Trek in National Park Laojun Mountain

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First day, we leave for Ninety-nine Dragon Pool at 08:30 in the morning, because part of road is still not very good. We drive two 4WD and leave for there. On the way we through Jiuhe Bai and Naxi villages, also some bee farmer in both village and mountain. Whole trip costs about 4hours to the Qunlong Lodge where we will stay for tonight.

When we only come to the place where with the altitude is about 2800m, there are many different kinds of flowers are blooming everywhere. Especially around the gate where they charge entrance fee for Laojun national park. Some are white, some are pink, some are red, some are purple, they are very colourful.

Around the flowers, there are also many small shrub, they told me they are also kind of Azalea, their color is light purple and pink, now is still a little early for them to blooming, usually only blooming around Middle of May.

On the way we stoped several times to enjoy beautiful landscape, there are many different kinds of vegetations depends on the altitude: there are pine trees, rhododendron, oaks, firs… we only arrive there(Qunlong Lodge) around 18:00. around the lodge there are many rhododendron forests and fir forests, also one small pool and river with strong water.

We feel much cooler than the place where we came, the altitude is 3506m. it is almost getting dark, but all of us still eager to see something interesting or new. So from the wood corridor to walk around a little bit. There are many fir trees and rhododendron and Azalea, in the middle of forests there is Sanxuan Lake. Because it is kind of high place, so there is a lot of ice around the lake. Under big trees there are many primrose flowers.Even some rhododendron already starting blooming now.

Time goes so fast, it is getting dark even just around 7 and feel much cold. We are invited to inside of sitting room where with stove, it is Tibetan style stove and making whole room very warm. All of us stay around the fire to talk a lot till feel eager to sleep.

Next morning, because today we must do a long trek. We start at 07:14 with our big luggage for next few days. From the lodge we directly hike up to the place with the altitude 3995m where we can see theSancai lake: there are three lakes getting together, this is most familiar and popular picture. From the place, we also can get nice views of more mountains, blue sky and the reflaction of trees、mountains…they told me if sunny, you will see the Haba Snow Mountain and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, if we come around end of May, all the flowers around the lake also will bloom. After we took some pictures of it, we continue our trip for more further.

Just another 30minutes’ walking from corridor, another nice views are in front of us. at the foot of us there is big rhododendron forests, in front of trees there are two lakes with reflection for monuntains and firs forests another side of the lake. The guide told us it is called “sisters lake”, most of fir trees have a lot of white moss. In front of us, on the corridor, there is a lot of white frost. Looks like snow, very beautiful under sunlight. On the left of us, there is another small lake and big mountain, they are called “Shengmu Shan and Shengmu Lake”, means Holly mountain and lake.

By the lake there are many rocks get together like little towers, they areMani Dui, people can pick any of rock or stick put on the pile of rock, you can make wishes, also some people says if you have any trouble or tired, you can left here. Guide told us after rainy season, there is a lot of water covery all of rocks, but now still kind of dry season. Usually if you juts do trip around here, you can just from corridor to walk around all lakes, but today we will leave for other places, so we just from path go right to forest. After the forst, we come to another big piece of wetland, there are many azalea, under the azalea, there is a lot of dried grass and rocks.

Looks summer time is fulling of water, also during June should be very beautiful with all the azalea flowers and other wild flowers. Maybe this is first day for us to hike, also the altitude. We felt tired even not much hiking, the guide told us we will start hiking up some mountains. so we had a short stop and try to ready for climb up mountains in front of us! After we through rhododendron forests and come out from forests you only can under your foot, in front of us there is big valley, more further are many mountains.

Now we are very happy that we can down a little bit, but in fact we are not sure how many mountains we still need come over during these days! After the valley, we come up to top of small mountain with many rocks, guide stoped there and took phone out from his bag and looks try to call somebody. From yesterday to now, our cell phone have been rested for a while, but I don’t think there is signal here, so just enjoy to take some pictures of the great landscape. Just few minutes, I looked back, almost everyone was on phone. After we over from this mountain, we come to a place with lakes and rocks, there are not many plants left besides some alpine azalea, dried grass, some rock and small lakes. The water is very clear, from faraway, you can see rocks under the water, also reflection for mountains. The guide told us this called Love lake.

Most of us are gettting hungry, so we stop to have something for lunch. We ask Mr.Zhang(guide) how long we still need hike to your home. He looks so superise to hear about this, “still long time to go, now is just kind of beginning!”. After we hear about this, we think it’s better to go, now still not feel very tired. We come to forests, I am so excited to see snow on the groud, because for long time I have never seen snow.

Climb up and down from forests and valleys, we come the most highest place where we will do for today, it is 4100m. from the top we looked back, we already did hike in many mountains and valleys, even we don’t know where we came! But we are very proud of us, we did so much hike already. When we stay here and look back, also see some lakes in the forests. Mr. Zhang tells us if you come during summer, you will see many lakes on the mountains.

From the top, we just hiking down about 1.5hours, come to by small lake where there are many people and simple houses for people to stay. I was wondering what they are doing here? It is still early for mushroom, they are not only men, also women. Looks they stay there long time, just like in home, they have most things which they need for sleep, cook…….Mr. zhang just uses his minority(Lisu)’s language talked to some of them. We go in one small house to rest, he boiled some water for us to make tea, also toast some bread to eat. It is very hot staying by fire, so I just come out and talk to some people. They told me they stay here to collect some “Chongcao” here, the “Chongcao” from this area is great, because the altitude. Every year, they come here to spend some weeks here to collect and own some money. WE took some pictures of it, one of our member buy few just kind of support them. Then we good bye to them to continue our trip.

After we climb up about 1 hour to kind of top where the place we can see the Eluo Haizi Yakou, then directly down to place where we can get transportation for Mr. Zhang’s home. All the way down, we are getting warmer and warmer, the vegetations is like this: Small shrush, rhododendron, firs, Bamboo,pine trees… on the way we saw many different wild flowers. It is hard for me to stop taking pictures even it is almost get dark. We only arrive at the main road around 9pm, already dark. When we arrive Mr.Zhang’s home, his family has already prepared very decilious food with many dishes with vegetable, meat… maybe I am too tired, before I start eating, I really wanted to have a lot, but now I only eat a little. After taking a shower with hot water and go to bed.

Next morning, we only planed to leave for next point around 09:00,because we needn't do long hiking like yesterday! looks all of they were very tired from yesterday! When I get up around 07:00, still not any of our member get up. So i bring my camera to walk around a little bit in village, almost from every family, we can see the blue smoke from their traditional house to comes out, on the way I meet some kids who carries the bag, looks for school. boys and girls together, some are singing songs, some naughty boys are playing together, others are...

When I look at them, i also remember the wonderful time when I was in primary school in my villages and the time went to school with other kids from village.

We have some bread which is made of wheat flour and Yak Butter Tea, then Mr. Zhang showed us some wonderful pictures of Yunnan Golder Monkey which he took before from forests. He was hunter and hunted many wild animals from the Laojun Mountain, like Golden Monkey, Black Bear, deer... He knows the Golden Monkey very well, he knows where they live, what they eat, who is mother or who is father... one of photographer lent very good camera to him and asked him to take some pictures of monkey! When we enjoy seeing the pictures, he asked us to leave for trip, otherwise we will be too later to arrive there.

For that day, we hiked about 6 hours to Golden Monkey Station. on the way, the views are so beautiful. After we leave his home, from big road we walked about 40minutes, the go in from path. One side of path are fields or trees, another side is big river. The water is so clear and we can see anything under the water. we had some simple lunch by river. On the way we also meet some cows are grazing by themelves in mountain, but they looks afraid of strangers very much, when they see us from far away, they are trying to run away. by the road, Mr. Zhang point us one big tree, he told us it is thousand years' old Chinese Yew, at the same time, we found another one year' s old Chinese Yew.

When we come to the station, it is very simple place with three wood houses: one is kitchen, one is toilet, last one is bedroom.Around the houses, they planted some green vegetables. There is one local man making basket which will use for farmers to carry crops or wood, he told me he is grazing his lifestocks in mountains, he needn't follow the animals for whole day, so after he getting the animals to mountain, he backs to here to do some work. It is very far from villege, even no nice road for driving, but they have electricity from water power. Beside house, there is big river, they collect water in small pool and save for water power. It is so surprise to me to see TV in the lodge, they have one 信号接收器 for TV. WE bring the TV and put outside of house to watch. He told me there are two boys work for him to protect the Golden Monkey, so everyday, at least one person who stays here. For dinner time, one of his son and other two boys cook for us the delicious food.

that is the most great dinner which I had during my life.After dinner, we just sit around the fire to talk. Mr. Zhang was so excited to tell us a lot of very interesting stories about Golden Monkey to us! in the night we sleep in sleepbag in lodge, it is kind of most simple, but very good experience! Maybe we were all very tired, I slept very well!

I only felt I just slept, it is time to get up. Mr. Zhang told us today will be the most longest hiking, it's better to leave as soon as early! We leave about 08:00, for this day, we through many very special and great places, also had wonderful experience! at the beginning, we through very nice bamboo forests, then kind of rhododendron, fir forests, alpine rhododendron, purple azalea, grassland, rocks... From 3300m to 3900 to 4010 to 2400m' altitude...

The most beautiful is in Shi Ren Lake area, there are three small lakes with the reflection of mountains, especial the Shi Ren Mountain. The water is so clear, and you can see the thing on the bottom. on the Shi Ren Mountain, we still can see little snow from winter.

After Shiren Lake, we felt very hungry and take out all the food we prepared from before, toast the bread to eat. maybe we all very tired and hungry, all the food are so delicious! around us it is big alpine rhododendron forests, but it is still early for them to blossom. Mr. Zhang told us they will be blossom during end of May and June. I feel very pity not to see big rhododendron flowers, but like they said it's better to have some regret for you to come back next time. we come to one place with only many rocks, looks there was coast during rainy season, looked at the rocks, I feel a little scare with it and pass by that place very slowly.

After rocks, we come through forests and climb up to kind of highest place. From the top we can see many peaks and ranges of huge mountains, and feel very close to blue sky! Even we don't know who many km's or how many mountains we climbed or how many forets we thoughout... we didn't feel tired, just enjoy taking pictures! don't matter how much still longer to go! We hiked for long day, even the day is dark, we are still hiking in mountains. We only arrived Mr. Zhang's family after 10pm.

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Photos

Azalea
There are many azalea are blooming on the way to Ninety-nine Dragon Pool with the altitude 2800m

lodge
the lodge in mountain where we stay when we hike in mountain

Kids
look! they are enjoy together to school

Comments

[jan janssens]

yunnan's shiren lake
according to a documentary y'day,the most extraordinary thing at shiren lake is,that when loud noises are made at the lake,it clouds over and it starts raining. this apears to be well documented,and researched. as this is totally amazing i tought it would have been the reason for your blog on this lake ?