Changbai Mountain, Jilin, China

4YorkHiker 5:00 PM Oct 17, 2015

Changbai North - Heaven Lake, Waterfall and Lakes.
I had two days in Changbai in case the weather was bad for one day. I planned to visit the North area and south area. The weather was bad so I only got to see the north area, which has the famous large waterfall. The park entry system is complex, even with basic Chinese. You need multiple tickets, and there are multiple shuttle bus stops and locations. I didn't see any other foreigners the whole time I was at the mountain. Heaven Lake was very beautiful, and the weather good enough so I could see most of the crater. The large waterfall is very good, though access is totally restricted to a few crowded view points. The other small lakes with waterfalls and turquoise water were also nice. The bad side: The mountain is huge, but access is restricted to a very small area. The edge of the rim was three people deep the whole way. So you had to wait for a gap in the crowd or push your way in. To take a small white taxi to the mountain top I had to wait in a huge horrible mass of people for over two hours. No toilets, people pushing, people fighting, my worst queuing experience in seven months in China and the worst of my life. The bus back down and other shuttle buses also needed queueing for. When I cam back down from the crater lake there was no queue to go up, so maybe go there last or late in the day.

4ankyfire 5:00 PM Jun 18, 2018

North and West slope
North slope: First you take a bus to a interchange "station" from where you take buses to other places. To go to Heavenly lake (Tianchi) you need to get an extra ticket (near where the buses stop, 80¥) and pass through a gate on the other side of the parking lot (I thought it was an entrance to a deer enclosure). There you take small buses to Tianchi - it's a fun ride, as the drivers take the turns super fast! The hike uphill is very easy and short and there are plenty of people, but if you're lucky the view is pretty great. Unfortunately the path closer to North Korea is closed. Then you can go to a waterfall, heavenly lake (same bus, two stops), and a "dell forest" - which is the longest hike in the area (it's said it takes 80 minutes, but it's very easy to walk faster, for me it was about 50). Overall: surprisingly pricey (210¥+80 for Tianchi), great sights, although I'd prefer more actual hiking than just the bus rides (although I have to give it to them - the places are super far away from one another) West slope: again pricey (210¥) but no additional costs. Soon after I got onto the bus to the beginning of the trail, I lost coverage - so remember to bring cash as wechat money will not suffice! Now for the trail... 1442 stairs with a few rest stops on the way (you can pay to be carried in a sedan chair!) and the view of the way is unobstructed and absolutely breathtaking. I was also lucky as it rained in the morning and stopped right when I started the hike - and when I was going downhill it got cloudy, but thanks to the bad weather there were just few people. After Tianchi lake you can go to a canyon, which is very pretty (although not very special), it's also a pleasant, not strenuous hike. And there are chipmunks! If you have only one day I'd say west slope is the better option. What's more: if you're unprepared, you can rent warm coats. It gets surprisingly cold - I went mid-June and although a fleece jacket was enough, I was sometimes a bit chilly, especially at the top. Also, the weather changes in a matter of minutes, so have a raincoat! There are some stands with food - mostly corn, eggs, and instant noodles, so it's probably a good idea to pack some snacks. Also, people everywhere in the area are super friendly, but they do not speak English (and why would they - during the two days there I met only Chinese and Koreans), so prepare your google translate :)