“Huang” means yellow, and “shan” means mountain. This last weekend we put the two together and experienced the mystical enormity that is Yellow Mountain. We brought our neglected hiking gear, Karen packed up the car with all sorts of yummy motherly goodness, and Element drove us through five hours of rolling green hills, tea terraces, and the longest tunnels we’ve ever experienced…all to arrive at the base of the mountain in good spirits and with high hopes.
At 5:30 the next morning, we found ourselves at the bus station ready to get on the mountain! Mark and Karen decided to go up the cable car from the south side of Huangshan, while Steve and I took the most difficult route up the mountain on the west side. We started our trek at a temple, and followed other ambitious tourists winding up the steps to the top. The climb (all on man-made stairs…China doesn’t do hiking trails) was beautiful. It started off in bright green trees, with glimpses of rocky mountainsides and breathtaking views as we climbed higher. We passed several people in less than ideal hiking gear (high heels and lace…really? Smoking while hiking….really?), but there were always more people to pass! As we looked up the steep steps, it reminded Steve of the trail of ants (people climbing) that line Mt. Shasta each summer.
After a good hour and a half of steep stairmastery, we reached the top. Well, sort of. We were at the top, but the mountain is so big that we ended up hiking down, around, up, and over several other peaks and valleys while we were there. As the morning progressed, the mist started to roll in. Steve would notice the fog monster coming, and we would sprint to the highest nearby peak to try to see the breathtaking views before they were shrouded with mist. We would usually arrive with seconds to “ooh ahh,” snap a shot, and catch our breath as the mist eclipsed our view.
What a great weekend with great people, great adventure, and great scenery!