Lama at Sanyanlong, Jiulong

Lama at Sanyanlong, Jiulong, originally uploaded by jiulong.

Scanned from a negative

Zheduo Pass, Kangding

Zheduo Pass, Kangding, originally uploaded by jiulong.

Scanned from a negative

Minya Konka [Gongga Shan 贡嘎山] trek map

Minya Konka [Gongga Shan] trek map, originally uploaded by jiulong.

n 1929 Joseph Rock made a expedition from Lijiang to the then unclimbed and unsurveyed peak of Minya Konka. He was very impressed and wrongly estimated it to be higher than Everest. You can now do the same trip as a week long trek out of Kangding. The route is Lao Yulin (老愉林， hire horses and guide), then up to the Djesi La [加则拉， camp], over to Yulongsi [玉龙西， overnight] then over the Tsemi La pass （子梅拉）and via Tsemi to the Konka Gompa [贡嘎寺， temple] where you get great views of the mountain and can stay with the solitary monk at this tiny temple. On the way out you can go via Muju and Liuba （六巴）and catch a bus or hitch back to Kangding via Shade, Xinduqiao （新都桥/沙得）and the epic Zheduo Shan Pass.
Here's Joseph Rock's map of the same area from 1929. Kangding was then known as Tatsienlu:

Minya Konka [Gongga Shan] trek map

Minya Konka [Gongga Shan] trek map, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This 3D map from Google Earth shows the trek you can do from Kanding via Lao Yulin over the Djesi La pass to Yulongxi then over the Tsemi La pass to Tsemi and the Konka Gompa (temple) at the foot of the mighty Minya Konka (Gongga Shan). You can exit via Muju and Liuba and take a bus or hitch from the turnoff, back to Kangding via Shade and XinduQiao.

Minya Konka [Gongga Shan] trek map

Minya Konka [Gongga Shan] trek map, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This 3D map from Google Earth shows the trek you can do from Kanding via Lao Yulin over the Djesi La pass to Yulongxi then over the Tsemi La pass to Tsemi and the Konka Gompa (temple) at the foot of the mighty Minya Konka (Gongga Shan). You can exit via Muju and Liuba and take a bus or hitch from the turnoff, back to Kangding via Shade and XinduQiao.

Minya Konka 3D map of view from the Tsemi La (次梅拉)

Minya Konka 3D map of view from the Tsemi La, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This 3D image from Google Earth shows the trek you can do from Kanding over the Tsemi La pass to Tsemi and the Konka Gompa (temple) at the foot of the mighty Minya Konka (Gongga Shan). You can exit via Muju and Liuba and take a bus or hitch from the turnoff, back to Kangding via Shade and XinduQiao.

Looking down from Mundon to the Yalong canyon

Looking down from Mundon to the Yalong canyon, originally uploaded by jiulong.

A Google maps image of this place:


Which is at: 28°42'30.59"N; 101°15'21.83"E

View of Minya Konka (Gongga Shan) from the Tsemi La pass

The following pictures are all scans of slides from my first trek to Minya Konka in the mid 1990s. Later on there are some recent pictures of the Erlang Shan tunnel.

Nomad tents below the Djesi La

This is where we spent the first night - cold!!!

Chatting to the solitary monk at Minya Konka Gompa

Me and my guide Gerler at the Minya Konka Gompa [temple]

On the Minya Konka trek, ascending to Djesi La

Nanwu Si near Kangding

The monk and my guide at Minya Konka gompa

Konka Gompa at dawn

Yak and nomad tent, Minya Konka trek

I stayed here with the nomad family - slept on the muddy floor next to the yak calves.

Nomad tents below the Djesi La

Djesi La, Kangding

Too big for my horse

En route to MInya Konka

This is looking down from the Djesi La, back towards Lao Yulin and Kangding.

Erlang Shan tunnel entrance [western side]

Traffic jam near Ya'an

The road to Erlang Shan

Looking down from Erlang Shan tunnel to the Dadu river and Luding

Erlang Shan, between Kangding and Chengdu

Erlang Shan, between Kangding and Chengdu, originally uploaded by jiulong.

Chengdu "Tibetan-town"

Chengdu "Tibetan-town", originally uploaded by jiulong.

Joseph Rock's old house, Yuhu (Nguluko), Lijiang

Joseph Rock's old house, Yuhu (Nguluko), Lijiang, originally uploaded by jiulong.