, Xuecheng and last Shangmeng Township (2100),from which we take one day to travel on foot along Laojun Gully to Lianghekou where we set up campsite.

On the second day, we hike to the base camp in Dahaizi(4100). It’s a long way to enter the mountain, but there is beautiful scenery along the journey. Although the trip can be compressed into a short one day period, but for strengthening adaptability, it still need to take 2 days. The way along is so rough that the cattle can’t go through the mountain. Public goods for climbing can only be carried to the campsite by local Tibetans.

Climbing History of Xuelongbao Mountain

On may 5th in 2002, 2 members of the Beijing Kaitu mountaineering team first climb to the top along the route of north –east wall.

On October 7th in 2002, 2 members of Qiyun mountaineering team climb to the top along the route of north –east wall.

Climbing Route of Xuelongbao Mountain

D1: Chengdu to Shangmeng Township, accomodation in local residences 2100meters above the sea level.

D2: Shangmeng Township to Lianghekou (set up campsite);get up early to pack bags, take tractors to Shed Three , and then public goods , tents and technical equipment are carried by poters, personal goods are carried by ourselves; accomodation in Lianghekou 3200 meters above the sea level.

D3: Lianghekou to the base camp BG( Dahaizi 4100 meters above the sea level); take some training.

D4: base camp to C1 area; skill training on snow and ice, the place at an altitude of 4750 meters.

D5: C1 area to C2 area; skill training on snow and ice in G2 campsite 5250 meters above the sea level(there is a good training field close to C2 area, so you can have practical training of skills on snow and ice after setting up campsite )

D6: go up to the mountain top and then go down to C1 area there is an ice wall in the journey(there are three pitches , so you can coordinate to lay ropes in advance)

D7: C1 area back to Shangmeng Township

D8: back to Chengdu ;activity is over.