Ice Lake of Yubeng Village in Meili Snow Mountain, Diqing

Where is Ice Lake – Location

Ice Lake is located at the foot of Jiangjun Mountain in Yubeng Village in Meili Snow Mountain, Deqin County, Diqing Prefecture. It’s 7 hours’ trekking from Yubeng Village and 1 hour’s trekking from the Base Camp.

Features of Ice Lake

Ice Lake is formed by snow water from Meili Snow Mountain, at an altitude of 4100m. It’s regarded as the holy lake of Meili Snow Mountain and is the main water resource of Yubeng Village. It’s typical moraine lake as a result of glacier movement. One side of the lake is the mountain mountain ridge, another side is the vertical cliff and dangling huge glacier. Climbing up the cliff to the main peak of Kawagebo. Huge glaciers and snows continue to fall off cliffs into glacial lakes and replenish them. Other glaciers spreading to the lakefront are spectacular. A startling interplay of blue sky and white mountain makes the Ice Lake be more like a paradise.

Ice Lake of Yubeng Village in Meili Snow Mountain, Diqing

How to Get There

By Walk
Ice Lake is the end of the hiking route. It’s as difficult as treking to Yubeng Village and will takes one day. Start the trail from Yubeng Village will takes 7 hours to go there and back. Hiking along a narrow path nearby a stream, climb over a huge stone with a waterfall, then you will arrive at Ice Lake. There may happen to snow crash, so don’t approach the snowmelt point. 

By Mule-riding and Walking
You can also ride a mule from the mule farm which is located between Upper Yubeng Village and Lower Yubeng Village. However, you just can arrive at Xiaonong Base Camp, then you have to walk. People are easy to get lost at the start point, it’s suggested to start your trail with a tour guide. There are service sites for a break and kinds of wild fruits. Trek up over the most steep slope, then you will arrive at the Ice Lake.

Recommended Hiking Route

The route: Yubeng Upper Village(3200m)- Xiaonong Base Camp(3700m)- Ice Lake(4100m)

The whole route is 24 kilometers for a round-trip, which would take 4-10 hours. The average hiking time is 7-8 hours. Get out of Upper Yubeng Village, go through a huge Marnyi Stone and enter into the woods, continue to trek along the left road near the river, you will get a small bridge soon. After the bridge, go up to the mountain. There are green garbage cans during the correct hiking route that can be regarded as signposts.