The Changping–Bipeng trek
Changping–Bipeng is one of China’s more popular and well-established trekking routes. The three-day crossing from Changpinggou to Bipenggou takes you through ancient forest, alpine meadows, lakes and rivers, and over a pass at an altitude of four thousand six hundred metres. For many friends, their outdoor journey also began in Siguniangshan Town in western Sichuan, gradually leading them to discover other trekking routes in China and abroad and learn about climbing high mountains.
Route introduction
Travel from Chengdu to Siguniangshan Town, take the shuttle to Lama Temple, then hike to Muluozi campsite. On the second day, walk through forest and wetlands to Chazigouwei campsite below the pass. Set out before dawn to cross the pass and see the sunrise and sea of clouds over Bipenggou, then descend into Bipenggou Scenic Area and return to Chengdu. (Outdoor activities involve risks; take care when trekking.)
Scenery along the way
Our rapper friend showing his love at Muluozi campsite.
A handsome portrait of hu~jian at Chazigouwei campsite.
Sunset on the snowy peaks at Chazigouwei campsite.
Crossing the pass just as the sun rose.
Views on the Bipenggou side.
The trek
On the first day, I travelled with the team from Chengdu to Siguniangshan Town. After our pre-trip briefing at the hotel and handing out trekking poles, gaiters and the like, we headed to the outdoor activity management centre to register, then took the Changpinggou sightseeing bus to Lama Temple.
The overcast weather made walking comfortable and kept us from feeling so restless. Chengdu had been roasting lately; escaping into the cool mountains was bliss. At the boardwalk junction, both the boardwalk on the left and the horse trail on the right lead to Kushutan, the Dead Tree Shoal. We took the horse trail.
It is about five kilometres from the start of the walk to Kushutan, and by then it was almost lunchtime. There were peanuts, sunflower seeds, eight-treasure porridge, beer, soft drinks and bottled water here~
A friendly reminder: bring your own trail lunch, mainly high-energy food.
Do not eat too much at altitude; it can make you vomit.
I caught our rapper friend taking pictures. Once we got to know each other, whenever the mood struck on the trail he would put on a backing track and start singing, while I chimed in with a yo-yo. Singing, dancing and rapping—if he could play basketball too, he could make his showbiz debut.
After passing through ancient forest, we reached Xiaganhai, about 3 kilometres from Muluozi campsite, at an altitude of 3550 metres. After a short rest, we continued towards Muluozi, where we would camp that night.
Our climber friend loves going into the mountains with friends to hike, rock-climb and mountaineer whenever she has time. This time she and her companion Wu had come straight down from climbing Erfeng and gone directly onto the Changping–Bipeng trek. Seriously strong.
Our evening barbecue happened to coincide with a younger teammate’s birthday. His older sister had brought him along to climb mountains. Later, after crossing the pass with him, he said he was so damn tired he never wanted to come again, haha. A first outdoor trek can feel painful, but before long those mountain memories will keep coming back throughout the long years ahead.
Fog had rolled in after dinner when our rapper suddenly felt inspired and asked if I wanted to take photos. It was just the blue hour, so off we went. For the very first shot, he brought out a photo of his partner to pose with. Definitely lovestruck. When you are young, everything you do seems wonderful.
The second day’s walk to Chazigouwei campsite was about 10 kilometres, so there was no need to rush. Our climber friend seemed to be a natural cow magnet: humans and nature in harmony. I do not recommend getting this close to yaks, especially when calves are around, because they have a wild streak.
Feiniao had shouldered that ancestral hiking pack of hers again. Clouds and mist curled through the mountains today, giving everything an ethereal feel. It was not too hot for walking, with little ascent and meadows and forest all along the way. The real challenge would come tomorrow, crossing the pass and descending.
Chef Zhou was cooking today. I loved every dish; they really hit the spot. I could have eaten a whole plate of the stir-fried ham and green peppers myself. Do not stuff yourself: being seven or eight tenths full is enough. Your digestive system at altitude is not like it is on the plains.
The scenery near Chazigouwei campsite. The weather improved around sunset that afternoon, and the snow peaks glowed gold right in front of us. Photos, photos, photos.
I cannot describe exactly how I felt watching that sunset. Beneath the calm was an undercurrent; within the excitement, restraint. Flowing clouds and mist wove between the mountains and around the snowy peaks. I am often grateful for every sunrise and sunset I have witnessed in nature, because each is a precious gift.
Do you not think it is all wonderful?
For long-exposure photography, I usually prefer stacking images. For one thing, carrying ND filters in the mountains is inconvenient; for another, a time-lapse sequence can be stacked to simulate a slow-shutter photograph or turned into a time-lapse video—two uses in one.
Before dawn, I crawled out of my sleeping bag, ate breakfast and led the team towards the pass. Today we had to cross it, descend into Bipenggou Scenic Area and take transport back to Chengdu. It would be no easy task. Everyone needed to be mentally prepared: our willpower would be tested again and again.
The guy from Fujian and I sang our way up to the pass—an all-Phoenix Legend set.
When climbing a steep slope, whether on a snowy mountain or a pass, avoid impatience and control the pace and rhythm of your breathing.
The stars shone brilliantly overhead that early morning. I asked everyone to switch off their headlamps so we could look up at the Milky Way together. How long has it been since you last saw a sky full of stars?
A starry-sky photo I took last year: in the mountains of Tibet, the wind had my nose streaming, but I still waited enthusiastically beside the camera, haha.
Woohoo~ We reached the pass at 4650 metres! Across from us were the sunrise over Bipenggou and a sea of clouds. I put a Changping–Bipeng achievement medal around Xiao Wang’s neck—our rapper friend. Whenever I give a team member a medal, I say, ‘I hope you will climb higher mountains in the future.’ That indomitable spirit of climbing is an important source of human exploration and progress.
Getting home safely is the goal. The descent from the pass is steep and covered in loose stones. Watch the rocks under your feet and concentrate. Stop walking to take photos; when walking, do not gaze into the distance.
There were beautiful views to photograph on the descent too. My other model, the guy from Fujian, rested for a day after finishing Changping–Bipeng and then climbed Erfeng, reaching the summit before daylight. Later he talked about trying other technical peaks. One thing he said stayed with me: ‘I wish I had discovered the outdoors earlier.’ At that moment, I felt envious—envious that he had found the outdoors while he was still a student.
The Bipenggou side really is beautiful. Here our Changping–Bipeng trek came to a happy end, while our journey through life continues. See you at the summit!
Conclusion
Autumn is my favourite season in western Sichuan, but the summer scenery also took me by surprise, especially in clear weather. Trekking is a sport involving a broad range of skills and considerations. No route or snowy peak on the plateau is something you can tackle merely because you have legs. Always respect nature.
If you are also interested in trekking, mountaineering and landscape photography, you are welcome to follow, ask questions and exchange ideas.
The same account name across platforms (WeChat public account, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Tuchong and Bilibili): Fly一直在路上Fly
(Author: Fly一直在路上)
