North and South Galaqiu Mountains

North and South Galaqiu Mountains

North Galaqiu Mountain, also known as Yuhua Mountain, is adjacent to South Galaqiu Mountain. It has no distinct crater, stands at an elevation of 537.5 meters, with a relative height of 57.5 meters, a base diameter of 500 meters, and a crater inner diameter of 230 meters. There is a gap on the northern slope, which serves as the main outlet for magma.

The mountaintop features a gently sloping crater facing south, filled with water, creating the unusual landscape of a marshy crater. Its distinctive feature is a ring-shaped crater that is flat and filled with water, forming a marshy wetland. The cone is composed of black and red pumice as well as amygdaloidal basalt. South Galaqiu Mountain and North Galaqiu Mountain are higher in the south and lower in the north, larger in the south and smaller in the north, forming a distinct double-mountain terrain geographically. On the eastern highland of Galaqiu Mountain, oak trees about 2 meters tall grow densely, forming north–south oriented and strip-like forests that thrive vigorously.

There is a mysterious cave halfway up North Galaqiu Mountain. Some say it was the headquarters of the Japanese army during World War II, while others claim it is the lair of a giant snake.

South Galaqiu Mountain, also called “Fuxing Mountain,” is located in the northern part of the western volcanic area. The mountain is composed of agglomerate rock, and its outer slope features distinct bluish-green undulations, geologically referred to as “erosion sheep-tail gully”-like banded strips. This area is lush with ancient trees and teeming with birds and animals. South Galaqiu Mountain is the highest and most typical truncated cone among the fourteen volcanoes, with an intact mountain body and a round, basin-like crater at the summit. It once held over two million years of mysterious lake water and is considered a jewel of the Wudalianchi Volcanic Group.

Among the Wudalianchi Volcanic Group, South Galaqiu Mountain was the first to erupt, over two million years ago. Together with North Galaqiu Mountain, they are referred to as father-and-son mountains, leaving behind the beautiful scenery of the Tianchi (Heavenly Lake).

Here, you can not only appreciate the spectacular beauty of ancient volcanoes horizontally but also sense the profound history of Earth’s changes vertically.

What makes Galaqiu Mountain most famous is the aerial panoramic photo of the Tianchi Mountain taken by Guo Keyi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. It is the iconic image used in Wudalianchi’s external promotions, frequently appearing in various magazines and promotional media. The photo clearly shows the claw-like lava flows radiating from the pool toward the mountain foot. The vegetation, consisting of dark green trees and shrubs, along with the ground cover of grass carpets formed by plants like Artemisia sacrorum, decorates the entire mountain in a captivating and picturesque manner.

The Tianchi Lake has a diameter of 500 meters and, due to its delicate beauty, is called a “Tianchi bonsai.” Gifted by nature, the Tianchi offers a sacred pool of water, with the holy lake hanging high above, as if descending from the heavens. In summer, leaves from the lakeside brush the water, and wild ducks swim in the lake, its crystal-clear jade-like surface exuding endless charm.