Mount Huangshan Travelogue: A Dreamy Journey of Snow and Clouds
"After visiting the Five Sacred Mountains, no other mountain is worth seeing; after visiting Mount Huangshan, no other sacred mountain is worth seeing." This timeless saying, like a mysterious call, filled me with endless longing for Mount Huangshan. In early spring of 2025, I finally set foot on this enchanting land and began an unforgettable journey to Mount Huangshan.
Arriving at Mount Huangshan: The Quiet Prelude of Gantang Town
At 12:28 on February 22, I departed from Nanjing South Station, my heart brimming with excitement, heading for the sacred destination in my heart—Mount Huangshan. The high-speed train, like a silver flash, sped across the vast land, with scenes outside the window flickering past like slides. My thoughts had already drifted to the cloud-shrouded peak of Mount Huangshan.
After more than two hours of racing, at 14:30, I arrived smoothly at Huangshan West Station. As soon as I got off, the fresh air hit me, carrying a hint of coolness that instantly dispelled the fatigue of the journey. I took a bus to Qianhong Hotel in Gantang Town. Along the way, the scenery outside gradually shifted from the bustle of the city to the tranquility of the countryside—green mountains, clear waters, white walls, and black tiles formed a picturesque idyll.
After arriving at the hotel and resting briefly, I took an umbrella and went out for a stroll in the rain. The town's streets were not wide, but they were full of the flavor of life. The shops along the street were a dazzling array: some sold local specialty souvenirs, some were snack stalls wafting enticing aromas, and some were fruit shops filled with fresh produce. I stopped at a fruit shop and bought 7 yuan worth of oranges. The oranges were plump and round. When I peeled off the skin and put a segment in my mouth, the sweet and sour juice burst on my tongue, irresistible.
Setbacks at the North Gate, Starting the Mountain Climb
On the morning of the 23rd, before dawn, I got up early to catch the first bus at 6:30 to the North Gate of Mount Huangshan, hoping to witness the legendary magnificent sunrise. However, the bus didn't come, and waiting grew agonizing. It turned out that the navigation app had played a small trick on me, giving the wrong boarding location, causing me to miss the bus. Later, I asked a local sanitation worker and learned that the bus route had been changed long ago.
At 8:10, I finally boarded the bus heading to the North Gate. By then, the sun had already risen, and the plan to catch the first cable car was completely dashed.
When I arrived at the North Gate, the scene before me astonished me. The waiting hall was packed with people; tourists were surging like a tide. Truly, missing the first bus meant spending several times as long to make up for it. I moved slowly with the crowd and finally boarded the shuttle to the cable car station. Once there, I had to queue again for the cable car. Time ticked by, the sun climbed higher, and the temperature rose, making me restless and anxious.
Finally, after nearly three hours of waiting, around 12:00 noon, I boarded the Taiping Cable Car. As the cable car ascended slowly, my heart soared with it, and all fatigue and anxiety vanished.
First Impression at the Summit: A Mysterious World in the Mist
The moment the cable car reached the top, disappointment immediately engulfed me. Everything around was shrouded in thick mist, as if the whole world was wrapped in a layer of white gauze. Peaks, trees, and rocks appeared faintly in the mist. Although everything was covered by thick white snow, without the sunlight, there was no charm at all.
At noon, I bought a 40-yuan "Monkey Relax" boxed lunch at Beihai Hotel. Though simple, at this high peak, it tasted particularly delicious. After lunch, I rested briefly and then headed toward Flying-Over Stone, planning to stay at the 701 Guesthouse.
The steps on the path were covered with ice and snow, extremely slippery; a slight carelessness could cause a fall. Fortunately, I wore spiked shoes, so I wasn't much affected. The mist was sometimes thick, sometimes thin. When it thinned, I could vaguely see the surroundings: grotesque rocks of various shapes—some looked like a monkey watching the sea, others like an immortal pointing the way. Each stone seemed to tell an ancient story. Pine trees stood upright in the mist, their branches laden with glittering ice and snow. What a pity, there was no sunlight.
After a trek, I finally arrived at the 701 Guesthouse. There, I stayed in a 12-person dormitory. The room was simple but clean and tidy. After putting down my luggage, I walked outside, gazing at the endless mist, full of anticipation. I looked forward to the sunrise tomorrow, and to seeing the legendary sea of clouds and snowscape.
In the evening, I ate a self-heating meal. On this cold peak, the steaming hot meal brought me some warmth. After dinner, I lay down early, closed my eyes, and hoped that tomorrow would be an even more wonderful day.
Sunrise, Sea of Clouds, and Snow: A Visual Feast
On the morning of the 24th, before dawn, I got up early. After a quick wash, I put on thick clothes, a hat, and gloves, and hurried toward the 701 Launchpad. It was pitch dark outside, with only faint starlight scattering on the ground. The wind was biting, cutting my face like a knife, but my enthusiasm was undiminished.
Along the way, I met many other early risers also seeking the sunrise. Everyone was silent and walked briskly, all harboring expectations for the sunrise. When I reached the 701 Launchpad, many people had already gathered. Everyone waited quietly, eyes fixed on the eastern sky.
Finally, a hint of fish-belly white appeared on the horizon. Gradually, it turned into light yellow, then into orange-red. Suddenly, a golden beam shot out from the horizon, and the sun showed half its face. In an instant, the entire sky was dyed golden yellow, and everything around came alive under the sunlight. The sea of clouds rolled and surged like turbulent waves among the peaks, like a flowing painting. And at that moment, Mount Huangshan, already covered in white snow, was wrapped in silver, like a fairy-tale world. The peaks, set against the sea of clouds and white snow, looked even more magnificent.
I was deeply awed by the scene before me—a rare beauty in the human world. The magnificent sunrise, the vast sea of clouds, and the pure white snow intertwined to create an unparalleled visual feast. I picked up my camera and kept pressing the shutter, wanting to freeze this beautiful moment forever. Yet no matter how the camera recorded, it could never capture a ten-thousandth of the actual beauty. At that moment, I felt as if I had merged with nature, my heart filled with awe and gratitude.
After watching the sunrise, I headed to Shisun Gang and Shixin Peak to enjoy the snowscape. Along the way, I felt as if I were in an ice and snow kingdom. The trees on the mountain were bent under the weight of snow, their branches covered with snow as white and soft as cotton. Every step I took, I heard the "crunch, crunch" sound of snow underfoot, as if nature was playing a beautiful symphony.
The strange rocks at Shisun Gang, under the snow cover, looked even more peculiar. Some resembled bamboo shoots breaking through the ground, others like sharp swords piercing the sky, shimmering with silver light under the sun. On Shixin Peak, pine trees and snowscapes complemented each other, forming beautiful pictures. These pine trees were in various shapes: some with twisted branches like coiling dragons, others with dense foliage like a canopy. They stood proudly in the snow, displaying tenacious vitality and resilient character.
Continuing onward, I arrived at Dream Brush Writing Flowers, Monkey Watching the Sea, and Paiyun Pavilion. At Dream Brush Writing Flowers, a huge rock looked like a giant writing brush, with a pine tree growing from its tip like a blooming flower. Monkey Watching the Sea was a stone shaped like a monkey, squatting on the peak, gazing at the sea of clouds as if in deep thought. In front of Paiyun Pavilion, the view was wide open; the sea of clouds churned below, and distant peaks appeared faintly in the mist, dreamlike. The snowscape here was utterly beautiful; every scene made me linger and forget to leave, completely enchanted.
On Danxia Peak, the sunlight was strong, giving an illusion of early summer. The bright sun quickly melted the ice and snow, and large chunks of ice and snow kept falling from the branches around, making people nervous.
After descending from Danxia Peak, I again had a 40-yuan "Monkey Relax" boxed lunch at Beihai Hotel, just like yesterday. The food was simple, but after a long period of physical exertion, it filled me with great satisfaction. After lunch, mist gradually gathered in the sky again, and the surrounding scenery began to blur. I decided to return to the 701 Guesthouse to rest, recharge, and prepare for the evening sunset.
In the evening, I went to Qunfeng Peak to watch the sunset. However, there was no sea of clouds today, and the sunset was only so-so. But even so, standing at the peak, watching the setting sun gradually sink, wrapping the distant mountains in its afterglow, dressing them in a golden coat. In the evening, I returned to the guesthouse. This time I changed to an 8-person room, ate a self-heating meal, and rested early, looking forward to the next day's journey.
Overcast Day: Regret and Reluctance, Ending the Pleasant Trip
On the morning of the 25th, I got up early again and went to the 701 Launchpad to watch the sunrise. But today it was overcast; dark clouds filled the sky, and the sun was completely blocked. Although I felt some regret, I knew this was also part of the journey—nature's beauty doesn't always go as one wishes.
Later, I climbed to Bright Summit Peak, planning to go to Step Immortal Bridge in the West Sea Grand Canyon. All along, thick mist hung in the air, and snowflakes began to fall, with very low visibility. The surroundings were all enveloped in mist, visible only as blurred outlines. When I reached Baiyun Hotel, seeing no sign of the mist clearing, I reluctantly decided to return to the guesthouse.
After packing my luggage, I descended to the Taiping Cable Car. Along the way, I kept looking back, hoping for a miracle that the clouds would part. But the miracle never came. After taking the cable car down, I then took the 10:30 shuttle bus back to Huangshan West Station.
At noon, I searched on the map and found a nearby restaurant, Meiboyuan Tujia Restaurant in Huangshan District. I walked there and ordered a plate of braised pork. A full plate of meat made up for the deficiency of the past few days. After the meal, I headed to the high-speed rail station and boarded the 15:02 train. At 17:28, I arrived at Nanjing South Station, ending this pleasant Mount Huangshan trip.
This trip to Mount Huangshan was full of surprises and regrets. The beautiful snowscape, the magnificent sunrise over the sea of clouds—all were deeply imprinted in my mind. Mount Huangshan, known as the "No.1 Wonder Mountain Under Heaven," with its unique charm, left me wanting more.
