• Days: 8
• Difficulty: ****
• Price: 17000RMB

Luotuo Feng serves as a good introduction to more technical mountaineering, suitable for those who have climbed a trekking peak or two and are looking to move up to something a little more challenging.

This twin peaked mountain is located at the end of Changping valley in the Siguniang mountain (Four Girls Mountain) region of Sichuan, to the West of Mount Yangmantai (5666m). The two peaks (East and West) are of very similar height, with some dispute as to which is the higher. The West is the larger of the two peaks and is generally taken by climbers to be the true summit.

The ascent is mostly straightforward climbing in snow and ice climbing with a gradient of between 30 and 60°. There is one traverse across a steeper section and there are a number of crevasses in the icefield between the two peaks. Neither challenges are beyond the technical or physical capabilities of a well guided beginning mountaineer.

Itinerary

D0: Arrival in Chengdu

We will meet your flight from the airport and accommodate you in a pleasant well equipped local hotel near our offices. An evening meal will be arranged to allow you to meet your guide and ask any last minute questions.

D1: Chengdu - Rilong (6-8 hours drive)

We leave Chengdu early in the morning by public bus, travelling to the Tibetan region of Rilong via the impressive Balang Shan road pass (~4523m). The evening will be spent in a locally owned Tibetan hostel in Rilong town (~3300m).

D2: Market in Xiaojin

A short drive from Rilong takes us to the county town of Xiaojin where we can stock up with fresh food for our trip. Some gentle exercise around Xiaojin helps with our acclimatisation to the altitude. After shopping we'll return to Rilong and organise gear for the next morning's departure.

D3: Rilong - Base camp (3800m) (7-8 hours trek)

Our route to base camp is a straight forward trek along the picturesque Changping valley, with very little ascent although is relatively lengthy at around 7 hours. We will use horses to carry the majority of our equipment. Our base camp is at the end of the valley with good views of Mount Pomiu and the ice wall on the North face of the main peak of Siguniang Shan.

D4: Base camp - Camp 1 (TBC m) (4-5 hours trek)

Although our trek today is less than 10km in length, the gradient is considerably slower and we will ascend slowly to minimise any problems from the altitude and to conserve our energy for the summit day.

D5: Camp 1 - Summit - Base camp (6 hour climb, 10-12 hours)

From C1 a walk of around 1½ hours gets us to the start of the glacier at around 4800m. Here we don crampons and ice axes and rope up as we start to climb the glacier. Two hours sees us at the saddle with its ice fields and crevasses. We will attempt to summit around midday and descend to base camp before dark.

D6: Base camp - Rilong

A steady walk returns us to Rilong in plenty of time for a good meal, hopefully celebrating our successful summit.

D7: Shuangqiao Valley / Reserve day

An extra day is allowed here as, depending on weather and the fitness of the group, it may well be necessary to spend an extra night at either base camp or at camp 1. In the event this is not required we will spend this saved day in Shuangqiao (Double Bridge) valley, admiring the mountain scenery of the region, perhaps contemplating which peak to tackle next time.

D8: Rilong - Chengdu

A day's bus ride puts us back in Chengdu where we are collected from the bus station and taken back to the hotel for a well deserved hot shower and rest before dinner with the team.

Equipment

Required personal equipment for the trip includes:

• Winter outdoor clothing (Down jacket, Waterproofs, Hat, Gloves, etc)
• Mountaineering (or climbing) harness
• Ice axe
• Crampons
• Rope ascender
• Belay device / Descender
• Helmet
• Headlamp
• Down sleeping bag
• Snow glasses

Many of these items are available for hire from Dragon Expeditions if required. Our guides are also happy to advise on purchase and we are able to supply equipment for sale at very competitive rates if desired.

All group equipment is supplied including: ropes and rigging gear, tents, first aid kits, radios and cooking equipment.

Meals and snacks

All meals are included for the duration of the trip. It is however expected that you will want to supplement meals with other snacks, especially when climbing. Please note that these snacks are not included. Personal preferences vary considerably and it is almost impossible for us to cater to all tastes. Plan to bring snacks with you from your own country, or allow time in Chengdu to shop here. Chengdu has a number of large international supermarkets with a wide selection of goods available.

Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements and we will do our best to accommodate.

Required Experience

This trip makes a good introduction to slightly more advanced mountaineering and does not require previous experience with rope work. You should have attempted a trekking peak of some kind in the past, and ideally will have practised walking with crampons and the use of an ice-axe. Our professional guides will ensure the safety of the team throughout and will provide instruction on basic mountaineering skills as required.

Although we aim to summit if at all possible, we cannot guarantee that everyone will be able to get to the top and safety will take priority. In the event of exceptional weather or other unforeseen problems we may consider tackling one of the other many peaks in the area instead.

Price

For a minimum group size of two persons we charge 17,000 RMB per person. A deposit of 30% is required to confirm the booking at least 45 days prior to departure *.

Mountaineering is not a cheap sport. Whilst we strive to keep prices to a minimum we do pride ourselves on quality of service and safety. You may be able to find a cheaper quote for a similar trip elsewhere, but we consider ourselves to provide good value for money without cutting corners. Our price includes:

• Experienced, professionally qualified English speaking climbing guide.
• Mountaineering Permit; Environment Protection Fee; Entrance fees to National Park.
• Meals and accommodation throughout, including nights in Chengdu either side of the trip
• Horses and porters to carry equipment to base camp and camp 1
• Climbing accident insurance **
• All group climbing and camping equipment

* late bookings (less than 45 days notice) may attract a surcharge to compensate for the increased price of mountaineering permit.

** contact us for exact details of this policy. You may choose to supplement this with a personal travel insurance policy.