Peking University Mountaineering Society 2015 Gongga Mountain Camel Scientific Expedition Team
On August 3, our project in Moxi came to an end, and we finally got on the long-awaited Hailuogou sightseeing bus. After struggling up the winding mountain road for half an hour, we arrived at the first attraction in Hailuogou—Caohaizi.
After leaving Caohaizi, we took the bus to Glacier No. 1. Once off the bus, there was a short stretch of footpath. At the end of the path was a wide valley, with the glacier above it. When we were still above the valley, looking down at the glacier, it basically looked like a few large rocks, gray and gloomy. With the sun blazing overhead, it gave off a strong Flaming Mountains vibe, nothing like the cool image one imagines of a glacier. Once we descended into the valley, the first thing that caught our eyes was small trickles of meltwater from the glacier—kind of interesting. Continuing up along the rugged gravel path, we inadvertently caught sight of the legendary glacier. Why couldn’t we see it when we were deliberately looking, but spotted it while just wandering around? Mainly because the glacier was covered in sand... Well, even if it detracts from the view, maybe the sand helps it stay unmelted at such a low altitude—so let’s forgive it. By this point, just getting close to the glacier, you could start to feel a slight chill, about the same as turning off the air conditioner for two minutes. We kept going up and soon found ourselves blocked by jagged glacier ice. Looking up, we felt the grandeur of the glacier for the first time and couldn’t help but gasp (a genuinely chilly gasp). Though there was also sand on the surface here, there were also crystal-clear ice crevasses. As you stood in awe of this incredible wonder, you naturally pulled your clothes tighter. Yes, at this moment, you felt as if you were inside a giant freezer, with the sun blazing overhead—it didn’t get any cooler than this.
Due to time constraints, we couldn’t continue upward for further exploration and had to head back down in a hurry. Better to leave some regrets—and some longing.