Enter the Qinghai-Tibet Ice Age in midsummer and feel the coolness at an altitude of 4,000 meters

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "Roof of the World" and "The Third Pole", is the main concentration of glaciers in China. A large number of ice bodies accumulate on each other and the overlapping glaciers form a dynamic geographical landscape like still water and deep currents. Travelers go there step by step to explore, just for the amazing scenery of the century.

Glaciers that are "gathered by ice and snow" and "undissolved in spring and summer" are also called glaciers. They are mainly distributed in the polar regions or high mountain areas. These areas form a large amount of snow due to low temperatures all year round. The snow accumulates under gravity. Or under the action of pressure, grains of snow (ten thousand-year snow) are further formed. Then as time goes by, the gradually thicker snow particles will be transformed into more dense and hard blue ice; due to its certain plasticity, the blue ice moves slowly along the slope and uses the snow line as the boundary to establish its accumulation zone and In the ablation zone, the familiar glacier system is formed.

Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland, and high mountain systems such as the Himalayas and Alps are all areas with developed glaciers; and in mainland China, their distribution can be seen in Xinjiang, Sichuan, Yunnan, Qinghai and other provinces. Among them, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the "third pole in the world," contains the largest number of glaciers. As the water source of many large rivers in East Asia, the glaciers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been catalyzed and molded by hundreds of millions of years. From horn peaks and edge ridges to snake hills and Duan Moraine, the development patterns are also ever-changing and spectacular.

Up to now, the three major glaciers, Karola, Midui and Laigu, scattered in southeastern Tibet, with their unique landforms and scenery, have become a tourist attraction when visiting the snowy areas. A must-visit attraction that was once unshakably aloof, has become a "hot" tourist spot now.

Many tourists think that the glacier landscape must be located in a cold and deserted land that is hard to trace. A trip to the Karola Glacier is enough to break the stereotype of ordinary people!

Located at the junction of Gyantse County and Langkazi County in Tibet, the Karola Glacier originates from the famous sacred mountain Naichen Kangsang in Tibet. The ice body covers an area of ??nearly 10 square kilometers, and the melted ice on it Snow water has become one of the main sources of the Nianchu River, an important branch of the Brahmaputra River. According to legend, this snow water pours from Padmasambhava's nectar vase, so it can continue to nourish the pastures in the Shigatse area for many years.

Although the altitude is over 5,000 meters, the winding glacier tongue at the bottom of the Karola Glacier is only three to four hundred meters away from the road surface of National Highway 318; its superior geographical location has earned it the title of "Transportation" in Tibet. The name "The Most Convenient Glacier" is also a scenic spot that tourists can visit along the route when visiting the holy lake Yamdrok Yumcuo. Due to the convenient transportation and the magnificent and extraordinary scenery, many movies have been shot here, leaving a testimony of the glacier's sound, light and electricity.

Walk along the scenic plank road, enjoy the criss-crossed landscape of Karola Glacier up close, and feel the waves of cold air blowing down from the top of the mountain.

Another feature of the Karola Glacier is the rare "ice tower forest" landscape - only continental glaciers at mid- and low-latitudes have the basic conditions to form this landscape. In addition, The density of the ice body and the speed of movement interact with each other. The surface of the glacier gradually opens up countless small cracks. The snow water melts and leaks along the small cracks. Over the years, it creates a forest of ice towers that look like pagodas and have many strange features. ...

According to local accounts, at the end of the last century, the ice tongue of Karola Glacier once extended to the foothills, but now it has retreated to the mountainside together with the serac forest. In addition to climate, the damage to Karola Glacier also involves human factors. In 1996, when the crew of the movie "Red River Valley" was filming the encounter between a scientific research team and a Tibetan caravan in the Karola Glacier area, in order to create an avalanche scene, they buried explosives on the mountainside of the glacier and blasted them on site. Now that decades have passed, the ice body has failed to repair itself, and the underlying dark brown rock texture is still exposed in the blasted area, like a dazzling wound, reminding people of the fragility of the plateau's ecological environment.

Midui Glacier is classified as a "marine glacier" because the eastern Tibet region where it is located often receives the southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean and the abundant water vapor it carries, and this water vapor passes through the southeast The lofty mountain system blocks the direction of the glacier, providing an endless supply of materials for Midui Glacier.

Located in Yupu Township, Bomi County, Linzhi City, the Midui Glacier rests on the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains and the Bossula Ridge. It is located not only with the two Tibetan villages of Midui and Mimei Adjacent to each other is a steep and beautiful scenery along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway.

In contrast, the accumulation and melting cycles of marine glaciers are short, and the movements of the glaciers themselves are also relatively active. Glacier tongues with relatively smooth flow tend to advance towards lower altitudes, allowing tourists to see the distance. The majestic ice waterfalls among the peaks converge and are intricately intertwined, creating a majestic and majestic scenery. The end of the glacier fades into the forest belt, and the glistening ice body is surrounded by coniferous, broad-leaved forests, shrubs and other flora. Phase... chill and vitality go hand in hand, further revealing the wonder and richness of nature itself!

Even if you are unable to step into the steep icefalls and ice basins, it is not difficult to get a glimpse of the true appearance of Midui Glacier among the trees. What’s more, the snow line of Midui Glacier is less than 5,000 meters above sea level. The lower section of the ice body can even reach as low as a forest farm at an altitude of 2,500 meters. Such a vertical and dense distribution pattern is a unique feature of Tibet.

In the entrance square of the tourist plank road, you can see many Tibetan families holding pack animals to attract business. You can choose to pay money to ride horses back and forth to save leg strength. If you choose to walk, you must wear hiking and walking shoes with good coverage and sufficient support, and keep warm at all times. It takes about an hour to hike from the starting point of the plank road to the viewing platform. Apart from the scattered forest, you can often see piles of Mani stones and foraging yaks in groups.

After crossing several undulating hills, there is a wide viewing platform at the end. The platform faces the majestic glacier landscape, and the alpine snow water that flows through the four seasons accumulates in the foothills to form a glacier lake. If the weather is clear and the weather is clear, the calm lake surface will be able to clearly capture the reflection of the mountains and rivers, presenting a mirror-like effect. The beautiful world, and this is also the stunning snowy scenery that photography lovers should not miss.

To be precise, the "Laigu Glacier" adjacent to Ranwu Lake is not a single ice system, but a whole composed of Meixi, Xiongjia, Niuma and other glaciers.

Similar to the Midui Glacier, the Laigu Glacier also receives moisture from the Indian Ocean monsoon. With the blessing of abundant precipitation, the development of the glacier appears complete and diverse, making it a perfect place to view the magnificent landforms. Great place to go.

Laigu Glacier is located in Ranwu Town, Basu County, Qamdo City. It is not only adjacent to the beautiful Ranwu Lake, but also one of the sources of Parlong Zangbo. In Tibetan, "Laigu" means a secluded and beautiful residence. The Laigu Village, which is close to the glacier, is only 20 kilometers away from the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. However, surrounded by mountains, lakes and meadows, the village still maintains a simple and leisurely charm. Less than 100 Tibetan households have been engaged in farming and animal husbandry. , next to the low Tibetan house, the field poles and animal thresholds, prayer flags and mulberry smoke further create an uncontested space atmosphere, and also add a touch of tenderness to the strong and cold glacier environment.

As a marine glacier that forms and melts at a rapid rate, large and small glacial lakes are formed in the foothills near Laigu Glacier, competing with the irregular ice edges competing among the mountains. Among them, on the edge of a high slope near the lakeshore, a white pagoda was built for local people to use for pilgrimage. This is also the first choice location to take pictures of the glacier scenery.

Standing in front of the White Tower and looking over, in addition to the mountains covered with snow in the distance, a natural gravel embankment more cleverly separates the two adjacent glacial lakes, highlighting the richness of the lake. The sense of layering: the water quality of the upper lake is clear and beautiful. Against the backdrop of the washing blue sky, the water surface often reflects the clear Turkish blue, which is even and clear without being stained by dust; the lower lake is slightly turbid or stagnant, or has been frozen by frost and snow. , it is not difficult to find that the ten thousand-year-old ice rocks with blue light are faintly hidden among the layers of white. Huge ice floes drift across the lake like small islands from time to time, which not only adds to the image of loneliness, but also reminds people of the polar regions.

The weather environment near the Laigu Glacier is quite changeable. Sometimes the clouds are clear one moment, and the wind is gentle, and the next moment heavy fog quietly arrives, covering up the natural wonders. At this time, you can stop for a while and wait for the smoke to disappear. You can also visit the Tibetan villagers nearby, take photos with the children, or ask the Tibetans for bowls of sweet tea to wash away the dust.

Most of the houses around the glacier are low-level Tibetan-style buildings with one to two floors. The local villagers are very hospitable to guests. When they see visitors, they are always willing to scoop bowls of butter tea, pinch a few pieces of tsampa, and take the latter with them. Sit around the stove and talk. And this kind of experience is nothing more than an alternative spiritual harvest besides the beautiful scenery.

-Other glaciers-

The glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau account for more than 80% of the total glacier area in China, covering an area of ??about 47,000 square kilometers. In addition to the three major glaciers of Karola, Midui and Laigu, the more well-known glaciers in the territory include the famous glaciers Rijie Tsogyal Glacier, Puruogangri Glacier, Kochonggangri Glacier, Rongbuk Glacier and Quden Nyima Glacier. , Renlongba Glacier, etc. Some of these glaciers are located in remote areas and are inaccessible to ordinary people, but because of this, they can be protected from greater man-made harm in the face of global warming. Not disturbing is also a kind of love.

? Rijie Tsogyal Glacier?

@Northeast of Puma Jiangtang Township, Langkazi County

Close to the holy lake Puma Yumcuo, located in Zhuomu The Rijie Tsogyal Glacier (also known as Glacier No. 40) at the foot of the northern slope of Larikang Snow Mountain is an Internet celebrity glacier that has become popular in recent years, and it is also the most accessible glacier in the same area. The ice tower forest on Rijie Tsogyal Glacier can be as high as tens of meters, and it emits charming blue light in the sun, making it full of fantasy.

? Purogangri Glacier?

@In the Qiangtang Reserve, Shuanghu County, Nagqu City

The Purogangri Glacier is located in the national Qiangtang Reserve in China The core area of ??the reserve is the third largest glacier in the world. In addition to many lakes next to the ice sheet, there is also a desert, which is a wonder. There are Tibetan antelopes, Tibetan wild yaks, Tibetan wild donkeys and other wild animals in the surrounding areas; from November to April of the following year, you can enjoy the winter ice walls, ice caves and other wonders of Linggetso Lake.

? Kuoqiong Gangri Glacier?

@ Xuebquka, Geda Township, Yangpajing Town, Damxung County, Lhasa City

Kuoqiong Gangri Glacier It is more than 2 hours' drive from Lhasa, and the surrounding area has been developed into a glacier park. In addition to being able to get up close to the Kuochungangri Glacier and experience the joy of climbing firsthand, the park also has lakes, snow-capped mountains, meadows and other natural landscapes for viewing. Kuoqionggangri Glacier is 50 kilometers away from Yangbajing Geothermal Hot Spring, so you can visit it on the way.

? Rongbuk Glacier?

@The vast area at the foot of Mount Everest with an altitude of 5,300 meters to 6,300 meters

The Rongbuk Glacier in the Himalayas is formed by the Western Rongbuk Glacier It is composed of two major glaciers, the Zhongrongbuk Glacier and the Zhongrongbuk Glacier. It is a compound valley glacier. In addition to the magnificent forest of seracs, Rongbuk Glacier also has unique landscapes such as ice ridges, ice bridges, and seracs. Ice cliffs tens of meters high, light and dark ice fissures, and avalanche areas are areas that require careful attention.

? Qudennyima Glacier?

@ Gangba County, Shigatse City

Qudennyima is located in Gangba County, Shigatse City. In addition to glaciers and lakes, There are also Quden Nyima Temple, Quden Nyima Holy Spring and Padmasambhava footprints attractions here that are said to be related to Padmasambhava. Among the three lakes in the east (gold), west (silver) and south (bronze), the gold lake and the silver lake are the Observation Lakes. Many Tibetans come here to go around the lake, make wishes and observe the appearance.

? Renlongba Glacier?

@The junction of Zayu County, Linzhi City and Ranwu Town, Basu County, Qamdo City

Renlongba Glacier and Laigu Glacier Located in the same area, it has not yet been officially developed into a formal tourist attraction. Although it is not as large as Laigu Glacier, the landscape is more original. To go to this glacier, you can take a Tibetan tractor or horseback ride. Once you arrive, you can climb the several kilometers long glacier tongue. Those who are brave can even try to walk into the ice field and get up close and personal with the glacier.

Text/Gan Zhenwen/Pictures/CTPphoto, Photo Network

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