. . . when you reach the edge of the forest and you see . . .
Sure, I knew it was going to be there. But still, it's like suddenly being in an Indiana Jones film.
Heilongwang temple, near the edge of its namesake fault.
The area is in Yuntaishan, a world-class geological park in Henan province. The general area has been uplifted several hundred metres in the last 25 million years, mostly in response to the collision between India and China (tectonic, not political). The gorges result from downcutting by the various streams that cross the recently uplifted sedimentary block.
The rocks in the Hongshi Valley are all reddish sandstones, and flash flooding has cut narrow canyons into them.
The risk of getting killed in a flash flood while hiking this narrow valley has been reduced by the construction of a dam at the end of the valley.
This guy's job is to paddle around the pond, scooping up all the garbage that tourists throw into it.
Exiting the valley is by stair.
I was in this part of the park Thursday. I went to three other sites as well, all with substantial climbs. This one was only about 65 m.
One other site I visited was the so called 'Macaque' Valley. The park has the northernmost population of wild macaques in China. Good luck seeing one--there are simply way too many people wandering around. There are quite a few 'rescued' macaques living lives of despair, constantly fed popcorn, potato chips, and coca-cola by tourists. Most of them (the macaques, I mean) have lost large parts of their fur and are covered in sores. Some of the fitter ones are dragged in chains to perform tricks before an adoring crowd--they are controlled by a trainer who alternates between blowing a whistle and threatening them with a stick.
So that part was a little depressing. But there are better things ahead . . . Quanpuxia and Tanpuxia.
Sure, I knew it was going to be there. But still, it's like suddenly being in an Indiana Jones film.
Heilongwang temple, near the edge of its namesake fault.
The area is in Yuntaishan, a world-class geological park in Henan province. The general area has been uplifted several hundred metres in the last 25 million years, mostly in response to the collision between India and China (tectonic, not political). The gorges result from downcutting by the various streams that cross the recently uplifted sedimentary block.
The rocks in the Hongshi Valley are all reddish sandstones, and flash flooding has cut narrow canyons into them.
The risk of getting killed in a flash flood while hiking this narrow valley has been reduced by the construction of a dam at the end of the valley.
This guy's job is to paddle around the pond, scooping up all the garbage that tourists throw into it.
Exiting the valley is by stair.
I was in this part of the park Thursday. I went to three other sites as well, all with substantial climbs. This one was only about 65 m.
One other site I visited was the so called 'Macaque' Valley. The park has the northernmost population of wild macaques in China. Good luck seeing one--there are simply way too many people wandering around. There are quite a few 'rescued' macaques living lives of despair, constantly fed popcorn, potato chips, and coca-cola by tourists. Most of them (the macaques, I mean) have lost large parts of their fur and are covered in sores. Some of the fitter ones are dragged in chains to perform tricks before an adoring crowd--they are controlled by a trainer who alternates between blowing a whistle and threatening them with a stick.
So that part was a little depressing. But there are better things ahead . . . Quanpuxia and Tanpuxia.
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