Yaomei Peak of Mt. Siguniang Hiking Trekking Climbing Mountaineering Travel Tour

Introduction of Yaomei Feng Peak

Chinese Name: 幺妹峰

Longitude: 102.903829

Latitude: 31.106780

Altitude: 6250

Climbing Season: winter

Address: Mount Siguniang scenic spot in Xiaojin County of Aba Prefecture in Sichuan province

Mount Siguniang encompasses four peaks: DaFeng (Big Peak or 1st peak), ErFeng (2nd peak), SanFeng (3rd peak), and Yaomei Feng (4th peak). The highest peak is Yaomei Feng (Chinese: 幺妹峰; literally: “peak of the youngest sister”), also known as the “Queen of Sichuan’s peaks” (Chinese: 蜀山皇后), standing at 6250 meters. It is also the second highest mountain in Sichuan Province. The first ascent was in 1981 by a Japanese team via the east ridge. Very few people attempt to climb this and very few of them succeed after that. The first ascent of the southwest ridge was made in 2008 by Chad Kellogg and Dylan Johnson.

The other three lower peaks are regular mountaineering destinations through all seasons. Mount Siguniang DaFeng (Chinese: 四姑娘山大峰 or 大姑娘山; literally: “peak of the oldest sister”, 5025 m) is normally considered as a pure trekking peak while ErFeng (Chinese: 四姑娘山二峰 or 二姑娘山; literally: “peak of the second sister”, 5276 m) and SanFeng (Chinese: 四姑娘山三峰 or 三姑娘山; literally: “peak of the third sister”, 5355 m) is more challenging as it involves basic climbing technique.

Each mountain has its own holiness and mystery because of geology, religion or broadly circulating stories of climbers. As timeless classic and symbol of climbing technics, Mount Siguniang Yaomei Peak is a mountain achieving fairy stories and legends and examining climbers’ body and soul.Standing before it, you can choose to detach yourself or lose everything. On the rock of the mountain there are imprints of top-notch climbers as well as tears of the looser. Only the climbers with courage and resolution can grab its honor because rugged mountains merely belong to people who can suffer difficulties.

Climate Condition of Yaomei Peak

There are more snowy days and strong wind in spring. In summer, the days are mostly rainy, temperature is high and the climbing route is unstable and full of rolling stones. In winter, the weather is stable, and temperature is low as well as the wind speed.

Travelling Route to Yaomei Peak

Start from Rilong town—go into Changping Valley—Lama Temple—7-km Tour Plank—climb Ganhaizi along a footpath—arrive at the foot of southern Yaomei Peak

Climbing History

In July and August, 1981, the climbing team from Japanese Doshisha University succeeded in reaching the summit at the first time, by taking 16 days and using 2000-m ropes in total.

In June and July, 1992, 7 people from Japanese Mountaineering Team, divided into 3 groups one after another, reached the summit along the south route, by taking 23 days and using 600-m ropes in total.

In 1994, from southeast ridge Charlie Fowler from America developed a new route along the south route which witnessed the first success of Japanese climbing team, and reached successfully the summit of Yaomei Peak by 3 days all by himself.

In April, 2002, Mike Fowler and Paul Ramsden from the UK finished their dream by reaching the summit from northern slope. The most difficult part in the whole climbing route is the 1500-m layer of ice mixed with rock. They took 5 days to develop a new route and won Piolet d’Or Prize in 2002.

In 2004, Zeng Shan from America, Ma Yiye, Kang Hua, Chen Junchi and Chen Zegang from China, reached the summit of Yaomei Peak for the 5^th times. At the same time, those climbers from China are also the first people who arrived at the peak of Yaomei. They chose the route from southern side and southeastern ridge.

In September, 2008, American climbers, Dylan Johnson andChad Kellogg, for the first time developed the route of southwestern ridge which was also called “Cowboy Route” and reached the summit successfully.

In February of 2009, Zhou Peng and Yan Dongdong firstly developed the central-southern mountain route and succeeded in reaching the summit.