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gang minus me | ||||
posing for a photograph before embarking on the first trek of our Yunnan tour | ||||
dragon hidden in the clouds | ||||
straddling the deep void between the Haba Mountains and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the Tiger Leaping Gorge | ||||
two yuan | ||||
a few villages are scattered along the entire length of the trekking trail that runs high along the northern face of the gorge | ||||
colourful | ||||
horses are the main means of transporting loads (and tourists) on the trail | ||||
giants behind | ||||
the Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest gorges in the world, measuring about 16 km along its entire length, and a giddy 3900 m from the waters of the Yangzi below to the mountain tops | ||||
looking back | ||||
our trek starts from the little township of Qiaotou at the eastern end of the gorge and climbs high onto the northern face of the gorge, offering great views back to the upper reach of the Yangze (at this point is known as the Jinsha River) | ||||
purple landscape | ||||
mid May is a good time to visit the region as the the hill sides are afire with flowers | ||||
harvest time | ||||
this period of he year is made more colourful as it is also the time for the first harvest of the year | ||||
rest stop | ||||
it was tiresome as the trail painfully snakes even higher along this old miner's track | ||||
persistence | ||||
this opportunistic horse owner tailed our group all the way from the start in hope that one of us may tire out and use his services | ||||
firewood | ||||
the local population still very much depend on the surrounding forest and natural resource for their daily needs | ||||
meandering | ||||
this high trail is also known as the 24-bend path, as the namesake suggests the many switchbacks making the steep contours more manageable to climb | ||||
leaping lizards | ||||
near the zenith of the trail is a vista point to look down the giddy heights and admire the full splendor of the gorge | ||||
looking down | ||||
the gigantic rock in the middle of the river is the point where the assumed ancient tiger leapt onto in order successfully to cross the gorge | ||||
all terrain sleeper | ||||
Mike at his best... an art hard for others to muster | ||||
more to go | ||||
at this point about a quarter across its entire length, backlit by the afternoon sun the westward view of the gorge beyond was simply stunning | ||||
bamboo forest | ||||
a varied flora diversity on the steep slopes, from pine forest to Rhododendron forest to bamboo forest | ||||
over the edge | ||||
the gorge trek should not be taken lightly as over the years a few careless visitors have perished over its edge | ||||
high road, low road | ||||
at Yacajiao Village, the team descended from the high walking trail towards the low vehicle track | ||||
the gorge | ||||
viewing eastwards from at about the two-thirds point of the gorge reveals its terrifying steep and high walls | ||||
dangerous road | ||||
travel along the lower track is very dangerous, with a constant risk of rockfall and landslides | ||||
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