Changbai Mountain

The Changbai Mountain is a mountain range on the border between China and North Korea. In Russia this range is called "Vostochno-Manchzhurskie gory" ("East Manchurian mountain range") and considered as a part of more long Manchu-Korean mountain range, which separates China from Korea and Russian Primorsky Krai. The range extends from the Northeast Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning to the North Korean provinces of Ryanggang and Chagang. Most peaks exceed 2,000 metres in height, with the highest mountain being Changbai Mountain.

The most beautiful part of Changbai Mountain is undoubtedly Tianchi, or Heavenly Lake. The lake was formed in the crater of the mountain, and it is the source of the Songhua, Tumen and Yalu Rivers. The altitude of the Heavenly Lake is 2,189 meters (about 7,182 ft), and so the average temperature is 7.3C (45.14 F). With clouds everywhere, Heavenly Lake is like a jade in the sky. You can find a very interesting phenomenon while walking along the Heavenly Lake. On many occasions it is common for sunshine and rain to occur at the same time. It may rain very hard one minute, but you may soon find the sun shining warmly the next minute. Sometimes, you can even watch it rain in the west and shine in the east. Besides the wonderful scenery and astonishing climate, many witnesses have claimed that there are monsters in the lake! Some witnesses even took photos as proof, but there is still no conclusive evidence.

To the north of Heavenly Lake there exists an exit for the Chengcha River. Running gently for about 1,200 meters (0.74 miles), the river suddenly becomes a churning rapids and drops from a 68 meters (223 ft) high cliff. This is the famous Changbai Waterfall, the highest volcanic waterfall in the world. Watching it from far away, the waterfall appears like a white ribbon suspended in midair. As you approach it, you can hear the loud roar and feel the chilliness of the waterfall. Another alternative to watch the waterfall is climbing to Heifengkou on the main peak. Gales blow ceaselessly in this col, making it hard for visitors to walk and climb. But it remains the best place to watch the panorama of the waterfall. Apart from Changbai Waterfall, more than ten smaller waterfalls are also available in the mountain. Visitors have to enter the Northern Slope Entrance to see the waterfall.

Less than 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) away from Changbai Waterfall lie the Changbai Hot Springs. With a special chemical composition inside, the rocks around the hot springs have been dyed many bright colors. Most of the hot springs have temperatures over 60 C (140 F); the highest is 82 C (179.6 F). Hot Spring Eggs have become a special local product. Visitors can bathe in the hot springs, which are very effective for some ailments, such as arthritis, dermatosis and exhaustion. ( Tips on Hot Spring for your reference)

Underground Forest, the attraction with lowest altitude on the mountain, is famous for its view of virgin forests. Ancient tall trees, huge rocks, special animals and cliffy canyons have lured many scientists, explorers and photographers in recent years. Twin Lakes and Natural Museum along the Northern Slope are also worth visiting. Additionally, the newly exploited Great Valley, Jinjiang Waterfall, King's Lake, Tiger's Back and Tizi River in the Western Slope also attract many visitors. If visitors want to closely observe the borders of the PRC and the DPRK and enjoy the beautiful alpine flowers, they can climb the mountain through the Southern Slope Entrance.

During the peak seasons, namely June through September, hundreds of flowers blossom on the Southern and Western slopes. It is very cool, so it's an ideal place for escaping from the summer heat. But it is also very rainy in July and August, and visitors cannot watch the Heavenly Lake clearly at that time. The best time to visit the mountain is September. Generally, it snows from October. The best time to view snow and to ski is from November to March. Ice and snow begin to thaw from April, but visitors can still find snow even in May.

Visitors can stay with Korean families to understand the local life, or they can camp in the forest to breathe the fresh air of woods and flowers. There are also top-ranking hotels, such as Heavenly Hot Spring Hotel, Changbai Mountain International Hotel, and Athletes' Village. Changbai Mountain is also a rich area for wild fungus and traditional Chinese medicine materials, such as ginseng and pilose antler. Visitors can find them in local shops.

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