Mount Gongga Altitude – The Highest Mountain in Sichuan

Mount Gongga, also known as Minya Konka, is the king of mountains in Sichuan. It is the highest mountain in Sichuan towering to a massive 7,556m. In Mount Gongga beyond a point it will literally look like a mountain floating in the skies. Climbing Mount Gongga is said to be a bit more challenging than Everest because of the unstable and changeable climate. Even though it is smaller than Everest very few have successfully climbed the summit of Mount Gongga compared to the Everest. In fact, before four adventurous Americans set out to scale this magnificent mountain in the 1930’s people thought Mount Gongga might be higher than the Everest.

Mount Gongga Altitude – The Highest Mountain in Sichuan

Climbing Mount Gongga exhausts like no other and at the same time makes you go awe at the pristine magnificent views. In a nutshell, it’s a hard path surrounded by undeniably beautiful views. One of the reasons that compels climbers to trek this mountain is that the trekking path is not only surrounded by more rocky surroundings it is full of hot springs, valleys, glaciers, and lakes. There are different paths to the summit and different itineraries to enjoy according to your needs. If you are looking for hardcore trekking there is a path, if you are looking for cultural knowledge there is one, if you are looking for a path that is filled with beauty and sightseeing there is one.

7 Days Mt. Gongga Trekking Tour - Classic Minya Konka Trekking Tour

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Altitude Changes along the Trekking Route

The below mentioned route is the most commonly used and most popular route among the tourists. Here are the different altitude points along the route.

Point 1: Chengdu (540m) - Chengdu is the closest place to Mount Gongga that is accessible by flight. Most of the tourists arrive at Chengdu and then start the journey towards Mount Gongga.
Point 2: Kangding (2,970m) –Kangding is the capital city of Ganzi Tibetan Prefecture. It will be a welcome relief from the busy bustling Chengdu. The altitude only goes up from here. Kangding is used as a pit stop before starting the trek in Mount Gongga.
Point 3: Gexi Grassland (3,400m) – Gexi Grassland is beautiful green land with water running across it. It is used a campsite.
Point 4: Liangcha River (3,780m) –After hiking up a bit more you will across the beautiful Liangcha River from where you will be changing directions and hike towards a valley.
Point 5: Shangriwuqie (4,350m) – Shangriwuqie is a base camp that you will be resting for the day.
Point 6: Riwuqie Yakou (4, 830m) – This is a pass that you will be trying to cross and along the way you can see views of small Gongga Mountain, Jiazi Peak, and Grand Riwuqie Glacier.

7 Days Gongga Mountain Hiking Altitude

Point 7: Moxigou Campsite (4,100m) – After crossing the pass there will be a downward path towards this campsite.
Point 8: Gongga Temple (3,750m) – It is again downward from the previous campsite and after a while you will start seeing prayer flags. You will reach Gongga temple where you will be resting for the night. Gongga Temple has sleeping accommodations and it is said to have best views of Mount Gongga.
Point 9: Zimei Yakou (4,580m) – The trek gets a little slower at this point. At the Zimei pass there are bikes that can be rented.
Point 10: Bawanghai Lake (3,100m) – From Zimei Pass the trek is downwards towards and heading towards the end of the trek.
Point 11: Caoke at 1,500mand then descend back to Chengdu.

Weather Condition at Different Altitude

As you go higher the air gets colder and thinner. And naturally the temperature drops. Mount Gongga has a temperature in eastern slope and a different temperature in western slope. Although Mount Gongga is known for its rains, trekking is not so popular and not advisable during those months. As you go higher, the temperature difference between day and night will be higher too. Beyond 3,000m during the temperature is usually around 3oC and lower and during nights it goes as low as -4OC. Theoretically for every 1,000m temperature decreases by 3.3oC if it is raining or snowing.

In Mount Gongga as you go higher there is more and more snow.

In Mount Gongga as you go higher there is more and more snow. So the weather condition is generally cold and you might be lucky to see some sun when you trek during dry season. Even if you don’t feel the heat during that time, it is important to put on some sun blocks as UV rays are stronger at higher altitudes. At different altitudes there might be slight variation in temperature but it is generally cold. Only the degree of coldness changes.

How to Avoid Altitude Sickness During Mount Gongga Trekking

1. Consult your doctor before starting the trip and get necessary medicines as a precaution.
2. Drink lots of water. Drink at least 3 liters of water per day while trekking. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine as it only increases dehydration. The air thinner and much drier at higher altitude but due to colder temperatures climbers usually make the mistake of not drinking water regularly.
3. Avoid dramatic increase in elevation gain while climbing. Give yourself plenty time to acclimatize and ascend slowly.
4. As much as you like to cover higher grounds, ensure that you sleep low. Always return to a lower altitude to sleep especially when the trek gets higher than 6,000m or 7,000m.
5 A common misconception is that if you have better fitness and are in good shape you will not be affected by altitude sickness or its symptoms. The fact is that altitude sickness has nothing to do with fitness or age. So, no matter how fit you are listening to your body is important.
6. It is important to snack a lot. Your body is working more than usual and it has to be nourished and full of carbohydrates. Eat lot of energy bars and even snicker bars are a good snack to munch on and fill your stomach.
7. In case you face severe symptoms of altitude sickness like headache or vomiting stop ascending higher immediately. Drink lots of water, take your meds, and rest completely for two or three days. It should be alright to ascend after a couple of days of rest.

Altitude of Major Attractions near Mount Gongga

Hailuogou Valley Altitude

Located in the east side of the Mount Gongga Hailuogou Valley is famous for its low altitude ice glaciers, beautiful virgin forests, ice waterfalls, lakes, and hot springs. Enjoying the hot springs on a cold day is an experience not to be missed in Hailuogou. The lowest altitude in this valley is 2,850m and goes as high as 6,000m. There are three campsites inside the valley scenic area consisting of spa resorts. The views are known to be best from campsite number three.

Enjoying the hot springs on a cold day.

Yanzigou Scenic Area Altitude

Yanzigou is the sister valley of Hailuogou. The altitude rises upwards from 1,800m to 7,000m. The glaciers, hot and cold springs, peak views are some of the reasons to visit this area. The whole scenic area is 10 km sq. and can be explored on a horse. Yanzigou is best known for its vast red stone park. There are 200 types of flowers and 4000 varieties of plants.

Riding a horse to explore Yanzigou Scenic Area.

Mugecuo Lake Altitude

Mugecuo Lake is one of the five alpine lakes in the scenic area. Mugecuo is also known as the wild man lake and is located at an altitude of 3,700m. The lake is huge with the dimensions of 741 acres. The lake is bordered by Tagong grassland on one side, pine trees on other sides. This scenic area has so many picturesque views. There is tour bus that takes you the lake and stops in a couple of places for taking photos.

Mugecuo Lake