Viewing the Welcoming Pine - Climbing Tiandu Peak - Self-Drive Tour of Huangshan, Anhui
Mount Huangshan is very famous. When I was about ten years old, I saw Zhao Zhongxiang hosting 'Dreaming of Huangshan', and its beauty deeply attracted me...
Until August 12, 2018, I finally embarked on the journey to Huangshan with my wife, son, elderly father, and colleague Xiao He. However, the latest forecast indicated that Typhoon 'Yagi' had changed course from heading straight to the Korean Peninsula to directly approaching East China. Since the hotel was booked in advance, the itinerary could not be changed. To arrive at Huangshan before the typhoon, I set off at seven in the morning in my trusty C30. After 5 hours and 40 minutes, we arrived at the 'Linxi Yilou' inn in Tangzhen at the foot of Huangshan. Looking into the distance, Huangshan was indeed extraordinary. The surrounding mountains were lush and green, but it stood out with large areas of bare rock, rising above the other mountains and connecting with the sky.
Scattered among the rocks were patches of dark green. I guessed they might be the legendary Huangshan pines that can grow in rock crevices. At that moment, we were quite looking forward to it... After parking and eating, it was nearly two o'clock. Without wasting a moment, the inn owner drove us to the South Gate transfer point to buy tickets and go up the mountain. We first took a shuttle bus to Yungu Temple, then took the cable car to Beihai Scenic Area's White Goose Ridge Station, arriving around three o'clock. Stepping out of the cable car station felt like entering another world. There was no sunlight, the wind was strong, and it was a bit cold. However, the strong wind blowing clouds and mist created a poetic atmosphere.
We followed the signs towards Shixin Peak. Within a few minutes, it started raining, so we had to put on our spare raincoats for a 'rainy tour of Huangshan'! Along the way, we passed the Connected Pines. The rain was not heavy at that moment, so we stopped briefly for photos and then continued on.
Not long after, the wind and rain suddenly intensified, and the scenery ahead became stunningly beautiful. The strong wind occasionally blew away the clouds, revealing part of Huangshan's true face. Below, we saw an abyss of thousands of feet; ahead, rocky peaks rose from the bottom of the cliff. The pine trees on the rock walls were mostly short and stout. The rain-soaked needles appeared even darker green, and the branches, whether curved or straight, were pitch black like iron, strong and vigorous. The rain grew heavier and heavier, so we had to take temporary shelter under a few mushroom-shaped pavilions near the Harp Pine, waiting for the rain to lighten before heading to the top of Shixin Peak.
At that time, everything around was a vast expanse of white, and we could see nothing. Just as we were feeling disappointed, we heard exclamations from the crowd nearby. Following the sound, we saw the thick fog gradually blown away by the wind. On the distant peak, a stone monkey sat alone—this was the lifelike 'Monkey Gazing at the Sea'.
But it lasted only a moment, then vanished into the clouds and mist. Reluctantly, we headed straight for the hotel. Along the way, the fog grew thicker. Passing by the viewing platform in front of Beihai Hotel, we saw the 'Dream Pen Producing Flowers' faintly visible in the mist!
Further ahead, we could already see the Shilin Hotel. We arrived soon and checked in. After eating something, it was already five or six o'clock. The rain had stopped outside, but thick fog covered everything. Not ready to sleep immediately, I, my father, and Xiao He decided to go out for a walk, taking the down jackets provided by the hotel.
We walked towards Lion Peak. Not far away, we reached the Cool Terrace. The wind was extremely strong and cold, but the down jacket was just right. The viewing platform was small, a long strip jutting out over the cliff edge. Suddenly, the wind blew away the clouds and mist, and the view was stunningly beautiful: a bottomless abyss below, strange peaks rising in the distance, thousands of crags and ravines, all like a fairyland against the backdrop of clouds and mist! I quickly asked Xiao He to take a photo of my father and me. This was the last beautiful sight we saw on the first day.
As it grew later and the fog thickened, it became purely a walk in the fog with almost no scenery. We had no choice but to return to the hotel, ending the first day's itinerary. The long-awaited sunset, Milky Way, and sunrise were all ruined by 'Yagi', but the rainy Huangshan had its own charm, which was another kind of gain. It rained all night. I went to sleep at midnight, woke up at 3:30 a.m., and couldn't fall asleep again.
The rain continued until about ten in the morning. We checked out and set off at 10:30. By then, many day-trippers from below had already come up, making the mountain paths extremely crowded. All we could see was fog and people. After walking for seven hours, we hardly saw any of the major attractions. Even the Welcoming Pine was hazy and indistinct—truly regrettable! It wasn't until we were more than halfway down the mountain that the clouds finally cleared! But the scenery below was incomparable to that on the summit. Was this the end of our Huangshan trip? I felt unwilling to accept it! We hadn't visited either the West Sea Grand Canyon or Tiandu Peak—what a pity. So I changed our plan for the third day, originally set for Xidi or Hongcun, and decided to go back up Huangshan. My father and wife had severe leg pain, and my son was too young. In the end, it was decided that Xiao He and I would climb Tiandu Peak the next day, but it still depended on the weather, as Tiandu Peak would be temporarily closed in bad weather. That evening, burdened with anxiety, I went to sleep at 11 p.m., woke up at 2:30 a.m., and couldn't fall asleep again.
I tossed and turned until dawn. Seeing that the weather outside was good, I finally breathed a slight sigh of relief. I got up before six, and before seven, Xiao He and I took the scenic shuttle bus to Ciguang Pavilion. The ticket office hadn't opened yet. Fortunately, the Huangshan entrance ticket is valid for three days. After a short wait, we bought tickets for the Yuping Cable Car and went up on the first cable car. Outside the cable car, the sky was blue with white clouds, and Tiandu Peak was clearly visible. We were quite elated! But as soon as we stepped off the cable car, it felt like returning to yesterday—thick fog everywhere. Our mood immediately turned gloomy. But since we were already on the mountain, we had to press on, hoping that the clouds would clear soon and not let me down after traveling over eight hundred li to get here! After walking about ten minutes, we reached the Welcoming Pine, but it was still foggy all around.
At that moment, a middle-aged man holding a camera said that the fog wasn't so thick at dawn, and he had even seen the sea of clouds and sunrise. This was a huge blow to me—how frustrating! If only I had booked to stay on the mountain one night later, it would have been perfect! But human plans can't compete with heaven's will; since things were as they were, I had to go with the flow. We decided to wait a while before moving on, just to catch a glimpse of Tiandu Peak's true face and take a photo of the Welcoming Pine with Tiandu Peak as the backdrop. But after waiting for a full hour, Lotus Peak occasionally appeared and disappeared in the mist, elegant yet majestic!
Tiandu Peak showed only a small part a few times before being covered by thick fog, really teasing me. Considering the time, I had to give up waiting and hurry to climb Tiandu Peak. We chose the old path on the north slope (1,564 steps) to go up, and the new path on the south slope (2,175 steps) to come down. Soon we reached the old path entrance. Looking up, Tiandu Peak rose abruptly, and the climbing trail disappeared like a ladder into the high mist—truly worthy of being a celestial abode, a heavenly capital!
The steps were steep and high, making climbing somewhat strenuous. Fortunately, there were ropes for protection, and after each section, small platforms allowed us to rest. Since we had mentally prepared well, we didn't find it too challenging before reaching Crucian Carp Ridge. This place was not far from the summit. I must say, Crucian Carp Ridge was truly thrilling! The stone ridge, over ten meters long, was only wide enough for one person. On both sides were thousand-foot precipices, unfathomably deep. Now with stone pillars and iron chains for protection, it was exhilarating but safe. Imagine the courage ancient people needed to cross this smooth stone ridge without any protection! The view from Crucian Carp Ridge was excellent: behind, a deep and open valley; across, the highest peak of Huangshan, Lotus Peak; and further away, endless mountain ranges with a magnificent sea of clouds on the peaks.
The typhoon brought wind, rain, and fog, but also double-layered white clouds and double blue skies—so beautiful that words cannot describe it! Past Crucian Carp Ridge, there was a small natural viewing platform on the right. I nervously walked to the cliff edge, carefully held the railing, and leaned out to look down. The precipice plunged straight into the deep ravine, and I felt dizzy! It was too high! Really too high!
Although a bit scared, the scenery here was superb. I lingered for a while, took a few panoramic photos, and reluctantly continued upward. Passing through a natural stone chamber, we soon reached the top. The summit was not large, slightly flat, with a large crevice in the middle, as if it could split the stone peak into two at any moment, giving a sense of instability. When I set foot on Tiandu Peak's summit: 'Above me is the sky; below the sky is me!' Gazing into the distance, thousands of peaks vied for beauty, mountains met the clouds, and far below, Tangkou Town was clearly visible. Looking down from the summit, I could feel Tiandu Peak's towering, heaven-reaching momentum even more than looking up from the foot!
Being able to enjoy such a beautiful view made it worth climbing Huangshan twice in three days! There's a saying about Huangshan: 'Without climbing Tiandu Peak, the trip is in vain.' I guess I didn't come in vain!
As beautiful as Huangshan is, it was time to say goodbye. Time waits for no one. We descended via the new path on the south slope. The danger along the way was several times greater than the old path. The path was narrow and steep, often only wide enough for one person. The vertical angle was mostly over 70 degrees, with the steepest sections nearly 90 degrees, totaling over 2,100 steps.
We saw climbers coming up from the south slope and truly admired them! The intensity was at least double that of our ascent from the north slope! After about two and a half hours of walking and sightseeing, we reached Ciguang Pavilion, bought tickets to go down, and ate. It was almost three o'clock. It was really time to say goodbye to Huangshan. Ahead of me was a five-and-a-half-hour drive home. Just thinking about it was daunting. I had only slept three and a half hours each night, walked so much on the mountain, and soon after driving, I was so sleepy I could barely keep my eyes open. I drank a bottle of cola to stay awake until I got home.
This trip to Huangshan only showed a small part of it, but even that was enough to be awe-inspiring! Huangshan is like a landscape painting, like a giant natural bonsai. The dreamlike clouds and rain added a touch of ethereal beauty! Although there were some regrets due to the typhoon, those regrets were not necessarily a bad thing—they left infinite room for imagination...
Huangshan is a wonder mountain that, once visited, you want to visit again!
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