The 2014 Camel Expedition Team of Peking University's Mountain Eagle Society successfully summited Geladandong Peak
Text by Yu Mengting | Photos by Zhang Mohan and Zhang Cheng
On July 16, 2014, at 7:52 AM, two members of the 2014 Camel Expedition Team of Peking University's Mountain Eagle Society were the first to summit Geladandong Peak. Subsequently, four members summited on July 18, and eleven members on July 20. In total, seventeen members of the 2014 Camel Expedition Team successfully reached the peak. In 1994, the Mountain Eagle Society's expedition team set the record for the first domestic ascent here. Twenty years later, the eagles soared once again over this beautiful snow-capped summit.
Photo 1Group photo at the summit on July 20
Geladandong Peak is located in the middle section of the Tanggula Mountains, within Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, at 91° east longitude and 33.5° north latitude, with an elevation of 6,621 meters. In Tibetan, its name means "high, sharp mountain peak," and it is the main peak of the Tanggula range, serving as the source of the Yangtze River.
The expedition team’s base camp was situated at an altitude of 5,200 meters. The area around the base camp boasts lush vegetation, high-quality water sources, and stunning scenery.
Photo 2Base Camp
C1 and C2 are located at altitudes of 5,670 meters and 6,050 meters, respectively. Team members arrive at C2 the day before the summit push and stay there overnight. On the day of the summit, they rise at 2:30 AM, depart at 3:00 AM, and march steadily and resolutely toward the peak under the starlit sky.
Photo 3En route to C1
During the half-month climbing period, Geladandong Peak exhibited highly regular microclimates—almost every morning brought fog, while afternoons often saw rain, light snow, or even hail. The summit push was not entirely smooth due to weather conditions, and each team’s ascent was delayed compared to the original plan to wait for better weather. Additionally, the terrain beyond C2 had changed significantly compared to historical data, posing considerable challenges to the climbers’ technical skills, mental resilience, and adaptability. As it turned out, months of rigorous training and preparation paid off, as the team members calmly handled various mountain conditions.
Retrospective
The successful summit was hard-won for the team.
As early as March this year, after extensive discussions and gathering opinions from various sources, the council announced the summer climbing target—Songdan Kangsang Peak in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The first challenge after selecting the peak was the severe lack of veteran members, which was critical for a society that emphasizes self-led climbing. Through efforts by the council and several team leaders, nine veteran members joined before the team was officially formed, three of whom had more than two high-altitude climbing experiences and five with two such experiences. On April 21, the climbing team was formed with nine veterans and ten rookies, and intensive training began shortly after.
On May 16, after considering the mountain conditions, team member qualifications, climbing plans, and the readiness of logistics, equipment, medical, and other support roles, the team successfully passed the Songdan Kangsang Peak climbing evaluation. However, as the climbing application for Songdan Kangsang Peak was ultimately not approved, the team was forced to switch mountains at short notice, changing their summer target to Geladandong Peak. The entire team responded swiftly and proactively, promptly revising all plans. On June 23, the team passed the Geladandong Peak climbing evaluation.
On June 25, the advance team departed, followed by the main group on June 27.
Photo 4En route to the mountain
The team set off from Golmud toward Geladandong Peak on July 1. The journey to the peak is long, passing through the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve where wild Tibetan antelopes and wolves can be spotted. In Tanggulashan Town, a cracked fuel drum led to the soaking of logistical supplies and equipment, forcing the team to urgently restock and dry their gear just before heavy rain hit. A collision between two vehicles on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway blocked the main group for over ten hours. Upon arriving in Yanshiping Town after a bumpy ride, the team learned that although geographically part of Qinghai Province, Yanshiping is administered by the Tibet Autonomous Region, rendering the credentials obtained in Qinghai invalid. After coordination, the team obtained a "Safety Responsibility Notice" from the Anduo County Government Stability Maintenance Office in the Tibet Autonomous Region. After signing and submitting it to the Yanshiping Police Station, they were finally allowed to proceed into the mountain.
On July 21, the team completed striking camp and is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on July 27.