Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area

Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area

The Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Yala Scenic Area is situated in the Gan’erlongba River basin, in the southeastern part of Daofu County, neighboring Mugecuo in Kangding and Tagong Grassland respectively, with a total area of 158 square kilometers. Its highest point, Yala Snow Mountain, stands at 5,820 meters, while its lowest point is located at the intersection of our county and Danba on S303, at about 3,400 meters above sea level, with a relative height difference of around 2,400 meters.

Yala Snow Mountain is located at the border between Daofu County and Kangding County, with an elevation of 5,820 meters, and is one of the great snow mountains of Kham. Its summit is perennially covered in snow and shrouded in clouds, revered as a sacred mountain by Huilin Monastery and local Tibetan people. Ancient Tibetan texts such as *The Sacred Mountain Chronicles: A Guide to Liberation* document this mountain, referring to Yala Snow Mountain as the "Second Shambhala." Viewed from Tagong Grassland, Yala Snow Mountain resembles a lotus throne; seen from Bamian Town, it takes the shape of a crown; and from Nongge Mountain, it appears as a seated Buddha, remarkably lifelike. On auspicious days, the snow mountain sits beneath the blue sky, with a mushroom-shaped cloud rising above it like incense smoke.

At the western foot of Yala Snow Mountain lies a waterfall approximately 60 meters high. Meltwater from the snow mountain’s glaciers cascades down the steep cliff with a thunderous roar, creating a spectacular sight. This meltwater flows into Youcuo Lake via streams. Youcuo Lake spans an area of about 1 square kilometer, with its waters transitioning from light yellow near the shore to light green, lake green, blue, and deep blue towards the center. In the early morning, the lake surface is calm and mirror-like, reflecting the scenery enchantingly. By the afternoon, when the wind picks up, ripples form across the lake, and sunlight sparkles like shards of silver on the water. In September 1976, aquatic plants suddenly sprouted in Youcuo Lake and bloomed in neatly arranged rings—white and then yellow—radiating toward the lake’s center, as if offering a floral tribute to Chairman Mao. A herdsman reported this phenomenon, prompting someone to declare, “The sky is falling,” which led tens of thousands of locals to come and worship. To this day, dried versions of these aquatic plants are still enshrined in the altars of farming and herding households in the Bamian area, making it a legendary tale. What makes this event even more extraordinary is that the lake’s water temperature is extremely low, lacks organic matter, and generally does not support aquatic plant growth. Moreover, this phenomenon occurred only once.

Surrounding Youcuo Lake are jumbled rock formations left behind by ancient glaciers. Pilgrims have a custom of stacking stones into towers on these rocks to pray for safety. To the north of the lake lies a tract of redwood forest that turns tender yellow and orange-yellow in autumn. To the west, gentle hillsides burst into colorful wildflowers in summer, while to the south lie shrublands hidden behind the rocky fields. On the hillside west of the redwood forest is a rhododendron grove. In May, the rhododendrons bloom exuberantly, filling the air with fragrance. Small-leaf rhododendrons display clusters of light purple, purple, pink, and pale yellow blossoms.

Amid the rocky fields south of Youcuo Lake stands a stone hut, roughly 20 square meters in size, with a wooden roof that blends seamlessly into the rocky surroundings, giving it a unique charm. It serves as a dwelling for practitioners. Not far from the hut are several caves. Both the hut and caves sit over 30 meters above the lake surface. From here, gazing into the distance, one feels a profound unity with nature and a spiritual elevation. When a gentle breeze passes through...

Legend has it that on the steep cliff north of the Youcuo Lake Waterfall, there is a cave hiding armor and scriptures left behind by King Gesar during his battles—regarded as sacred treasures of Yala Snow Mountain. The exact location and entrance to this cave remain unknown. The armor and scriptures, considered sacred, are kept secret by those who know of them, fearing the government might relocate them to a museum. In 1999, the Daofu County government allocated special funds and tasked the local broadcasting bureau with searching for the treasure cave on Yala Snow Mountain, but their efforts yielded no results. This has since become an intriguing mystery.

Descending southeast along an ancient trail for 1 kilometer from the base of the Rhododendron Slope leads to the Sisters Lakes. These consist of one large and one small lake, with the smaller lake being the source of the Gan’erlongba River and the larger one the source of the Yala River in Kangding. The Sisters Lakes are typical alpine lakes—the larger spanning about 2 square kilometers and the smaller around 1.5 square kilometers—with grasslands and shrublands surrounding them. In summer, when flowers bloom profusely and the lake mirrors the sky, the scene is set against a backdrop of blue skies, white clouds, and embracing mountains, creating a truly picturesque haven.

Southwest of Yala Snow Mountain lies the Yala Hot Spring Cluster. Legend says there were once 360 springs here, but due to the passage of time and human damage, only 16 remain. In the past, each spring was inscribed with Tibetan characters indicating its medicinal properties, but most of these inscriptions have been severely eroded and few survive today. The hot spring area features a relatively broad valley with mountains, water, and grasslands, offering pleasant scenery.

From the entrance of the Taigou Nature Reserve to the stretch of the Gan’erlongba River below Youcuo Mountain, the valley is wide, with well-preserved virgin forests lining both banks. Approaching the Nongge Mountain junction, broader grasslands begin to appear. In autumn, the Gan’erlongba River Valley is breathtaking—the “frost-kissed leaves redder than February flowers”—with golden-red hues in the redwood forest, reds and yellows among the small shrubs, and vibrant colors everywhere. Meanwhile, the fir forest remains dark green, the red birch forest glows purple, all setting off the red and yellow autumn foliage even more vividly.

The section from the southeastern edge of the Sisters Lakes at the Kangding border to the Second Road Camp is part of the ancient Tea-Horse Road. This historic route runs from Kangding along the Yala River to Yala Snow Mountain, then follows the Gan’erlongba River to Gedaliangzi, continues along S303 through Bamian and Daofu into Tibet. The stretch within the Yala Snow Mountain Scenic Area is relatively wide and well-preserved. In ancient times, this section hosted a postal relay station, which is the origin of the name “Taigou Valley.” Walking along the Tea-Horse Road, one can imagine the bustling activity of the past. Today, however, the road is overgrown and largely deserted.

Yala Snow Mountain is home to animals such as snow leopards, clouded leopards, white-lipped deer, Tibetan antelopes, spotted nutcrackers, Lady Amherst’s pheasants, black-necked cranes, black bears, river deer, roe deer, wolves, hares, wild pigeons, eagles, vultures, and Himalayan monals. It also boasts rare tree species including redwoods, firs, spruces, and birches, as well as precious medicinal plants like caterpillar fungus, fritillaria, anemarrhena, codonopsis, balloon flower, ganoderma, and snow lotus. The wild edible fungi in the Gan’erlongba River Valley are diverse and delicious. Goose egg fungus, when newly grown, resembles a goose egg in both shape and color; chicken fat fungus shines in tender yellow like chicken fat; hedgehog fungus has bristles on its cap reminiscent of a hedgehog’s back, offering a uniquely subtle and gentle spiciness; brush fungus looks like a brush or coral branches but is bright yellow; baby fungus features a large cap dotted with tiny mushrooms; and there are also matsutake, big-foot mushrooms, qiaoba mushrooms, fir mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms… After several heavy rains in July, mushrooms sprout abundantly from the nutrient-rich soft soil, waiting to be harvested. Wild fungi from the Gan’erlongba River Valley, when cooked with cured pork belly, green chili, and wild onions, have a tender, smooth, and refreshing texture, delivering an indescribable wild flavor.

There is so much about Yala Snow Mountain that is hard to put into words. The snow mountain is crystal-clear and radiates a proud, untouchable aura. Meanwhile, the Gan’erlongba River Valley teems with countless lives thriving freely. The eternal presence of Yala Snow Mountain invites one to ponder deeply—to reflect on the heavens, the earth, others, and oneself. In these meditations, ineffable philosophies emerge, and through profound realization, one attains spiritual purification.