Sunday, September 30, 2007

Minya Konka trek - latest news


It's been many years since I did the Minya Konka trek. If you want to know what conditions are like now, try the ongoing blog by Amy West, who has blogged so far of her scary trip over a snowbound Gyazi La. She is trekking with a guide from a company called GeoEx and is accompanied by the daughter of Arthur Emmons, one of the first climbers to ascend Minya Konka.

The blog is Amy West Needs Medication

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Above Mengdong (Mundon)


Above Mundon, originally uploaded by jiulong.

After spending a cramped night sleeping on the floor of the filthy houses in Mundon we hitched up our horses and set off up the hill to see the mountain Maidi Gangga (Muti Konka). This involved a long haul up the hillside through burnt out forest. It culmintaed in this spectacular view of the valleys below, before we turned around a spur and into the Chang Haizi valley.
This photo taken with the cheap and cheerful Olympus XA.

Mengdong (Mundon)


Mundon, originally uploaded by jiulong.

Arty black and white pictures of Mengdong (Rock's "dreary hamlet of Mundon") on the edge of the Yalong canyon.

Mundon, near Jiulong, Sichuan


Mundon, near Jiulong, Sichuan, originally uploaded by jiulong.

Arty black and white pictures of Mengdong (Rock's "drearry hamlet of Mundon") on the edge of the Yalong canyon. Taken with my old Leica IIIa which is almost as old as Rock's expedition.

Wuxu Hai


Wuxu Hai, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This lake near Jiulong is now a tourist resort - funny how Joseph Rock never mentioned it despite passing by twice on his way between Muli and Kangding. Most people photograph it from the oppposite direction - this is looking south back towards the lake and the tourist cabins on the other side.

Chang Haizi and Maidi Gangga


Chang Haizi and Maidi Gangga, originally uploaded by jiulong.

View of the sacred mountain framed by prayer flags in the early morning.

Kangwu Shan Pass, near Jiulong


Kangwu Shan Pass, near Jiulong, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This is looking back towards Kangwu Shan - the pass between Jiulong and the dead-end valley (Yangwe Kong) leading to Sanyanlong.

Above Sanyanlong, Jiulong county,Sichuan

This is the view back down to Sanyanlong in the Yangwe Kong valley after climbing up towards Mundon (Mengdong).

Chang Haizi, Sichuan


Chang Haizi, Sichuan, originally uploaded by jiulong.

This is the lake below Miadi Gangga (Muti Konka) taken from an easterly direction looking towards the Yalong.