Xiaonong Base Camp

The road to the ice lake was muddy, especially the uphill section, but arriving at the Xiaonong Base Camp made people feel refreshed. The yak milk at the supply point was delicious!

The base camp where the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team climbed the mountain is now a supply station, where instant noodles and fried rice are served. A bowl of instant noodles cost 25 yuan.

Xiaonong Base Camp is the mountaineering camp left behind by the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team. It is adjacent to Kawagebo, the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain, and is also the only resting point on the way to and from the glacial lake. Snow-capped mountains, wooden houses, fences, cattle and horses form a beautiful picture.

The base camp is good

Very good base camp

The base camp is very large

In the 1990s, the Meili Snow Mountain disaster wiped out the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team, which also made the climb to Kawagebog a virgin peak. This place was the base camp for the climb back then.

The last supply station on the way to the ice lake: instant noodles 25, fried rice 30

There are toilets, snacks, yak milk, and accommodation here. The toilets here are full of the atmosphere of human life and are so primitive that people are scared to go to the toilet.

But this place is so beautiful and charming. I stayed here for a long time and was reluctant to leave. I knew that once I walked out of this forest, perhaps I would never see its beauty again in my life, but only in my dreams at midnight.

It is a must-go place to the glacial lake. The surrounding scenery is first-class. If you are tired, you can rest at the supply station or eat something later.

The snow at the base camp was incredibly thick, completely different from what I'd seen online. I hadn't expected it to snow, but that was another kind of beauty. Looking around, the mountains, water, and trees were all covered in snow. I was so moved that I almost got lost in the beauty! I was truly lost in the snow, lost in the forest!

It is called a ranch, but there were very few cattle and horses that day. It was said that they had not yet moved here.

Xiaonong Ranch is also a good stop for hikers on their way back and forth, though the food is a bit pricey. I bought a can of Red Bull and a bottle of Coke.

The 91 Mountain Disaster, known in mountaineering circles as the "Mountain 91 Disaster," ended with four camps destroyed by avalanches, killing all 17 Chinese and Japanese climbers. Xiaonong Base Camp was the base camp for that expedition.

Xiaonong Base Camp is the original base camp established by the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team that died in 1991. It's said that this was the only place in Yubeng with wireless service. However, nowadays, almost all of Yubeng has wireless service, and Wi-Fi is readily available in the village. The base camp also serves as an alpine pasture. The views are expansive, and if the summit isn't obscured by clouds, it's truly stunning.

Finally arrived at the Xiaonong Base Camp, excited, in spring and summer this place can be a pasture with birds singing and flowers blooming. There are several wooden houses in the middle, and an uncle is here every day to guard the place and provide supplies to tourists.

We ordered egg fried rice for 20 yuan each and butter tea for 50 yuan each. The fried rice was generous and the butter tea smooth and warm, a true treat for weary travelers. Uncle doesn't live here anymore; he only visits every few days. I wonder if he's doing well. If you see him, please try some and give him my regards. I still remember the deliciousness and kindness of that fried rice and butter tea!

It's important to note that as you approach the snow line after entering Xiaonong Base Camp, snowy roads are unavoidable, even around April. Therefore, crampons are essential equipment; otherwise, the journey can be extremely dangerous and prone to accidents. Trekking poles are also essential, especially for those heading to the glacial lake. We encountered two dangerous situations along the way due to inadequate equipment. Even so, the scenery after entering Xiaonong Base Camp became particularly magnificent.

Located 13 kilometers from Yubeng Village (near the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain), it was built in 1991 by a joint Chinese-Japanese mountaineering team. It serves as a base camp for climbing Kagebo Peak on Meili Snow Mountain. A must-see for travelers to Yubeng Village, it sits at an altitude of 3,600 meters. A cattle pen provides a resting area, making it a must-see on the way to the glacial lake. The scenery is stunning! Currently, there are few public services, though a Tibetan local sells snacks in the pen, providing a place for tourists to rest and refuel on their way to the glacial lake.

Why recommend this? This was the former base camp for the Sino-Japanese mountaineering expedition, and it's also where you'll pass by on the Yubeng Ice Lake hike. It's a simple collection of wooden houses, with rest stops and supply stations along the way. Instant noodles are around 20 yuan a bucket, and they also have freshly made egg fried rice. Don't be offended by the price, as the hike is long and a bit challenging (for beginners). You might be a little disappointed when you see the base camp, but the scenery along the way—the pristine forest and the glaciers—is truly beautiful. It's best to hike with a group or a guide, as it's easy to get lost in the forest and there might be a lack of signal. Remember to bring a power bank, as the low temperatures can cause your phone to lose power and run out of juice. There are also wolves and bears in the forest. My Yubeng hike happened to be winter, so the bears were hibernating, and I didn't encounter any dangerous animals. I did encounter a lot of my beloved squirrels, though. It was a wonderful experience.

At the foot of Wuguan Peak, I ate a bucket of instant noodles here, looking at the sky and the snow-capped mountains, feeling comfortable.

We set out from Shangyubeng in the morning and arrived at Base Camp around noon. There was a rest area where we could enjoy fried rice, instant noodles, and a bottle of Pocari Sweat for 15 yuan. This was once the base camp built by the Sino-Japanese mountaineering team for the climb to Meili Peak. Now, there's no trace of the base camp, replaced by Xiaonong Farm, with cattle, sheep, and horses roaming everywhere. The environment is beautiful and worth visiting even on a rainy day.

The base camp of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team had a nice and open view.

It took one hour to descend from the pass to the base camp. Standing at the foot of the snow-capped mountains, one can deeply feel the majesty and sacredness of the Meili Snow Mountain.

It was not until now that I truly understood the meaning of the saying "the body goes to hell, the eyes go to heaven."



Xiaonong Base Camp, also known as the Mountaineering Base Camp, is the only way to reach the Ice Lake. It was the base camp for the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team.

Meili Snow Mountain is a sacred mountain in the hearts of local Tibetans. They believe that this mountain cannot be violated or climbed.

In 1991, 17 members of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team launched an attack on the main peak, Kawagebo Peak, despite the opposition of Tibetans. This cursed the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team. When they were 200 meters away from the summit, they encountered an avalanche. In the end, no one in the entire mountaineering team survived, and the base camp became a ruin.

Mount Kawagebo remains a "virgin peak" that has not been conquered by humans, and it is also the only peak that is prohibited from climbing due to cultural protection.

Xiaonong Base Camp was originally the base camp of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team in 1991. It has now been converted into a rest stop for the Ice Lake Hiking Tour, providing dining and accommodation.

The natural scenery is amazing, it's definitely worth a visit, it's best to stay there for half a day

At the foot of the glacial lake, you'll find a truly magical life, chopping wood and feeding horses! You can rest here before continuing to the glacial lake. Tibetan fried rice is 20 yuan a bowl! It's quite good!

It is the only way to the glacial lake, where you can take a break and buy some food. There are instant noodles and the snow-capped mountains are around.

Xiaonong Base Camp is located 13 kilometers from Yubengshang Village in Deqin County (near the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain). Built in 1991 by a joint Chinese-Japanese mountaineering team, it serves as a base camp for climbing Kagebo Peak on Meili Snow Mountain. A must-see for any visitor to Yubeng Village, it sits at an altitude of 3,600 meters and features a cattle corral for resting. Xiaonong Base Camp is a good starting point for trips to the glacial lake at 3,800 meters. After the snow melts, people leave behind horses at Kagebo Peak, and the scenery is breathtaking.

Although it is shabby, it gives me a fairy-tale feeling.

The only supply station on the Binglu Trail, it's named after the base camp of the 1990 Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team. On a clear day, the view of the snow-capped mountains is stunning. The hike from the base camp to the glacial lake takes about an hour and a half, and the ascent is quite tiring.

You'll pass it on the way to the glacial lake. Don't get too excited when you see the base camp and take a break. As the saying goes, "A horse will die if it's too far ahead." It's still over an hour's journey to the glacial lake.

It was winter when I went there. There was no one around. It was just a vast expanse of snow. It felt like a canyon.

The horses were grazing leisurely, and they were left behind from Mount Kawagebo after the snow melted.

The former Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering base camp is now a rest stop.

You need to cross mountains and ridges to reach the base camp, which was left by the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team.

It should be the Ice Lake Base Camp, it has many names...

The blue sky, white clouds, meadows and snow-capped mountains suddenly open up.

The blue sky, white clouds, meadows and snow-capped mountains suddenly open up.

The base camp is a little far from the glacial lake. There are small shops here where you can buy food, but it is a bit expensive. However, the scenery is beautiful.

For me, the trail from Shangyubeng to Xiaonong Base Camp wasn't difficult. The steepest part was around 50 degrees, while the rest was around 30-45 degrees. In late May, Xiaonong Base Camp was a vast expanse, with snow-capped mountains as a backdrop. Old wooden houses and black yaks grazing on the grassy plains stood out. You could also see the gurgling stream flowing from the glacial lake, and the crooked spruce forests, reshaped by the avalanche that once struck the Chinese and Japanese mountaineering teams. Xiaonong Base Camp is famous for its instant noodles. I saw fellow hikers eating them, but I didn't like the curly texture and just ordered a cup of butter tea. During my hour and a half stay at Xiaonong, I encountered a Japanese tour group camping there, a lovely Mexican guy, and a helpful young man from Hubei. Any beautiful journey is made all the more exciting by the kind people.

Following the stream upstream from the campsite, after climbing over a large rock formation with a waterfall, a small alpine glacial lake appeared before us. It was as emerald green as jade, pure and tranquil, and it was impossible not to exclaim in awe! The glacial lake is a typical ice-stained lake, formed by glacial movement eroding the surface. On one side of the lake is the mountain ridge we are on, and on the other side are vertical rock walls and a glacier that almost hangs in the air. The deep blue of the glacier and the emerald green of the lake complement each other.

A must-see for any trip to Yubeng Village, at an altitude of 3,900 meters, there's a cattle pen offering a resting area. Xiaonong Base Camp is a good starting point for the 4,100-meter glacial lake. After the snow melts, people leave Kawagebo Peak and graze their horses at Xiaonong Base Camp, a truly breathtaking spot.

If you bring a tent, you can climb to the campsite and set up camp on the first day without having to stay in Yubeng Village.

Standing on the Xiaonong Pass, two hours have passed since we set out from Yubeng Village. The uphill road before reaching the pass took about an hour and a half.

There is an inconspicuous viewing point in the woods next to the pass. From there, you can clearly see the General Peak and the Sixteen Venerable Peaks standing in front of you like gods, holy and majestic. Below the snow-capped mountains is the Xiaonong Ranch. You can vaguely see the Xiaonong Base Camp on the ranch, which is our next destination.

The only way to get to the ice lake is through this road. The base camp left by the Sino-Japanese joint expedition team is now an inn. You can still drink pure yak milk here, but the road surface is still the mule dung road!

You absolutely have to go. Since you've come to Yubeng, you have to go to the Ice Lake! Although the journey is long, you won't regret it if you stick to it.

There is a green meadow, two or three small wooden houses, horses and yaks grazing on the meadow, and snow-capped mountains behind. The scenery is really beautiful, and no camera can capture such a beautiful scenery.

There is a big glacier in the distance and a plateau meadow at your feet. It is so beautiful.

It takes a whole day to go to the Ice Lake and back. Compared to the Shen Waterfall, it is more physically demanding and tiring, but I think the scenery is more beautiful than the Shen Waterfall. On this long road, the only rest stop is the Xiaonong Base Camp, where food is sold... The prices are the most expensive I have ever seen. At that time, a bowl of instant noodles cost 25, but when you eat a bowl in cold weather, it is simply a delicacy. It was the first time I thought instant noodles were super delicious, probably because of the environment... Locals do not go to the Ice Lake when they worship and circumambulate the mountain, so there is only this one store, but you can encounter many stores on the way to the Shen Waterfall. But for tourists, both the Ice Lake and the Shen Waterfall will be visited.

The place where the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team once stayed is so beautiful now that it is hard to forget its story and sadness.

The so-called base camp is just a small shop where everyone can drink butter tea and eat barley cakes before continuing on their journey.

Xiaonong Base Camp is 3,600 meters above sea level. It was here that the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team set out to climb Mount Kawagebo. As a result, all 17 team members never came down.

The current base camp is a rest stop and supply station for hikers, but since it was almost winter when we went there, there was no one here. We stayed here for a while and then continued on our way.

If the glacial lake route is the essence of Yubeng's scenery, then the scenery near Base Camp is the essence of this route. Photos can't even begin to capture its beauty. All we could do was sit there quietly and greedily enjoy what we saw.

The scenery along the way was quite nice, with prayer flags everywhere and neatly stacked wishing towers, which felt quite exotic to us. We didn't go down to the glacial lake, as it's said to be dangerous, but just sat on it and stayed there quietly, which was quite pleasant. So peaceful, so beatuiful.

There are supplies at the base camp, including various types of water, rice and instant noodles, but there is no toilet.

The camp of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team in 1991 - Xiaonong Base Camp, now only has a post station, the only way to get to the glacial lake

Xiaonong Base Camp is located on the road from Xiayubeng Village to the glacial lake. It was the base camp for the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team. It's now a reception station. I dropped my camera while resting there.

It used to be the base camp of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team, and 17 members of the mountaineering team are buried here!

Xiaonong Base Camp, where previous mountaineering teams set out for their ascents of Mount Kawagebo, has been transformed into a rest stop, offering food and refreshments. Here, water costs 10 yuan per bottle, Master Kong instant noodles 20 yuan per bucket, butter tea 5 yuan per cup, and yak beef 40 yuan per piece.

The 10km from Yubeng to Base Camp was reached before 10:00 AM. Xiaonong Base Camp had been taken over by Tibetans and was now serving as a rest stop for hikers. This section of the trail was incredibly difficult to walk after a rainy day, with horse and cow manure strewn all over the road, leaving nowhere to step.

Xiaonong Base Camp is the only way to get to the glacial lake. It was the base camp where the Chinese and Japanese mountaineering teams climbed Meili.

After 12 kilometers, we finally reached the base camp.

Why is there such a beautiful place? Why is such a perfect place home to such a tragic and sad story?

Xiaonong Base Camp, built in 1991 by a joint Sino-Japanese mountaineering team, serves as the base camp for climbing Mount Meili, Kawagebo, the main peak of the Meili Snow Mountain. They assembled the world's finest climbers, backed by a major financial group, each with experience climbing over 8,000 meters. Here, they dreamed of proudly returning home with the summit of Kawagebo, yet none of them, having set out from this place, ever returned in person. Perhaps it is precisely because the heavens and the earth, the snow, ice, clouds, and fog, intertwined to embrace the sanctity of the Meili Snow Mountain, that humans are forbidden from encroaching upon this sacred shrine.

After passing the forest farm at Shangyubeng Village, we ascended the mountain. The rugged, primeval forest path brought back memories of the grueling journey to Yubeng. Perhaps gradually adapting, though, everyone's pace increased considerably. Chatting, laughing, panting, and chatting along the way, we unknowingly crossed the jungle path and arrived at the Ice Lake Base Camp.

Arriving at Base Camp, we found ourselves at the former base camp of the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering team. Seventeen brave men had set out from here for Mount Kawagebo, only to find themselves buried beneath the snowy mountain. Was this fate, or a curse from the gods? Standing beneath the snowy peak, quietly gazing upwards, this is a welcome thought. In the eyes of Tibetans, Mount Meili is a sacred mountain. Under the gaze of the gods, humans must remain in awe. Reaching the summit was considered disrespectful to the gods, and disaster would follow. The subsequent debate surrounding the need to respect nature and culture has resolved this issue, with authorities issuing a definitive ban on climbing Mount Kawagebo. Mount Meili, Shangri-La, a magnificent myth, the place where dreams begin. There's no greater regret than watching that splendor fade before your eyes. Some things in this world are destined to be unattainable, only envisioned.

I walked forward, not knowing how long it took to reach the heart of the valley. A few broken tree stumps and a few wooden sheds marked the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering base camp. The avalanche in 1991 occurred here, and 17 Chinese and Japanese climbers died here.

The snow will not melt in places in the forest where there is no sunlight. During the walk, it feels like walking in the dark forest in a fairy tale. After passing through the forest, we arrived at the Xiaonong Base Camp, which was the joint Sino-Japanese mountaineering base camp at that time.

You can have lunch at the Xiaonong Base Camp. A plate of fried rice costs 15 yuan, plus a bowl of butter tea for 5 yuan. That's all you need for lunch. However, many people seemed to feel uncomfortable after eating, so they all went to sing folk songs. After a short rest, we continued on our way to the glacial lake.

The location of the base camp is very good. It is 3,500 meters above sea level and is a large flat land closest to the main peak, Kawagebo.

After crossing the stream, it wasn't long before we finally reached the base camp. Due to the delays from taking photos, it was already around 1:00 PM. The base camp consisted of a few wooden houses and a cowshed, along with a small shop selling instant noodles, Red Bull, and milk tea. Everyone couldn't resist pouring a pot of milk tea. Of course, instant noodles were also a staple, a must-have.

The base camp is at the foot of the snow-capped peaks and is also a good place to take photos. This rest stop also offers instant noodles, Red Bull, boiled water, and butter tea. The prices are basically the same as on the way up the mountain.

Finally arrived at the base camp that made me awed,

The base camp at the foot of the mountain is beautiful and mysterious

Eat fried rice at the base camp, take a photo with the snow-capped mountains first, and then enjoy the snow-capped mountains while eating. Wahaha~

So many character backgrounds~

The horse farm next to the base camp actually raises mules. You can rent a mule if you need one!

After passing through a pristine pine forest, we arrived at Xiaonong Base Camp, at an altitude of 3,800 meters. Arriving at the base camp, it felt like a natural lumberyard, with horses and mules leisurely grazing. The wooden huts marked the site of the former camping site of the Chinese and Japanese mountaineering teams. Someone from Yubeng Village had set up a food stall there to provide a convenient meal for the guests. Lunch was limited to instant noodles, but fortunately, we had brought our own snacks; chocolate was a good option. After lunch, we all sat on the grass to rest, gazing at the majestic and sacred Kawagebo Mountain, a blanket of snow not far away.

Not far from the descent, we arrived at Xiaonong Base Camp, the former base camp for the Sino-Japanese joint mountaineering expedition. In 1991, an avalanche killed seventeen members of the Chinese and Japanese Dengshan expedition team.

We rested at the base camp and had a bowl of freshly squeezed yak milk. It was delicious! (I wouldn't recommend it to people who don't drink milk often. My friend Liu Yizi almost didn't come back that day because she had a stomachache after drinking it.)

Arriving at the legendary base camp means you're not far from the icy lake. A hero never brags about past achievements. I don't have much to say about the base camp, except to say that it now offers a variety of heartwarming amenities for every hiker heading to the icy lake: rest, food, a warm fire, and conversation... Everything feels like a redemption for past sins. Some things are better left untouched.

After about four hours, we arrived at Xiaonong Base Camp. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, it felt as if they were right next to us. It's said to have been the base camp where the Sino-Japanese mountaineering team prepared for their ascent. Now, there's no trace of it, and it's become a rest stop for tourists, where you can enjoy a bowl of instant noodles and butter tea before the final push.

Arrived at the base camp at about 12 o'clock, where you can choose to rest. It is about 1.5 hours away from the glacial lake and you need to climb a small hill.

Xiaonong Base Camp is quietly nestled in a valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The sun is abundant, and people sit quietly in wooden sheds without saying a word. Scattered black yaks are busy eating grass, and the Gesang flowers are also enjoying the sunshine comfortably. Only the stream next to it brings the rhythm of the breeze. You suddenly begin to worry about losing these leisurely and quiet times. Perhaps this kind of worry can only be experienced in a paradise.

We gathered around the charcoal stove in the base camp lounge, burning wood to keep warm. Tashi, the camp's head, brought in large ice blocks from the mountains and put them into the large iron stove. Once they melted and cooked, they became drinkable water. Everyone had lunch here to replenish their energy. Ah Hui fried some bait and shared it with everyone. It was delicious! Ah Hui said everything here was delicious! Haha...

Xiaonong Base Camp, located at 3,900 meters above sea level, is the base for climbing Kagebo Peak on the Meili Snow Mountain. It was built in 1991 by a joint Chinese-Japanese mountaineering team. The 17 climbers, who set out from this location, were caught in an avalanche and remained here forever, surrounded by the snow-capped mountains.

At 4:30 in the afternoon, we finally arrived at the base camp. It was surrounded by mountains. When we went down from the pass, we couldn't wait. Under the white snow-capped mountains, the few dilapidated wooden houses now looked so sacred.