On May 15, 2021, I began to climb my first snow mountain: the Dafeng of the Four Girls Mountain.
The reason for choosing to go in May is because May is the snow season. For snow mountains? It’s perfect when there’s snow.
Starting city: Shenzhen
Number of people: 1
Transportation: Train (with ample time, I chose to take a sleeping berth and arrive in Chengdu the next day at noon)
Cost: One-way train ticket is 370 yuan, round trip is 740 yuan, accommodation for 3 nights: 300 yuan, climbing fee is around 1500 yuan, other equipment, meals, water, and small transportation are relatively scattered and not calculated.
Personal equipment:
Clothing: quick-drying clothes, windbreaker, fleece, down jacket (recommended over 100g), quick-drying pants, fleece-lined wind pants, raincoat as backup
Head: fleece hat, scarf, sun hat, bandana
Gloves: fleece waterproof gloves
Eye protection: sunglasses or snow goggles
Backpacks: large backpack 50L-70L (free transportation of 20KG by horse team), small backpack 20L-30L (for carrying food and other personal belongings on the way)
Shoes: mid to high-top waterproof mountaineering boots (waterproof, anti-slip, warm, ankle protection), casual shoes (for campsite or daily wear)
Socks: It is recommended to wear mid-length thick cotton socks (for summiting), thin socks (for daily wear)
Other equipment: snow gaiters, crampons, trekking poles (2), down sleeping bag (over 1000g), headlamp (for summiting at 3 am), since I signed up for an outdoor team, these 4 pieces of equipment were prepared, so I didn’t bring them myself.
Also prepare: personal toiletries, medicines (cold medicine, headache medicine, anti-diarrheal medicine, motion sickness medicine, etc.), and outdoor snacks (cookies, nuts, dried meat, etc.), to eat on the way up the mountain.
Here is the specific introduction:
Departed from Shenzhen at 9:53 am on May 12, and arrived in Chengdu at more than 11 am on May 13.
The outdoor group I joined is called “Strolling in the Clouds.”
Gathered at Tianyu Road subway station D2 in Chengdu at 9 am on May 14.
So after arriving in Chengdu, I first rented a hotel near Tianyu Road subway station for convenience in gathering the next morning.
On May 14th, I set off at more than 8 am to wait at the subway station entrance.
We set off at about 9:30 am, along with other friends from all over the place, some were climbing the Dafeng, some were climbing the Erfeng, and the goals were basically the same.
On the way, we passed a viewing platform with a very open view, and everyone got down to take photos. The first close contact with the snow mountain, in addition to marveling at the greatness of nature, was the real feeling of the coldness of the snow mountain. It is more recommended that everyone experiences it themselves; the pictures cannot capture the feeling of being there.
When we were about to arrive at Siguniang Town, there was another viewing platform: Maobian Ridge (below), which is an excellent place to view the four peaks of Siguniang Mountain. Because there were clouds blocking when we arrived, we didn’t get to take a photo.
Additionally, when you get off at Maobian Ridge, there will be people selling beef who will let you taste it for free. Don’t pay attention to them; it’s all a routine.
At around 1 pm, after about 4 hours of driving, we finally arrived at Siguniang Town. Siguniang Town is not very big overall, and there are basically inns and places to eat on the side of the road. If you come by yourself, don’t worry; you can book the inn after you arrive.
The driver took us to the “Strolling in the Clouds” inn. Originally, two people were supposed to sleep in one room, but because everyone had a slight altitude reaction (headache) and was worried about not sleeping well, I paid an additional 100 yuan to upgrade to a single room.
After settling in, to adapt to the altitude, I went for a walk nearby in the afternoon and visited the Siguniang Mountain Visitor Center, from where we will set off tomorrow.
After hanging around for a while, I went back at more than 4 pm. At 6 pm, we gathered on the first floor of the inn to eat hot pot together. After dinner, the guide explained some precautions to us, prepared the equipment we needed for the next day, and then we signed the outdoor activity notification form before going back to rest early.
Because the high altitude is not the same as usual, I had a headache when sleeping at night, and the temperature was low. Before going to bed, I went to the first floor to get boiling water and drank two cups before going to bed, which made me feel a little better. In the following two days, my thermos was always filled with boiling water. If you go, remember to drink more warm water.
May 15th
Today’s goal is: Siguniang Mountain—>Dafeng Base Camp
The total length is about 14 kilometers, with an altitude ranging from over 3200 meters to over 4300 meters, and a cumulative altitude increase of about 1000 meters. Therefore, there will be altitude reactions when arriving at the base camp, such as accelerated heart rate, headache, or nausea. Pay attention to your condition, and if you feel seriously unwell, tell the guide immediately. Safety first.
I got up at more than 7 am today. The morning was quite cool, with only about 9 degrees. Looking at the direction of today’s mountain climbing, it was still all foggy up there, and it hadn’t dispersed.
At around 8 am, I had breakfast downstairs: pancakes + porridge + eggs + side dishes
After breakfast, pack the things that are not needed and hand them over to the guide to take to the base camp by horse. Then take a small bag and pack the things needed for today.
Today’s attire: quick-drying long sleeves + quick-drying pants + fleece top + windbreaker + sun hat + hiking shoes
Also bring snacks and water to eat on the way. At noon, when you arrive at the rest stop, you can buy instant noodles to replenish your strength (10 yuan) and add hot water.
At around 9 am, start hiking to the Siguniang Mountain Visitor Center for registration. You can only start climbing after registration. I also met many friends who came together yesterday during registration.
After registration, set off from the wooden plank road on the left to climb the mountain. Walk for about 20 minutes to reach the Haizigou ticket office, from where you truly start entering the mountain.
Next, there is still a section of the wooden plank road. It is recommended to walk slowly and adapt. Because the wooden ladder is climbing up, friends who don’t exercise much will be better off walking slowly.
I walked for about 35 minutes and reached the end of the wooden plank road. I took a short rest here. This is the place where you can ride a horse up the mountain. It costs more than 300 to ride to Dafeng and more than 400 to Erfeng. If you are physically unable to continue, it is recommended to ride a horse.
After the wooden plank road, there is a place called Zhaijie Ping. In addition to boarding the horse here, the view is very open, the scenery is beautiful, and it is suitable for taking photos and resting.
After a proper rest, the guide told us that we could set off. Those who were riding horses got on their horses, and those who were hiking started walking. From here, it was the real hiking.
A winding stone road goes upward. Just follow the main force and walk slowly to conserve energy.
As you walk, you will come to a section of the wooden plank road. This section is not long, and after walking for a while, you will return to the grassland. Take a rest, and then follow the dirt road going down in front of you. This is the road to climb Dafeng and Erfeng. If you don’t know how to go, ask the guide or look at the horse manure on the ground. Because the guide will lead the horse, following the horse manure will not lead you astray. On the second day, after I reached the summit, I hiked down the mountain alone at 9 am, following the horse manure, so I didn’t take the wrong path.
Follow the main force ahead.
The road in the first half is relatively flat, with no great difficulty. Just like usual, eat something when you are tired, drink some water, take a rest, and then continue walking.
There is a public toilet every few kilometers on the road, so don’t worry about the convenience issue. Drink water when you should, replenish food when you should, and don’t have any psychological burden.
At about 12:30, I arrived at the rest stop, which is the last supply point. You can buy instant noodles (10 yuan) or eat a meal (it seems to be 30, but I didn’t eat). Most climbers have lunch and rest here. By the way, the rest stop is the last place with a signal at Siguniang Mountain. There is basically no signal on the road behind. After entering Siguniang Mountain, you can directly connect to the free WiFi of Siguniang Mountain.
Similarly, from here, it is also a boundary. The first half of the journey is flat and easy to walk, and the second half is a rugged mountain road going uphill. The altitude also begins to rise quickly. Rest more when you are tired.
Going up from the rest stop, the big muddy road on the right is for horses, and there is a small path on the left side of this forest slope. I went up the small path, which has not too many muddy roads and is easier to walk. After walking for a while, the fork in front will come together again.
The picture is a section of the muddy uphill road. It’s a bit better because it’s a sunny day. If it were a rainy day, it would be more muddy. Be sure to wear waterproof, anti-slip mountaineering boots, and remember to use trekking poles to save effort.
Continue walking, as the altitude gets higher and higher. Rest more when you are tired, and take a sip of hot water, which will be more comfortable. Some places are not easy to walk, and there are no photos. It’s up to everyone to explore when they go there.
Take a break in the middle, and it’s almost the place where Dafeng and Erfeng split in front. Those who go to Dafeng should head towards the Dafeng base camp, and those who go to Erfeng should head towards Erfeng.
Road sign, there are still 750 meters to the fork of Dafeng and Erfeng. The current time is 2:40 pm. Take a rest: facing the snow mountain, drink a cup of hot water, and enjoy it. The only drawback is that the wind is too strong. I have already taken out my woolen hat and put it on to keep my head from catching a cold. It is very important to protect the head when climbing at high altitudes.
After separating from my teammates, I began to go to the Dafeng base camp with new friends. The guide said that there are only 1000 meters left to the Dafeng base camp.
At this time, the altitude has already reached above 4000 meters, with altitude sickness, headache, and panting. Basically, you have to stop and rest for a few minutes after walking about 30 steps. This last 1000 meters took about an hour.
The last 1000 meters of the road is not difficult to walk, but due to the high altitude, it is very tiring. By the time you reach the base camp, your physical strength is basically overdrawn.
Friends with poor physical strength are advised to ride horses, especially those who have not been to high-altitude areas. This is not a joke. Severe altitude sickness can cause accidents, especially when you have to attack the summit at a higher altitude in the early morning the next day.
When I arrived at the base camp, it was about 4:50 pm. The guide arrived a while ago and had already started cooking. The clothes brought up by the horse had also been put into the tent.
I changed my clothes first. The inside of the windbreaker was already wet, just like it was soaked. Because the windbreaker is warm and windproof, but its breathability is not that good. After more than 8 hours of hiking in one day, the inside was all soaked with sweat. After taking it off, I changed into a down jacket and hung it up with a hanger to dry. It would be more comfortable. At the base camp here, the altitude is more than 4000 meters, so you can only add clothes, not reduce, to prevent catching a cold.
In our group, I am the only one climbing Dafeng today, so it’s just the guide and I eating together.
Warm reminder, don’t eat too much at high altitudes. I was too tired from today’s hiking and ate more because I was hungry. But my stomach has been churning all night, rumbling, burping, and always wanting to vomit. It was very uncomfortable. Later, I found out that this is also one of the symptoms of altitude sickness.
When I finished eating, it started to snow lightly, all in large granular form like fertilizer. I put on my raincoat and went outside to walk uphill to adapt to the environment. However, I couldn’t walk too high. I had to rest after about 20 steps because I was panting too much. If you go, it is also recommended that you do not go directly into the house to sleep after dinner. You must move around for a while, digest the food, and walk more.
In addition, before going to bed, the guide will also use a pulse oximeter to measure your blood oxygen content. It seems that if it is below 75, you cannot reach the summit the next day. At that time, my test was 85, which was not a big problem.
May 16th, Summit Assault
Clothing: thermal pants + fleece-lined windproof pants + quick-drying long sleeves + fleece inner liner + windbreaker + down jacket (for summiting)
Set an alarm clock for 2:30 am.
I didn’t sleep last night because of altitude sickness, with a headache and a rumbling stomach.
It was too uncomfortable last night. In the middle of the night, I told myself that when the alarm clock rings at 3 o’clock, I would tell the guide not to cook, and just continue to sleep. I won’t climb anymore. It’s enough to have come. Life is important, and I will climb again in the future.
But after the alarm clock rang, I felt that my condition was not that bad, so I thought I would still go.
After getting up at 3 o’clock, the guide went to cook porridge, and then I got up, dressed well, put on snow gaiters, crampons, headlamp, and other equipment, and went out to take a look. The ground was already covered with snow.
After breakfast, fill the thermos cup with hot water and set off at nearly 4 o’clock. Because it was snowing lightly, I climbed up slowly following the guide.
I walked on the relatively easy mountain road for about an hour, and then I started to climb up. Along the way, there were broken stone mountain roads, stepping on the snow, walking up, and stopping to rest after walking a section of the road. There were also other clubs and people climbing Dafeng together. Everyone was panting heavily, the snow was still falling, and the altitude was rising continuously.
This picture was taken the next day when I was going down the mountain. When I walked here at night, I started to walk on the steep rocky road.
If a friend on the same trip is physically unable to continue, we will take a break and wait for him. Safety first. Because May is the snow season, the higher you go, the thicker the snow accumulates. It’s better for everyone to be together.
Around 5:30, I arrived at the pass. From here, the road behind is more dangerous. Because the snow is too thick, many protective railings are submerged in the snow. In the picture, the protective railing is usually more than 1 meter high, but now it’s only a head left on the railing due to the thick snow accumulation. Plus, the slope is quite steep, so you must be very careful, step firmly with each step, and be careful of side slipping. I didn’t take photos in dangerous places, leaving it for everyone to experience themselves.
After going up a pass, I arrived at this Dafeng platform in the picture, where I could rest for a while. I was wearing a fleece-lined windbreaker when I went up the mountain, and it was already a bit cold. The altitude was close to 5000 meters. Here, I added a down jacket for warmth. Keep warm, and especially keep your head warm when you go up to the summit later. The wind is too strong.
At this time, the body has also formed ice and frost, and the temperature is relatively low. Wearing thick waterproof gloves, all 10 fingers are basically numb and have no great perception. Remember to wear thick clothes. This is the last section of the summit slope road, just like going up the pass just now, it is a snow slope road. Pay attention to side slipping and step firmly before walking.
Around 6:50 am, I successfully reached the summit. It was relatively early to reach the summit, and it was too cold just after the snowfall. You can see the frost on my body and the ice on the trekking poles in the picture. If you choose to go in the snow season like me, you must keep warm.
Going Down the Mountain
Compared to climbing up the mountain, going down the mountain is equally important.
Because the slope is steep and physically exhausting, it is important to pay attention to safety and the risk of slipping when going down the mountain.
Generally, after retreating from the two snow slopes above the pass of Dafeng, the road behind is relatively safer.
On these two snow slopes, I slipped about 3 times. The snow was too slippery, and the whole person fell down. Fortunately, the place where I slipped sideways was not so steep, and the guide was in front, which was relatively fortunate.
If you come to this place, you must be slow and follow the guide’s arrangement to retreat. Safety first.
After an hour and a half, I retreated to the base camp, rested for half an hour, sorted out my clothes, gave the unnecessary ones to the guide to take down to the inn by horse, carried snacks in a small bag, and started hiking down the mountain.
When I left, the weather was still gloomy, and the snow had not melted. What awaited me was the remaining 14 kilometers of the downhill road, which would end this snow mountain trip. Friends who are physically unable to continue, remember to book a horse with the guide one day in advance to ride down the mountain and save physical strength. Climbing snow mountains consumes a lot of physical strength. If you usually exercise less, try to ride a horse as much as possible.
I usually like hiking and running. Three weeks before coming to Siguniang Mountain, I had already started running 8 kilometers three times a week, doing push-ups, sit-ups, and some other fitness exercises every day. If you want to challenge your physical strength, remember to exercise in advance. If you are physically unable to continue, remember to book a horse in advance, because if it’s late, there will be no horses, and you will have to wait for the horses to be sent down from the mountain, which will take longer.
Well, this trip to the Siguniang Snow Mountain is here, and we look forward to the next one.