Huangshan Trip (Continued II)

Day 5 of Total Trip, Saturday, October 31, Second Day of Climbing Huangshan

Bright Summit Peak Villa → Flying Stone → Group Peaks Summit → Bright Summit Peak → Sea Heart Pavilion (Tianhai Scenic Area) → Aoyu Peak → Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder → Lotus Peak → Jade Screen Pavilion → Welcoming Pine → Yuping Cable Car Upper Station (Yuping Station) → Yuping Cable Car Lower Station (Hot Spring Station, take scenic area shuttle bus) → Huangshan Scenic Area South Gate → Qiyun Mountain Residence

Accommodation: Qiyun Mountain Residence, Tangkou Town, Huangshan City

Got up early in the morning to watch the sunrise.

Among the many hotels on Huangshan, Bright Summit Peak Villa is the only one built on the summit, thanks to its special status as part of the Anhui Provincial Meteorological Bureau's Huangshan Meteorological Station, allowing it to be legitimately constructed on the peak. Other hotels can only be built in the valleys. Rooms facing east at Bright Summit Peak Villa offer sunrise views, but they are expensive and booked early. Our room couldn't see the sunrise, but just a few dozen meters outside the villa, we could reach the viewing platform on Dandan Peak to the east to watch the sunrise, which was quite convenient. Besides guests from Bright Summit Peak Villa, many tourists who had climbed up from the White Cloud Hotel below were also there. The crowded platform was packed, and I arrived late, so I could only hold my camera high and take photos from behind the crowd.

The weather was still unfavorable, likely no luck.

By the time it was fully bright, the sun was still blocked by thick clouds. Tourists who had come with anticipation left disappointed. The unluckiest were those who had climbed early from White Cloud Hotel to Bright Summit Peak.

On the way back from Flying Stone to Bright Summit Peak, there was a fork to the right (with a sign), climbing over 100 steep steps up to Group Peaks Summit.

Huangshan Group Peaks Summit got its name because it sits above the leftmost peaks of the West Sea, with an altitude much higher than the 1730 meters of Flying Stone, estimated at around 1800 meters. The viewing platform at the summit is a large naturally weathered bun-shaped platform, surrounded by pillars and ropes. Despite this, it's still somewhat dangerous, especially in rain or snow, so one should be careful when going up.

Group Peaks Summit is not a famous spot and rarely mentioned in travel guides. But in fact, it's one of the best viewpoints overlooking the West Sea Grand Canyon, and one of the best sunset photography spots on Huangshan. Better than Flying Stone. Higher elevation, closer to the mouth of the West Sea Grand Canyon, with unobstructed views of sea of clouds and sunset, and embellished by Stone Pillar Peak, Twin Bamboo Shoots Peak, and Cloud Beyond Peak.

Coming down from Group Peaks Summit, one still needs to go back up to Bright Summit Peak, but the trail is relatively gentle. To save energy, one could first go from Bright Summit Peak to Group Peaks Summit, then to Flying Stone, thus avoiding the 100 steps of climbing. After all, going down is easier than going up.

Back at Bright Summit Peak, then descend to Tianhai Scenic Area.

Aoyu Peak is located in the central part of Huangshan Scenic Area, with an altitude of 1780 meters, ranking first among the thirty-six lesser peaks of Huangshan. It is named for its resemblance to a giant fish opening its mouth to feed. The huge, raised fish head seems to swallow the sky and earth. On the back of the peak, there is a large clever stone shaped like a turtle, with several egg-shaped small stones nearby, forming scenes like 'Aoyu Carrying a Golden Turtle' and 'Old Turtle Laying Eggs'. But these can only be seen from afar from Bright Summit Peak; up close, the golden turtle and turtle eggs are not visible.

Sea Heart Pavilion is a two-story ancient pavilion with a unique and exquisite design. It is located on the necessary path from Bright Summit Peak to Aoyu Peak, serving as an important rest stop for climbers. The area from Sea Heart Pavilion westward to Qiaodiao Bridge, 8 km long, is collectively called White Cloud Scenic Area or Tianhai Scenic Area.

In front of Aoyu Peak's head is the path going down to the front mountain, very narrow and steep, and crowded with people.

The left side of the picture above is the downhill path, passing through Aoyu Cave; the right side is the uphill path, passing through One Line Sky. Although One Line Sky at Huangshan is famous, downhill tourists cannot see it because it only allows one person to pass, so it is a one-way uphill path for those who come up via the Yuping Cable Car.

After descending Aoyu Peak, climb up along the 'Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder' towards Lotus Peak and Jade Screen Pavilion. The Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder is a famous Huangshan attraction, a staircase carved into the rock face, very steep but short.

After the Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder, walk a bit to Lotus Pavilion. There is a fork here: left to climb Lotus Peak, right directly to Jade Screen Pavilion to see the Welcoming Pine.

Lotus Peak is steep and towering, resembling a lotus flower when viewed from afar, hence its name.

Lotus Peak is the highest peak of Huangshan, with an altitude of 1864.8 meters, facing Tiandu Peak. Ancient people mistakenly thought Tiandu Peak was the highest until September of the 46th year of Wanli in Ming Dynasty (1618), when Xu Xiake visited Huangshan and accurately pointed out that Lotus Peak 'sits in the center of Huangshan, surpassing all others,' and 'even Tiandu bows its head.' Climbing Lotus Peak allows a panoramic view of all surrounding peaks. Under suitable weather conditions, a sea of clouds can be seen, but it's a stroke of luck that we did not have.

Tiandu Peak and Lotus Peak open alternately; one can only climb one per visit, apparently on a three-year cycle.

Lotus Peak looks big from below, but its summit is very small, crowded with people, hard to find even a place to stand.

Descend from the other side of Lotus Peak, no need to backtrack, but it's steeper than the uphill path.

After descending Lotus Peak, reach Jade Screen Pavilion, and the Huangshan trip is almost over.

Jade Screen Pavilion is located between Tiandu and Lotus peaks, with Jade Screen Peak behind it. 'Jade Screen Reclining Buddha' is on the peak, with head on left and feet on right, lifelike. On the peak rock is inscribed cursive script 'So beautiful is our land.'

Directly opposite Jade Screen Pavilion is Jade Screen Hotel, which is a bit awkward. For tourists coming up from the front mountain, this is just the starting point; for those from the back mountain, it's the end. So tourists from either direction likely won't choose to stay here. Perhaps when Tiandu Peak reopens in three years, some might stay here for a night to gather energy to climb Tiandu Peak the next day.

After seeing the Welcoming Pine, go back to the Yuping Cable Car Upper Station - Yuping Station, line up to take the cable car down.

The lower station is Hot Spring Station, some say it's Ciguang Pavilion Station, but actually it's some distance from Ciguang Pavilion. After exiting, take the scenic area shuttle bus back to the transfer center in town. We didn't stay in town, so we got off at the Huangshan Scenic Area South Gate archway (need to inform the driver in advance) and walked 600 meters back to the guesthouse. The two-day Huangshan trip concluded successfully.

(To be continued)