A lake in the heavens
Located on the border between China and North Korea, the Changbai Mountain Range is a must-see when visiting Northeastern China. Literally meaning the perpetually white mountain, the mountain is actually an active volcano and can reach as low as minus 45 degrees Celsius in the depth of winter. But with dry winters, there are no glaciers even at the highest points. The ancient forests surrounding the mountains are one of the best habitats for deer, bears, wild boars and wolves. Not surprisingly, Northeastern China is known for its bear bile and deer placenta trade. Up at 2,744m in the caldera of the mountain, there sits a large crater lake, also known as Heaven Lake. After a 20-minute ride on one of the dedicated tour buses up the mountain, we continued on with a roller coaster ride on a mini-van. The curves are extreme and it didn’t help for the driver to drive at crazy speeds either. Most of the handle bars on the vans are either crooked or have disappeared altogether from passengers hanging on for our dear lives during the rides! By the time we reached the top, the skies have fogged up so the view wasn’t great, but we were finally rewarded with slightly clearer skies and a view of the beautifully serene lake with the reflection of Changbai Mountain on the calm water surface. Always good to check the weather forecast before coming up here to avoid disappointment!
Located on the border between China and North Korea, the Changbai Mountain Range is a must-see when visiting Northeastern China. Literally meaning the perpetually white mountain, the mountain is actually an active volcano and can reach as low as minus 45 degrees Celsius in the depth of winter. But with dry winters, there are no glaciers even at the highest points. The ancient forests surrounding the mountains are one of the best habitats for deer, bears, wild boars and wolves. Not surprisingly, Northeastern China is known for its bear bile and deer placenta trade. Up at 2,744m in the caldera of the mountain, there sits a large crater lake, also known as Heaven Lake. After a 20-minute ride on one of the dedicated tour buses up the mountain, we continued on with a roller coaster ride on a mini-van. The curves are extreme and it didn’t help for the driver to drive at crazy speeds either. Most of the handle bars on the vans are either crooked or have disappeared altogether from passengers hanging on for our dear lives during the rides! By the time we reached the top, the skies have fogged up so the view wasn’t great, but we were finally rewarded with slightly clearer skies and a view of the beautifully serene lake with the reflection of Changbai Mountain on the calm water surface. Always good to check the weather forecast before coming up here to avoid disappointment!
