Adra Writes

Shortly after moving to China, I discover it is a wonderful place for hiking. They have 5 Sacred Mountains (which I hope to climb soon) and National Parks everywhere. But at the heart of all parks and mountains is Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, in Anhui Provence.

This place became my obsession for the Fall and Winter of 2018. After wrapping up my classes, I decided to go to this beautiful place that my students and friends had told me about.

After a long night on a train to get there, I was greeted with the first snowstorm of Winter. I found a taxi driver, who somehow spoke English, that informed me my hostel was actually 8 miles away from the base of the mountain, and driving there in such conditions was a risk.

Maps are deceiving when looking at a place you have never visited, but it was a pleasant surprise once I finally arrived. My little hostel was tucked away in a beautiful valley named The Lovers Valley, and everything was blanketed in snow. It was like a scene from a children’s book.

I was the only guest at the hostel, as this was definitely not the season, and I enjoyed my free of charge upgraded room with a warm shower and the first soft bed I had laid on since leaving the states. My hosts prepared lovely meals for me and ensured that I had everything I needed. The first day, I spent laying around, reading some overdue books, and taking strolls along the stream.

It was uncertain if I could actually go to the mountain since the roads were covered and taxis were out of the question. But my hosts personally drove me to the closest bus station that then drove me into the park to buy tickets.

The weather conditions were a little too treacherous for hiking up the mountain, and I lacked the necessary gear for icy weather. So I settled for the cable car ride to the top. It was amazing to be above the mountain and see the icy landscape from such a unique perspective. And along this ride, I made a friend who somehow happened to be a student from the very university I work for. We ended up walking the mountain together and keeping each other company and chatting away the whole day. He was a dear soul to meet.

I had never seen so much ice and snow before. It was like walking on a different planet altogether. The pine trees were like ice sculptures, and the granite peaks seemed like floating rocks in a sea of fog. It was one of the greatest experiences I could have asked for at that time in my life.

Be sure I could not explore all the different areas due to time and weather conditions, but one afternoon was enough to nourish my soul for the rest of the month.

There is a Chinese saying that goes “五岳归来不看山, 黄山归来不看岳” meaning: you won’t want to visit any other mountains after viewing the Five Sacred Mountains, and you won’t even want to visit them after you come back from Huangshan.

I honestly can’t imagine how another mountain could compare to the beauty of Huangshan but I hope to find out for myself.