Mingyong Glacier

Mingyong glacier is the longest and largest glacier among the four glaciers that Meili Snow Mountain (Mt Kawakarpo) has. It starts from the elevation of 6740 meters of the Meili Snow Mountain and stretching down for about 11.7 km to the tree-line of 2,700 meters, where virgin forest area is at.

Brief

Due to global warming and excessive tourists, it is aggravating that glaciers melts at the annual rate of about 5 or 6 hundred meters.

Mingyong Glacier is the 2^nd longest glacier after Hailuogou glacier (13.6 kilometers) in Gongga Mountain in the Heng-duan Mountains

A lot of snow and ice is from south slope of the main peak, and from the northwest slope of the little ice-cap on the southeast of the main peak forming up a huge snow and ice low-lying land, which extends about 5km from south to north, and 3 kilometers from east to west. In summer time, melted ice and snow flows into this low-lying land forms a diameter of 50 meters seasonal lake, the water color produce blue and dark

How it forms

When a large quantity of snow and ice are over the ice ridge, it is cut by 3 frozen rock to two ice streams, and Converging into a big ice waterfall flowing down to the northeast with a gradient of 300 to 400 degrees, and length of 2 kilometers and height difference of 1,000 meters around.

Under 4000m

Under altitude 4000 meters, there is one giant glacier platform with gradient of 5-10 degrees and length of 2 kilometers and wide of 1.5 kilometers. Then after, the ice flows to the southeast at an angle of 300 degrees, the gradient is about 30-35 degrees and forming up the 2^nd large Ice-waterfall; Due to the movement that glacier push down, and the ice collapse, the very loud sound is often to be heard

Around 3000m

Approximately 3,000 meters beneath the 2^nd Ice-waterfall, the gradient become gentle to 15 – 20 degrees, the ice is about 1.5 kilometers wide. Due to ice melting, it forms a series of parallel ice valley and ice ridge area with height of 20 to 30 meters. Ice water gush out from the ice-cave under the ice cliff, which a 70 meters high ice-cliff is at the end of glacier with gradient 300-400 degrees

Approaching this glacier

It is about 8 kilometers from the entrance to Tai-Zi-Miao where to enjoy the view of mingyong glacier. The hike is relatively gentle uphill, just as an usual walk up to a hill, just the elevation increases. For those, whom do not like to walk, horse-riding is the only option, however, the horse rental can be arranged at the entrance, and not in the halfway of the hike.

After arriving at the foot of Mingyong glacier, you will be able to appreciate the great view of Meili Snow Mountain (Mt Kawakarpo)

Mingyong Glacier

• Meili Snow Mountain (Mt Kawakarpo) is still an virgin mountain that no one has ever reach the top
• There are 3 peaks that are over 6000 meters above sea level, and 5 peaks are over 5,000 meters above sea level
• The altitude difference from the peak to the bottom of the glacier: 4,080 meter
• Above Snow-line, the mountain width of 1 – 3 kilometers
• The annual average temperature of the area at Snow-line (4800 meters – 5200 meters): -3 to -5.6 degrees
• Annual precipitation : 1500 mm

How to get to there

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Mingyong glacier is located at Mingyong village that is 50 kilometers from Deqin county, or 40 kilometers to Fei-Lai-Si

By bus from Deqin 

Two daily bus with departures: 07:00am, 15:00pm, with rate: RMB 15 one way

By rent vehicle from Deqin 

It usually cost RMB 200 – 300 per vehicle, round trip

By rent vehicle from Fei-Lai-Si 

It usually cost RMB 150 – 200 per vehicle, round trip; or it is possible to share a rent vehicle with others with rate of RMB 20 per person