GUNUNG · People's Republic of China

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

玉龙雪山 (Yùlóng Xuěshān)

Information

Elevation: 5.596 m
Country: People's Republic of China (CN)
Location / Range: Hengduan Mountains, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China
Mountain type: Perpetually snow-capped mountain massif (non-volcanic) — 13 snow-covered peaks, the southernmost permanently snow-capped range in the Northern Hemisphere
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 27.0983, 100.1750
Difficulty: Cannot be climbed to the summit (summit climbing has been banned by the government since 1987); visitors can reach 4,680 m by gondola and walk to the observation deck; the Blue Moon Valley and Spruce Meadow trails are open to the public at easy to intermediate difficulty
Best Season: March–June (spring — azaleas in bloom, stable snow) and September–November (autumn — clear weather, best views); avoid July–August (fog and heavy rain from the monsoon)
Permits & Rules: A park entrance ticket is required (around CNY 100–130). Separate gondola tickets apply for each area (Glacier Park, Spruce Meadow, Yak Meadow) at different prices. Buying gondola tickets in advance is recommended — it is very popular and often sells out. Thick jacket rentals are available at the top of the gondola due to the extreme cold above 4,000 m
Hazards: Altitude sickness is very common at 4,000–4,680 m — please acclimatize first in Lijiang (2,400 m) for 1–2 days; oxygen canisters are available at the top gondola station; temperatures above 4,000 m can be below freezing even in summer; the wooden boardwalk on the Blue Moon Valley trail can be very slippery

Description

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山 / Yùlóng Xuěshān, 5,596 m) is a 13-peak snow massif 15 km north of Lijiang Old Town, Yunnan, China, recognised as the southernmost permanently snow-capped mountain range in the Northern Hemisphere. It holds deep sacred significance for the indigenous Naxi people, who regard it as the abode of their protective deity Sanduo. Technical climbing to the summit (Shanzidou) has been banned since 1987 to preserve the fragile glacial ecosystem. Visitors can experience the mountain through three cable-car areas: the Glacier Park gondola ascending to 4,506 m with an observation deck at 4,680 m; the Spruce Meadow gondola leading to misty ancient fir forests; and the Yak Meadow gondola opening onto alpine grasslands. The Blue Moon Valley (Biyuexia) at the mountain's foot is famous for its mesmerising blue-green glacial waters — one of Yunnan's most iconic landscapes.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Blue Moon Valley (碧月谷 / Bìyuègǔ) — jalur lembah glasial

Mudah — jalur papan kayu datar sepanjang lembah; cocok untuk semua usia

1,5–3 jam (jalur satu arah ~4–5 km; bisa bolak-balik atau satu arah dengan kembali via bus wisata)

Blue Moon Valley (Bìyuègǔ) is a crescent-shaped valley at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, famous for its mesmerising blue-green turquoise water sourced from glacial meltwater. A wooden boardwalk of ~4–5 km winds along a series of glacial lakes — from Yuye ('Jade Lake'), Jingtan ('Mirror Pool') to Biyuetan ('Blue Moon Pool') — with the snow-capped peaks of Jade Dragon as a constant backdrop. No hiking preparation is required; it is a leisurely stroll on wooden walkways through one of Yunnan's most beautiful natural landscapes. Note: temperatures are colder than Lijiang city (5–10°C difference) and the wooden boards can be very slippery.

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Glacier Park (冰川公园) via Gondola Besar — titik tertinggi yang dapat dikunjungi

Mudah–Menengah (jalur berpaving di area salju/es; altitude 4.506–4.680 m — waspadai mountain sickness)

2–3 jam total (gondola ~8 menit naik; berjalan kaki di dek observasi ~1–1,5 jam)

The Grand Cable Car at Glacier Park carries visitors from ~3,356 m to a platform at 4,506 m in about 8 minutes — one of the highest publicly accessible cable cars in China. From the top station, a paved path gradually ascends to an observation deck at 4,680 m — a glacial snowfield area where the mountains loom directly overhead, with altitude markers at each checkpoint and oxygen canisters available. This area is often called 'touching eternal snow' as visitors walk directly on the glacial snow and ice. Altitude sickness is very common — roughly 50% of visitors experience headaches, nausea, or shortness of breath. It is strongly advised to acclimatise in Lijiang (2,400 m) for 1–2 days beforehand and to avoid running or strenuous activity.

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Spruce Meadow (云杉坪 / Yúnshān Píng) — jalur hutan cemara mistis

Mudah — jalur datar di padang berumput dan hutan; ketinggian ~3.000 m (lebih nyaman daripada Glacier Park)

2–3 jam total (gondola ~10 menit; berjalan di padang cemara ~1–2 jam)

Spruce Meadow (Yúnshān Píng, 'Cloud Fir Meadow') is an alpine grassland surrounded by ancient hundred-year-old fir trees, located on the mid-slopes of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at around 3,000–3,200 m. A gondola carries visitors from the mountain's foot to the meadow in about 10 minutes. Here, visitors stroll on wooden walkways through alpine wildflowers in spring, misty tranquil forests, and grassy meadows with snow-capped peak views. Quieter than Blue Moon Valley and Glacier Park, this area is a favourite for nature photographers and those seeking mountain serenity. Often blanketed in morning mist, it creates the distinctively mystical forested atmosphere of Yunnan.

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Climbing Experiences

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山 / Yùlóng Xuěshān, 5,596 m) near Lijiang, Yunnan, China, offers the most accessible encounter with the Northern Hemisphere's southernmost permanently snow-capped mountain range — without technical climbing expertise. Three cable-car zones let visitors reach up to 4,680 m, explore glacial snowfields, misty ancient fir forests (Spruce Meadow), and the mesmerising blue-green glacial valley (Blue Moon Valley). Summit climbing has been banned since 1987, making the cable-car areas and visitor trails the definitive way to experience this sacred Naxi mountain. The videos below document real visits to one of China's most photogenic peaks.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.