The Wonderful Connection Between Outdoor Adventure and Smart Technology
PRO TREK PRT-B50, A Bridge Between Humans and Nature
Many people enjoy leaving their own mark in various corners of the world, but I prefer to deeply explore the same area. When it comes to the Meili Snow Mountain region, many may not be familiar with it, yet this rare hidden paradise has captivated me for two consecutive years.
My first encounter was last October, when I joined a Meili exploration team at the invitation of Teacher Caiyun. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, and our team was the only one on the entire mountain—truly an amazing experience.
This year, our team set out with the goal of exploring an original ecological route, which led us to discover a pristine trail—Pojun. Just how untouched is this route? Simply put, the earliest online record of Pojun dates back to 2018, and very few people have been there. This untouched trail appeared before us like a beautiful oil painting.
After finalizing the route, we gathered with friends we’ve known for years to make final preparations before the trip, and the whole process went very smoothly. Our compatible personalities, combined with our shared outdoor experience, photography skills, and knowledge, made it clear that this would be a fun journey.
The Pojun trek requires five days, and we prepared everything needed for a heavy-load hike, including tents, sleeping bags, stoves, cookware, and other camping gear. To prepare for the unpredictability of the outdoors, I also specifically wore the CASIO PRO TREK PRT-B50 this time. There are two reasons I chose the PRT-B50: first, compared to other PRO TREK watches that often cost several thousand yuan, the PRT-B50’s price is more accessible to many. Second, although it’s an entry-level model in the PRO TREK series, its functional configuration is in no way lacking—I’ll explain its powerful features later in the article.
Before we officially began, let me briefly introduce our general itinerary.
Day 1: Yagong Village (3,100m) — Pojun Camp (4,100m), 18km;
Day 2: Pojun Camp (4,100m) — Pojun Glacier Group (4,590m) — Pojun Camp, 6.6km;
Day 3: Pojun Camp (4,100m) — Pojang Camp (4,200m), 6km;
Day 4: Pojang Camp (4,200m) — 5,233m Pass — Pojang Camp, 8km;
Day 5: Pojang Camp (4,200m) — Yagong Village (3,100m), 18km
Overall, the route involves two days to reach the camps (Day 1 and Day 3), two days to view the glaciers (Day 2 and Day 4), and one day to return to the village (Day 5). The glacier viewing and camping are alternated to allow for adequate rest and avoid excessive fatigue.
The untouched experience mentioned earlier will also be revealed throughout our five-day trek.
This year has been something of a boom year for the Pojun trek. During our five days on the trail, we roughly estimated the number of hikers and were surprised to find the traffic had exceeded all previous years combined—its sudden popularity likely stems from online posts attracting visitors. What was a hidden gem last year has now become an internet-famous route. Though it has just begun commercializing, it’s already quite well-developed—we even had to sign a safety agreement and complete a registration form before entering the mountains. These are signs of the area’s initial commercialization.
The starting point of the Pojun trek is Yagong in Liutongjiang Village, Deqen County, Shangri-La. Our team first gathered in Shangri-La, then took a bus to Deqen, followed by a chartered car to Yagong Village. Driving along National Highway 214 toward Tibet, after passing Hongxing Bridge, we turned left onto the winding mountain road leading to Yagong Village. After ascending over 10 kilometers, we arrived at our starting point—Yagong.
Friends planning to go to Yagong should note: guides and mules in Yagong operate under a self-contained system managed by the village chief, with villagers taking turns as guides. Our group of six opted for one guide and one horse, and thus began our official journey deep into the heart of the Meili Snow Mountains—starting the Pojun trek.
Since we had planned the overall route in advance and the daily campsites were fixed, there was no pressure to rush. We could simply follow our own pace, moving between glaciers and snow-capped mountains. The endless beautiful scenery right before our eyes made “pleasant” the perfect word to describe the experience.
From Yagong Village to Pojun Camp, the climb mainly took us through forests, cliffs, shrubs, and rocks, with many sections involving traversing cliffs. Although it was no longer the season of blooming flowers, our gradual ascent from lower to higher altitudes still allowed us to see some alpine plants, quite different from the plains landscape.
A variety of textures and terrains were integrated into our hiking route, and those majestic scenes of nature were deeply imprinted in our minds. It suddenly occurred to me that the moment I first got the PRT-B50, its tough, edgy style, multi-layered dial design, and bold Arabic numerals immediately caught my eye.
The 18-kilometer journey from the village to Pojun Camp was a slow, scenic walk that lasted until dark. After a night of rest, our team set out to see the glaciers—the day’s journey was slightly easier. Carrying only light gear, we set off from the camp and hiked up to the 4,590-meter pass to see the glaciers. The trek went smoother than expected, and the PRT-50’s unique four-sensor system provided me with real-time data on altitude and air pressure, helping me adjust clothing as needed during the hike.
It must be said that Casio’s PRO TREK series truly delivers an exceptional user experience.
To get the best views, we chose to traverse along the ridgeline of the mountainside. The ridge section had steep cliffs prone to falling rocks on one side and a 500-meter-deep canyon cliff on the other. Across the canyon were snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
When walking in glacial areas, many people can lose their way due to the vast expanses of white ice and snow, and all sorts of uncertainties were also taken into account by CASIO. The PRT-50 offers a compass function to help users maintain their bearings in the mountains, allowing them to freely enjoy the scenery while staying on course.
When we reached 4,590 meters, three large glaciers suddenly came into view, each with its own unique shape and character. The high-altitude weather is highly unpredictable. Just as we thought we could take some great photos, a massive bank of cumulonimbus clouds rolled in, bringing light rain and chilly winds in an instant. We waited for 10 minutes with no improvement, and just as we were about to leave, our teammates finally caught up. As if the mountain was sympathetic to our reunion, the weather suddenly cleared up, so everyone took turns standing on the mountain peak, snapping lots of amazing photos.
Time passed as we hiked, and by evening we arrived at the camp, where over a dozen tents had already been pitched. Shedding the busyness of the day, we sat at the mountain pass camp in the evening, letting our minds wander as we admired the starry sky and braved the cold mountain winds, witnessing the beauty and romance of snow mountain meteors. The neon backlight feature of the PRT-B50 allowed me to check the time and temperature in the dark without needing a headlamp. Wrapped in a down jacket and standing beside the snow-capped mountain, I marveled at the depth and vastness of the universe—a wonderful feeling of joy and relaxation that many in the city rarely get to experience.
After resting and waking up on the third day, we returned to the camp to pack up and prepare to head to our second camp—Pojang. We had to cross a mountain, and when we reached the 4,800-meter pass, half the sky had cleared. On one side of the pass was a vast field of scree covered in rocks, and on the other, blankets of snow. Descending 600 meters from the pass brought us to our campsite for the night. As the altitude dropped, grasslands and vegetation began to appear in the mountains, such as vast rhododendron and mountain ash forests, which looked like oases in the desert when viewed from the hillside.
Setting off from the Pojiang Camp and crossing over a 5,200-meter-high mountain pass, we encountered yet another glacier. When we climbed to an altitude of 4,800 meters, there were barely any plants left—only a vast, gray expanse of scree stretched out before us. The altitude readings on the PRT-B50 shot up in a straight line, and our steps grew increasingly labored. Compared to the previous days, the scenery wasn’t as breathtaking, and with the weather turning, several members of the group had already given up on reaching the 5,200-meter pass. In the end, only two of us made it to the pass.
On our last night at Pojiang Camp, no one wanted to sleep. We stayed up under the starry sky, chatting and planning future trips, sipping tea around the campfire—it all felt just right. The next morning, we packed up and began our descent. Though it was downhill, we still had to cross several mountain passes, but everyone remained in good spirits, and bursts of laughter echoed through the valley from time to time. There was an indescribable harmony between us and the surrounding environment.
After descending a few passes, the altitude gradually dropped, and the roadside flowers became more abundant. We could see entire slopes covered in yellow Himalayan lilies, and we often stopped to snack on a few, satisfying our taste buds with their sweet-and-sour flavor. The sides of the trail were lined with blue-purple gentians, along with the occasional presence of Chawalong delphiniums. The descending hikers felt like they were walking down a red carpet, in high spirits. Around 6 p.m., we returned to the village, bringing our hiking trip to a successful close.
Before setting off, I thought the Pojun hiking route would be a wild and untouched trail. But upon arrival, I realized that compared to a year ago when commercial operations had just begun, it had become quite well-developed—yet it still gave us plenty of surprises: the alpine vegetation along the way, the snow-capped mountains and glaciers within arm’s reach, and the yaks scattered across the hillsides. Of course, what made it most joyful was witnessing all of this with friends.
A few months after returning to the city, I happened to browse hiking routes online and suddenly noticed that commercial routes to Pojun had started to appear one after another. The Pojun route has now become a new “internet-famous” trail. I hope everyone who visits Pojun will adhere to environmental principles, respect nature, and protect the wilderness. And the unexpectedly smooth progress of our hike this time was also inseparable from the comprehensive outdoor features and excellent user experience of the PRT-B50.
After hiking in Pojun, I found myself wearing the PRT-B50 often. Aside from the various functional benefits I discovered during the trip, the PRT-B50 also offers some eye-catching smart features—one of which is Bluetooth connectivity, a key feature of smart wearable devices. It bridges premium outdoor product experiences with smart technology.
Among the many functions of the PRT-B50, one that I think is especially worth sharing is its Bluetooth connection to the “PRO TREK” app. The app can seamlessly sync a range of data feedback—including hiking records, calorie consumption, altitude calibration—with the PRT-B50, perfectly presenting the concept of a smart wearable device to users.
Although the PRT-B50 is an entry-level product in the PRO TREK line, its highly competitive price, user-friendly outdoor features, stunning design, and Bluetooth connectivity make it stand out. These four highlights can meet the needs of many users. It’s a truly excellent outdoor product.
This Pojun back-to-nature hiking experience also made me realize that the smart era of outdoor wearable devices has quietly arrived. When you’re surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes, having a watch that provides timely environmental information is incredibly valuable. The PRT-B50 allowed me to experience the wonderful combination of the outdoors and smart technology. Through this article, I also hope to share this high-quality outdoor product with everyone.
PRT-B50 CNY: 1,790
PRT-B50 main features: *100-meter water resistance *direction bezel *dual LED illumination *LCD backlight: high-brightness auto LED light *UV auto LED light *quadruple sensor measurements (direction, temperature, barometric pressure/altitude, step counter) *Bluetooth connectivity *world time (38 cities) *sunrise/sunset time display *stopwatch (1/100 second) *countdown timer *daily alarm, hourly chime *fully automatic calendar *12/24-hour format *low-temperature resistance (-10°C) *hand shift feature