The 2013 Heishui-Dagu Glacier “Colorful Forest Tour” Bicycle Challenge will be held on September 21–22, 2013, at the Heishui-Dagu Glacier Scenic Area in Aba Prefecture. This event is co-hosted by the People’s Government of Heishui County, the Dagu Glacier Administration of Aba Prefecture, and the Sichuan Cycling Association. During the event, the Dagu Glacier Scenic Area will also offer a “buy one, get one free” ticket promotion.
This bicycle challenge is not only one of the outdoor experience activities at the Dagu Glacier Scenic Area, but also part of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Aba Prefecture. The Dagu Glacier Scenic Area will also host a public fitness cycling event.
This race is one of the highest-level international amateur road cycling challenges in China. It has attracted top amateur road cyclists from countries including the United States and Australia, as well as from various provinces, municipalities, and regions across the country. Over 100 athletes will compete at the Dagu Glacier Scenic Area. The race route climbs from an altitude of 2,300 meters to 3,600 meters, spanning over 1,300 meters in elevation—the highest and widest-altitude cycling challenge in all of Asia. Most notably, the area features an extremely high concentration of negative oxygen ions, over 4,000 times that of urban areas, making it a true “bike ride in a natural oxygen bar.”
The Heishui-Dagu Glacier Scenic Area in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan, China, is located in the heart of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, 280 kilometers from Chengdu. The touring area covers 210 square kilometers, with a nature reserve spanning 632 square kilometers. It is another premium scenic destination developed in Aba Prefecture after Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong.
The scenic area boasts rich tourism resources and vibrant folk culture, featuring glaciers, snow-capped mountains, colorful forests, Tibetan villages, and local customs. It has been recognized as one of the most attractive new scenic wonders, Sichuan’s best vacation tourism destination, the best red leaf viewing spot, and China’s Colored Glacier—Ice and Snow Paradise. The area has been praised by the renowned writer and Mao Dun Literature Prize winner A Lai as “the nearest yet most remote.” Starting from late September, the Heishui-Dagu Glacier Scenic Area will enter its peak autumn season for red leaves and colorful forests.
Renowned Chinese tourism planning expert Qian Zhenyue said: “The vast expanse and rich layers of red foliage at Heishui Dagu Glacier are unmatched in Asia.” The red leaf and colorful forest area centered around the Dagu Glacier Scenic Area—including the glacier colorful forest, Kalonggou colorful forest, and Naizigou colorful forest—covers a touring area of over 1,000 square kilometers. The Dagu Glacier colorful forest season lasts from late September to early November. The vibrant leaves alternate between high and low altitudes, with snow-capped peaks above and a riot of colors below, offering a uniquely stunning view. In October, the scenic area will host the Red Leaf and Colorful Forest Festival (Zhashi Dengbo Festival), followed by the Ice and Snow Tourism Festival in December.
It is reported that the Dagu Glacier Scenic Area in Aba Prefecture, with its beautiful natural resources and unique geographical conditions, has been designated by Sichuan University as a research and development base for domestic outdoor sports projects. Here, visitors can not only admire the magnificent modern mountain glaciers, ride the world’s highest-altitude sightseeing cable car, and pay tribute to the solemn history of the Red Army’s Long March, but also experience the simple local customs, taste Tibetan cuisine, and even embark on the most altitude-spanning mountain bike adventure.