2003，Dec.

I went in last Dec. when the weather is dry and the least touristy season. The trail was said quite dangerous and strenuous in summer when a lots of rain. If you plan to go drop me a line and I can provide more information.

We started in 丽江by hiring a tax to 桥头. 桥头 is a very small town. It becomes a town because in the recent years, many foriengers come to hiking the Tiger Leap Gorge Upper Trial. You can store your heavy luggage in some hotels. We left ours at Tibetan Cafe across the bridge. After Tibetan Cafe, there is no Chinese tourists on foot. We met two Swedish students, three Spanish young men, plus our two and that's all the people on the trail (20 miles long) that day. There were a English couple at the Middle way guest house that night who came from the other end (大具). I only post some trail pictures here to give people some idea how it’s like.

1. Our valuable hand written map. We didn’t get lost because of it. The other people all got lost one way or the other.

2. The trailhead started behind桥头第二中学的soccer field.

3. Getting higher… 金沙江is below us now.

4. Some trail pictures

5. you can see the where the trail is going…

6. and where we were …

7. and views on the trail … 虎跳峡是夹在玉龙雪山和哈吧雪山之间.

8. 哈吧雪山

9. 玉龙雪山

10. The road on this and other side of the river

11. we are not alone on the road …

12. Signs on the way … We stayed at this Halfway Guest House for the night.

13. Most scenic toilet in the world. Enjoy the view while having a poop

14. After 2 days hiking, we took this little pick up truck come back to桥头, the fare is Y10 per person.

中途客栈-Middle Way Guest House- 是当地纳西族农民开的家庭旅馆. 因为客人多是外国人, 很干净. 我们的房间俩张单人床 Y15/night. 我贴的图中那张toilet view is exactly what you see from the toilet (mountains on the other side of the river).

The weather is typical highland temperature: very hot under the sun but freezing cold at night. You need to be pretty fit to do the hike. Tina's guest house is next to 公路, and 10 miles further from Middleway Guest House. We started at 10:30am and barely made the Middleway GH by 6:30pm the first day. It's too dangerous to hike at night - could fall off the edge easily.

中途客栈 provides very delicious 中式西餐. We had apple pie which is 煎饼上放上苹果片和糖. The owner is very keen to learn our opinion about it as we are Chinese live in the west. The locals go down to 桥头 to get their supplies. Most dishes are made of local vegetable.

我们是从桥头走到中虎跳. 从张老师开的小路下到江边, 从另一面的"天桥"上来的. 太险, 最好不要走.

又及： 虎跳峡上路(upper trail)是世界十大trail之一我的一个梦想就是去走这十个trail. 现在已经走了5个了。孩子还小，近几年可能走不了其他5个了。很遗憾。

我去的时候人不多。几乎没有中国人。国人多是开车去看虎跳峡，最多从公路走到水边而已。后来名声传出来，听说现在人满为患了。

虎跳峡中路和下路，也可走（trekk)。大约4-5天的路程。但是听说比较景色boring,而且要backpacking.