3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears

The No Man’s Wilderness : White Lake Loop in Altai Mountains.

3FULGEAR — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:34:38 +0000

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Team member: Liu Yu, Zi Long, Jun Dao, Kuai Le, Cha Ye

Time: October 2016

Length: 250km 14 days

Location: Altai Mountains

Difficulty: 8.5/10

Among China’s most challenging trekking routes, Langta, Xiate, HuanBogeda, and Aotai are well-known for their extreme difficulty. Some organizations rate them as nearly top-tier in terms of challenge. Beyond these, there are other expedition-level routes like Keriya, the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, and various crossings in the Changtang region. These routes are harder to classify due to unpredictable weather, undeveloped trails, and uncontrollable risks. After this expedition, it’s clear that the White Lake Loop in the Altai Mountains belongs to the latter category.

This journey lasted 14 days, 250 kilometers, with 4 of those days packrafting. This trip is the first documented expedition that someone has completed this full White lake Loop using packraft. We are the second team to complete the White Lake loop.

1. First Encounter with White Lake

I first stumbled upon this route while casually browsing Google Earth, searching for unknown trails. White Lake is not far from Kanas Lake, separated by a 50-kilometer valley that looked intriguing. Later, I discovered that a man named “Liuxing2008” in BBS had already traversed it, followed by the well-known incident of another hiker named “GongBing” died in this area, He was the first person to attempt to explore this circuit with a packraft, but sadly he didn’t make it out alive.. In 2015, a team led by “Jumer” successfully completed the crossing with his packraft, But at the end of the day, he chose to ask for help from the ranger station at the confluence of the White Lake and the Kanas River. Riding out on horseback round the corner. In a sense, not completing the route.

What sets White Lake apart is its diversity: stunning landscapes, varied terrain, rich plant and animals, and the integration of multiple outdoor activities. Looking back, a complete White Lake expedition requires hiking, basic glacier travel skills (we didn’t plan to climb glaciers, so we didn’t bring mountaineering tools—a regret), and some packrafting skills. Thus, our White Lake journey wasn’t a typical trekking expedition but rather a blend of hiking and packrafting, a new sport originating from Alaska that involves carrying inflatable rafts for river crossings.

The White Lake Loop consists of the following sections (not in chronological order):

Type	Route (Estimated Distance)	Difficulty
Established Hiking Trail	Tübek – Kanas (25 km); Jiadengyu – Hemu (30 km)	Easy
Unmarked Paths	Hemu – 2600 Ice Lake Pass – East White Lake (100-120 km)	Middle to Hard
Off Trail	Southwest White Lake – Middle Kanas River Valley (30 km) – Lake Head (25 km)	Hellish
River	White Lake; Lower Kanas River (Class 1-2) – Kanas Lake (50 km)	Dangerous

Note: If you choose not to raft the middle section of the Kanas River, you can attempt to hike out off trail, making it extremely challenging—this feedback comes from our three teammates who didn’t raft.

From the table above, it’s clear that White Lake is not a hike trail. “Liuxing2008”, in his travelogue, recalled the route as perilous and advised against attempting it. Now, having completed it, I fully understand his warning. After emerging from the wilderness, locals were shocked to hear about our journey. Even to them, that area is a forbidden zone, home to wolves and brown bears, with many hunters and villagers having gone missing there in the past.

2. Preparations

Since this trip involved packrafting, our base weight increased significantly, making lightweight gear essential. Due to personal reasons, my preparation was rushed—I only had one day to pack. My main food supply was Shanzhichu, something like Mountain House, a freeze-dried meal brand, and other snacks were hastily bought from Walmart. My basic gear was similar to what I used on the Aotai trek earlier in the year. The main differences were leaving behind my rain jacket and bivy sack, adding extra warm clothing like down pants and light fleece. I boldly opted for Brooks trail-running shoes, bringing only one pair of Smartwool socks and alternating them with Dexshell waterproof socks. For fuel, I stuck with alcohol, increasing the quantity to 500 ml. Thanks to abundant natural fuel sources, I had about 80 ml left by the end.

For packrafting, I used Jumper’s new mini backpack frame paired with Sea to Summit dry bags, ensuring 100% waterproofing. My raft was the Klymit LWD, weighing only 990 grams, and my paddle was a OYMG carbon fiber one, totaling 440 grams. However, during the river section, I switched to a teammate’s abandoned PP paddle. For rafting gear, I only brought a Stohlquist dry top and a buoyancy vest, which proved insufficient—my lower body froze. Lesson learned: always bring your best drysuit and PFD, no matter the weight.

In any expedition, you must have contingency plans for potential risks—it’s like not leaving a blank answer on an exam. Bears were a major risk on this trip. We bought bear spray, carried by my team mate“Zilong”, while I brought a small 50 ml canister, which I lost midway.

My total pack weight, including 11 days of food, was around 16 kg. There were two resupply points: Hemu and Tübek, so I didn’t need to carry 13 days’ worth. If you’re a skilled angler, you could also consider fishing for food.

Our team consisted of five people initially, but some dropped out due to personal reasons. In hindsight, those who dropped out were lucky.

3. 4,000 Kilometers to White Lake

We flew from Jinan to Urumqi, picked up the bear spray (which couldn’t pass any security checks in Xinjiang), and hired a private car to Kanas. We arrived at Jiadengyu in the middle of the night and quickly found a yurt for about 50 yuan per person.

The 30 km hike from Jiadengyu to Hemu was good trail, so we chose to walk it in one day. My feet were killing me, and the scenery was just average.

Hemu was bustling with tourists, and accommodation was expensive. To find a cheaper place, we hike 2 km into Hemu and found a Kazakh family who charged 50 yuan per person, complete with a warm stove.

The next day, we crossed a newly built wooden bridge in Hemu and headed north. The scenery was much better than in Hemu, with yellowing leaves and a serene, untouched atmosphere.

We passed several Tuvan cabins, mostly inhabited by elderly people, as the younger generation had moved away from the mountains. The Tuva people, who are of Mongolian descent, depend on hunting for their livelihood and use homemade horsehide skis to go out into the forest in the winter in search of food.

Compared to Hemu, the people here were much more genuine. We encountered a family building a small cabin. Though they didn’t speak Mandarin, they warmly invited us into their home, treating us to naan bread, small potatoes, milk tea, and wild blueberry jam. Seeing their humble lifestyle, we offered money, but the elderly woman didn’t even look at the amount, simply placing it beside the food. As we left, she noticed Zilong loved the potatoes and gestured for him to take some, but we declined, not wanting to take from their limited resources.

As we left the sparse Tuvan village, the trail became less visible, filled with fallen trees, bushes, and swamps. It felt like someone had deliberately blocked the path, but it was just nature. Every few kilometers, we’d find a campsite, likely used by locals for hunting or fishing.

On the third day, I felt unwell, likely due to food poisoning from drinking unfiltered, only boiled stream water the night before. The water probably came from a nearby swamp, containing excessive organic matter. I was weak and had to stop to rest after only 3 km, which felt like 30 km. That night, I drank Zilong’s rice soup, vitamin C water, and Kuaile’s honey, along with antibiotics and fever reducers. After a night’s rest, I could walk again, but it was still agonizing. I discovered that whenever my stomach hurt, shitting would buy me 1-2 hours of relief. Over four days, I finished all the antibiotics, and my stomach slowly recovered. From then on, I only drank filtered and boiled water, and had no further issues.

The campsites along this section were well-maintained, with flat ground, fire pits, and chopped firewood, likely used by locals. However, we had to be careful with fire, ensuring it was completely extinguished and cool to the touch. In some areas, the thick layer of pine needles and decomposing soil was highly flammable, and a small mistake could lead to a massive fire—and a lifetime in prison.

After entering the Sumu River Valley, we used our packrafts to cross the river from the west bank to the east bank at approximately 48°45.8 N, 87°33.5 E. We crossed to bypass a 500-meter-high slope about 6 km ahead, which would allow us to avoid a high-drop section of the Sumu River. Before the slope, we passed a burned slope where the trees had been killed by a wildfire.

After crossing the slope, the turbulent Sumu River became calm, perfect for fishing—though we didn’t have the right tool. We used the packrafts to cross again, then hiked for two hours to a clearing in the forest to camp. If you have time, I recommend hiking another two hours to an ancient tree, which makes for a great campsite and even offers pine nuts.

Up to the 2600 Ice Lake Pass, the trail was discernible, and we could replenish water. We even picked wild blueberries along the way. The Ice Lake was small but beautiful, its blue waters contrasting with the sky. As we descended past the lake, the trees disappeared, leaving only a desolate plateau. The mountains weren’t steep, but their grandeur was amplified by the shadows cast by the clouds. For a moment, we were all mesmerized. A small east-west trail led from Mongolia to the glaciers beneath the western snow-capped mountains—who knows what lies beyond.

On the descent, we veered off course, trudging through swamps, boulder fields, and dense bushes taller than a person. It was utterly exhausting. After crossing the river, it was already dark, and finding the trail was difficult. We struggled for four hours before finding an abandoned shelter that had existed for at least a decade. We squeezed five people inside for the night, staying relatively warm.

The trail to White Lake was tough, likely due to its lack of visitors. Along the way, we found a patch of wild boar hair and a small piece of skin—likely the remains of a large predator’s meal.

About 7 km west of the abandoned shelter, we reached the eastern inlet of White Lake by noon. There was another hunter’s shelter, newer and more comfortable, with a stone stove that seemed well-used. We camped here, Zilong and I decided to sleep inside the shelter, waiting to cross White Lake the next day. In the afternoon, we washed our clothes and warmed ourselves by the fire, enjoying a sense of normalcy.

We tried fishing in White Lake but caught nothing. The water was a murky white, devoid of life, almost as if it were toxic. However, locals claim the lake is teeming with fish—so much so that a horse handler wanted to buy our raft for fishing. That night was the most comfortable of the entire trip, with the shelter’s temperature reaching 20°C while it snowed lightly outside.

4. Into the Dark Forest

For many previous teams, White Lake was a major obstacle, a stumbling block in the middle of the loop. The steep slopes on either side made it impassable. With packrafts, however, crossing White Lake became a leisurely activity. Zilong and I used the Klymit LWD, while Jun Dao, Kuaile, and Chaye used air force life rafts. Both types of boats worked for crossing White Lake, though the air force rafts were deeper and prone to taking on water.

Paddling on calm water was peaceful but eventually boring due to the slow speed. Fortunately, the weather improved, and the distant mountains gradually came into view. After about three hours, we crossed White Lake and landed on the southwest shore.

Shortly after landing, we stumbled upon fresh bear tracks—apparently, bears like to travel in groups. It was genuinely frightening.

Next, we followed the east bank of the Kanas River into the primeval forest. There was no trail after landing; we had to climb over a hill for a few kilometers, easily losing our way. We then followed slippery riverbanks, occasionally entering boulder fields—utterly frustrating. Thankfully, our packs were light; I can’t imagine doing this with a heavy load. As night fell, we hastily found a “flat” spot to camp. The next morning, a fire patrol helicopter flew overhead, later learning it was searching for missing hikers.

We put a lot of energy into putting out the campfire, the leaves of the pine trees piled up several metres high and we ignited the rotting material underneath, so much so that we spent an hour constantly fetching water from the river to get the campfire to stop smouldering, we used hundreds of kilos of water.

I could use the worst words to describe the east bank of Kanas River—there were too many issues to list. This experience solidified my decision to raft, while Jun Dao, Kuaile, and Chaye chose hike out. Chaye later recalled that hike as hellish, with not only difficult terrain but also bear scat and tracks everywhere, a mental and physical ordeal.

A Peculiar Tree: ‘Welcome to Hell.’

About halfway through the Kanas River Valley (around 49°0.2 N, 87°20.58 E), the river’s flow slowed, and the channel widened. At an elevation of about 1,400 meters, with a 100-meter drop to Kanas Lake, Zilong and I decided to raft out after lunch, leaving the others with bear spray and two packs of Shanzhichu meals.

The first two hours of rafting were recorded on video, but things didn’t go smoothly. Shortly after starting, a cold rain began, and two hours later, we hit a rapid. While scouting the rapid, I accidentally punctured my boat on a sharp rock, forcing us to stop for repairs. Zilong and I showed signs of hypothermia, so we quickly set up camp, ate the last of our chocolate, lit a fire, changed into dry pants, and recovered. The boat was patched, but the rain returned, so we stayed in the tent with a small fire, eating pine nuts and staying warm.

The next morning, Jun Dao and the others spotted our camp from the opposite bank. After confirming everyone was safe, Zilong tossed them two more packs of food, as they were running low on food due to the strenuous hike. We hiked around the rapid and continued rafting. Unfortunately, our GoPro had died by then, and with the lack of sunlight, all our electronics were running low. This section of the river was the most scenic, the highlight of the trip, but sadly, we have no footage.

Afterword: On this section of the trail, a huge disagreement arose between us about whether to walk or raft. The reason for this was that each person had a different perception of the difficulty and risk of the route.

Disagreements, if handled well, will be a huge encouragement to the morale of the team, otherwise they will destroy the team.

5. Breaking Out of the Wilderness

The final day of rafting was blessed with good weather—sunny and not too cold, even a bit warm. As we approached Kanas Lake, the river slowed and split into multiple channels. We followed the largest flow but encountered two logjams blocking the way, forcing us to disembark and hike around. You had to plan your exit early; getting stuck on a logjam would’ve been awkward. The water level wasn’t high this season, but the rapids could still reach Class 2-3, so we had to stay alert.

It took about two hours to reach Kanas Lake. Exiting the river, we found ourselves on a small tributary, which was puzzling. Looking east, the main channel’s turbulent waters collided with the lake, creating massive waves.

After landing on Kanas Lake, we dried our gear and tried to find a trail but failed. We continued paddling until evening, then camped onshore. I slept soundly but was woken by Zilong in late night. He asked nervously if I’d heard something bumping the tent. I said no and went back to sleep. In the morning, he explained he’d had a nightmare about a bear attacking the tent and tried to scare it off by mimicking animal growls.

The next morning, we paddled further and found a clearing with construction materials, likely a temporary port used by locals for transporting goods. Walking inland, we discovered a garbage dump, indicating a nearby village. Sure enough, we soon found the village, an unexpected but welcome surprise.

The village, called Tubek, is a stop on the well-known “Kanas Grand Loop Trail” and remains relatively untouched by modernity. We stayed at a guesthouse run by a Kazakh woman married to a Tuvan man. Their photo was on the sign, and they seemed very loving. That night, we asked the hostess to prepare 5 pounds of lamb and shared a meal with Pan, a solo hiker we met in the village. They craved the local beer, but I avoided it due to a bad past experience and opted for alcohol instead. Pan had worked at The North Face and knew a lot about outdoor gear, so we hit it off. That night, we contacted Jun Dao and learned they’d just emerged from the wilderness, finally putting our minds at ease.

The next morning, we were woken early by another team’s leader insisting on an 8 AM departure (6 AM local time, before sunrise). It was freezing, and some team members grumbled. Around 10 AM, the three of us set off on a wide horse trail, enjoying the ease of the path. Without lunch, we headed straight to the Tielishagan Ranger Station for a meal. The young ranger made the best “Shou Zhua Fan” (Lamb and vegetables rice) I’ve ever had. An older ranger, who’d worked there for eight years, enthusiastically advised us on how to bypass the Kanas ticket checkpoint.

As we neared the checkpoint, Pan decided to visit the Fish Watching Pavilion, and we parted ways. We then called the Kanas hotel owner, who picked us up. He mentioned that this year’s National Day holiday visitors was unusually small, which was strange. Back at the hotel, the owner’s family was shocked to hear we’d been to White Lake and eagerly asked to see photos, expressing interest in getting a boat to fish there. Dinner at the hotel was leisurely—two hours for a plate of “Shou zhua fan” and a stir-fry. A group of girls on a leisure trip, starving, asked for a bite of our rice. When their food arrived—a whole roasted lamb—they repaid us with half a lamb leg, It’s a lucrative return on investment.

The next morning, the hotel owner helped us catch the free bus to Jiadengyu, where we transferred to another bus. As we left, Kanas was hit by heavy snow. The Kazakh driver, thrilled, kept saying how lucky we were to get out before the storm.

After a long journey back to Urumqi, Zilong and I wandered through the alleys behind Erdaoqiao, near the old flea market. We tried a variety of local Uyghur snacks—delicious, cheap, and hearty. Later, when chatting with a friend from Xinjiang, they were shocked: “You actually went there?!” I replied, “We’ve already braved bear territory. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Summary:

This is the most challenging expedition I have ever undertaken. The risks include dense wildlife activity, extremely long off-trail treks, limited reference information, and threats from poachers. Only a very few have completed the entire journey, while most teams had to abandon their trips midway.

Due to no trails, we ultimately had to resort to using an ultra-light inflatable boat to navigate the Kanas River, a highly perilous choice as such boats are only suitable for still waters.

In these mountains, September is the window period when the river flow is lower, bears are less likely to attack humans, and the snow is not too deep. However, during other seasons, it can be extremely dangerous.

The post The No Man’s Wilderness : White Lake Loop in Altai Mountains. first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

Is 3FULGEAR’s New Tianshan 45 the Best Budget Ultralight Pack?

3FULGEAR — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:35:14 +0000

Is 3FULGEAR’s New Tianshan 45 the Best Budget Ultralight Pack?

We at 3FULGEAR are truly honored that Outside Backpacker and Nathan Pipenberg chose to test and review our Tianshan backpack.

As a small-scale company with limited resources for marketing and promotions, we often struggle to gain visibility for our gear. This type of authentic, third-party evaluation means the world to us – it helps ultralight hikers discover our products through an unbiased review rather than paid advertising.

Out of respect for the publication’s editorial integrity and the reviewer’s work, we’ve chosen to present the article in its original form without alterations. Please click the link below to read the full review.

The post Is 3FULGEAR’s New Tianshan 45 the Best Budget Ultralight Pack? first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

Adventure Report: Everest East Face and Kama Valley

3FULGEAR — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 11:03:16 +0000

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Team member: Liu Yu, Mingyue, Jundao, Ruguo,Tusheng, etc.

Time: August 2014

Length: 140km 10 days

Location: Tibet

Difficulty: 5.5/10

This travelogue was published in “Cultural Geography” Magazine, Issue 12, 2015, Pages 128-137 by Liu Yu

This expedition took place ten years ago, and at the time, it was likely the first recorded attempt to explore the Kama Valley during the rain season.

Now, a decade later, I’ve decided to revisit this adventure, not just in memory but in writing. This retelling includes details and reflections that were omitted from the original article, as well as previously unpublished photographs.

The Kama Valley remains a place of mystery and wonder, a testament to the untamed beauty of nature.

There are now commercial adventure companies offering services similar to the itinerary in this article.

Note: Gama Valley and Kama Valley are both transliterations of the Tibetan word ‘嘎玛沟’, which may differ from other sources because the place names in this article are all in Tibetan.

Due to occasional GPS battery failures, some segments weren’t recorded:

A 2 km stretch from Lunzhulin Village to Xuemala.
A 3 km segment starting 1-2 km below Langmala Pass to a pasture.
Poor signal in the valley due to bad weather and deep gorges, especially on the final day.

Some areas in the Kama Valley had interference, causing signal offsets. Manual corrections were attempted but aren’t guaranteed.

DOWNLOAD GPS TRACK HERE

Adventure Report:

August 22, 7:30 PM 2014 China-Nepal Border Outpost

“It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone come out during this season,” a border guard greeted us.

What he saw was a small group of exhausted travelers, but they showed no intention of resting. Instead, they began scratching themselves frantically in front of the outpost. Seeing this, the soldier fetched several bags of salt and handed them to the group.

After a brief exchange, the soldier learned that this was Team A, a group of hikers from Shandong. They had lost contact with Team B and Yak team on a treacherous mountain path near Chentang Town. The reason for the separation was none other than this spine-chilling trail.

Meanwhile, in Chentang Town

“*********???” Unintelligible words filled the air, tinged with curiosity.

I set down my backpack, finally reaching a sheltered spot from the rain. However, being surrounded by so many strangers made me uneasy. I had no choice but to strip off my insect-proof suit, covered in leeches, and toss it aside. I removed my shirt to inspect myself. My teammates, with the help of Sherpas, were busy dealing with the pesky creatures, letting out occasional screams. One member pulled out a nearly dead radio and began calling for Team A and the Yak team. Only the Yak team responded, suggesting that Team A’s radio had run out of power. Mingyue, who was traveling with the yak herders, informed us that the yak team couldn’t proceed due to a landslide and would have to carry the supplies back tomorrow.

Despite being soaked and anxious about losing contact with the main group, I felt somewhat relieved. Just moments ago, we had traversed an unnamed path teeming with leeches, their suction-capped heads wriggling on the tips of grass blades. Fat caterpillars, thicker than sausages, squirmed with black and yellow bodies. Even though I usually wasn’t afraid of such creatures, I found myself sprinting in terror. Reflecting on it now, it must have been a primal fear of these soft-bodied creatures overwhelming my rationality. It’s easy to say you’re not afraid of something until you’re faced with an overwhelming number of them.

Now, the clouds began to disperse, revealing stunning layered peaks. Surrounded by a massive waterfall and mist, we found ourselves on a hillside in an ancient town, surrounded by locals who didn’t speak our language—all of us busy picking off leeches. It was an oddly surreal experience.

“Excuse me, is there a place to stay?” I gestured sleeping, and the Sherpa man opposite me seemed to understand some Chinese.

“Yes,” he replied firmly, eager to lead us there.

Following his directions, we arrived at a small square, perhaps the largest in town. We finally contacted Team A. As I spoke on the phone, I grew increasingly anxious. The Sherpa man, noticing my prolonged call, grew impatient, grabbed my bag, and started walking. We hurried after him. Our destination wasn’t a warm inn but the town government office. We were ushered into a living room, where officials warmly inquired about our situation and offered hot water and bread. It seemed we were temporarily detained as suspicious individuals. After consulting with the local police station, they suggested we head down to Zangga Village to reunite with Team A, mentioning that there were accommodations and showers available. It seemed Team A had already communicated with the police.

Down in the village, Team A and the caravan had already prepared food. After a quick meal, we retreated to our rooms to continue battling the leeches.

This marked the end of our journey, which began on the eastern side of Mount Everest and concluded at the end of the Kama Valley.

Ten Days Earlier

Our neatly packed gear lay outside the Everest Hotel. This was the first Himalayan expedition for most of us, and everyone was visibly excited. As Mingyue had said, the Everest East Face-Kama Valley route is a hallowed trail, an experience that would repeatedly surface in our lives and profoundly influence us. The trip had just ended, but its impact was already evident.

The route began in Qudang Township, Dingri County, following the Kadapu River upstream through Lunzhulin Village, then southward over the Langmala Pass (5,339 meters), past Tangxiang (4,500 meters), across the Kama Tsangpo River into the Zhuoqu Tsangpo and Zhuoqu Glacier area (4,200-5,300 meters), through the Badang, Ega, and Baidang pastures, crossing a tributary of the Zhuoqu Tsangpo, returning to Tangxiang from the Everest East Face Base Camp, then entering the Kama Valley (Kama Tsangpo Basin) via Zhuoxiang. Along the way, we passed Rega, Xuena, Shajitang (3,600 meters), Xiaowumi (3,000 meters), and numerous seasonal pastures, the Kama Tsangpo Glacier (Makalu and Everest East Face Glacier) outlet, and the Makalu South Face Glacier outlet, finally reaching Chentang Town (2,500 meters) in Dinggye County, the only Sherpa settlement in China, located on the Sino-Nepalese border. The entire journey spanned 111 kilometers and took 9 days and 10 hours.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Qudang Township – Lunzhulin Village (3,907 meters) – Xuemala (nearest campsite to Lunzhulin) – Lhatse (4,800 meters)

Day 2: Lhatse – Langmala Pass (5,400 meters) – Tsho Sholma (4,750 meters) – Tangxiang Hut (4,500 meters)

Day 3: Heavy rain, rest day

Day 4: Tangxiang Hut – Kama Tsangpo Bridge (4,200 meters) – Badang (4,300 meters) – Ega (4,600 meters) – Baidang (Peidangrenmu, 4,800 meters)

Day 5: Baidang – Everest East Face Base Camp (5,200 meters) – Baidang

Day 6: Baidang – Ega – Badang (4,300 meters) – Kama Tsangpo Bridge (4,200 meters) – Tangxiang Hut (4,500 meters)

Day 7: Tangxiang Hut – Shanong (4,220 meters) – Zhuoxiang (4,000 meters)

Day 8: Zhuoxiang – Rega – Luobai (3,650 meters) – Shajitang (3,620 meters)

Day 9: Shajitang – Naisangba (3,340 meters) – Ripu (3,100 meters) – Xiaowumi (3,080 meters)

Day 10: Xiaowumi – Wobalong (2,960 meters) – Danmudan (2,900 meters) – Guolapu (2,720 meters) – Zhaxiladuo (2,680 meters) – Chentang Town (2,500 meters) – Pengqu River Bridge – Zangga Village (2,200 meters)

Note: The pasture locals call Baidang is the closest campsite to Everest Base Camp, referred to as Peidangrenmu by the government. The place locals call Badang is called Baidang by the government. Be mindful of the distinction.

Day 1: August 13 – Qudang Township – Lunzhulin Village – Xuemala – Lhatse

We woke at 8 AM, had breakfast at a Sichuan restaurant opposite the Everest Hotel, and took a truck to Lunzhulin Village for 350 yuan. The yak herders were late, so we called the village secretary, who informed us that one yak had wandered off, leaving only seven. Another yak was brought from Lunzhulin Village, but we didn’t set off until 2 PM. Village children surrounded us, begging for candy, not even going home for lunch. One child had a large gash on his head but stopped crying after a while. I disinfected the wound and applied ointment.

The mountain trail was beautiful, lined with wildflowers, and everyone was excited. We arrived late, drenched by heavy rain, and too exhausted to eat. Mingyue, Feiyang, and I fetched water and cooked porridge to stave off hunger.

Lunzhulin is a poor, primitive village. The children seemed to have little parental supervision. They appeared to skip lunch and would go anywhere they thought might have food to beg for something to eat.The cradle local women carry is fascinating, allowing them to work while rocking the baby.

To hire yak herders, you need to contact the local government, which is fully responsible for assigning tasks to qualified herders. At the time, the rate was 90 yuan per day. However, it’s important to note that the fee is not calculated based on the actual days of the trek but includes the herders’ return journey. For example, our trip lasted 10 days, but according to government regulations, our designed routes are approved as 14-day routes, resulting in a total fee calculated for 28 days.

Day 2: August 14 – Lhatse – Langmala Pass – Tsho Sholma – Tangxiang Hut

The rain continued. We met a group on a longer trek who had better weather. Our yak team had issues, delaying our start, likely due to load distribution disputes. They used a stone-throwing method to decide who carried what… Mingyue, Feiyang, and I set off last, following the yak team. Langmala Pass, at 5,400 meters, had several false summits. The weather was terrible—strong winds and icy rain nearly caused hypothermia. After the pass, we found a cluster of snow lotuses in a valley. Descending further, we saw four alpine lakes. We reached Tangxiang Camp around 9 PM, staying in a herder’s hut instead of camping.

Day 3: August 15

Heavy rain forced us to rest. Bored, I slept all day, earning the title “Sleeping God.”

Day 4: August 16 – Tangxiang – Badang – Ega – Baidang

The rain lightened, and the clouds thinned. We decided to head to Baidang. As we descended, the roar of the Kama Valley’s waters echoed. The Kama Tsangpo River meandered through mist-shrouded mountains. Crossing a wooden bridge, we passed through dense shrubs, and the vegetation changed dramatically as we ascended. At 4,500 meters, we found a lingzhi mushroom.

At Ega Camp, we met a solo traveler, Li Congming, trail name is “独孤骑者”Lone Biker, who had just crossed the Changtang Plateau with only a bike pack. A legendary cyclist.

We reached Baidang Camp as dusk fell. After a brief chat with Li, we learned he planned to traverse the entire Changtang. We then launched into a discussion about winter crossings of the Changtang uninhabited region. We agreed that such an expedition in extreme cold would require highly reliable gear and sufficient fuel. However, Li Congming was far more optimistic than the rest of us.

That night, yaks overran our camp, damaging my tent and stepping on me. In anger, I used pepper spray to drive them away, but the entire camp suffered, coughing fits echoing everywhere.

Day 5: August 17 – Baidang – Everest East Face Base Camp – Baidang

I woke early to shouting and found Mount Everest and Lhotse bathed in golden sunlight. The 7,500-meter-tall Chomolonzo is even more striking than Everest and Lhotse. Its shape resembles that of a majestic eagle, with its massive form unfolding before the camp, exuding an overwhelming presence. There has been much debate over the name of this peak, but for now, I believe “Chomolonzo” is the most authentic.

The trail to the base camp was rough. Bo Ge and I stopped at a high-altitude lake, as thick clouds obscured Everest. We saw a solar halo instead. By 4 PM, we returned to camp. I repaired my tent, washed my socks and gaiters, and the others trickled back.

In the afternoon, Li Congming packed up his tent, telling me he sensed the weather was about to turn bad. I agreed with his assessment, as I had noticed the increasing humidity through the presence of a solar halo. He, on the other hand, relied on a lifetime of intuition honed from wandering the mountains.

8:00 PM – The Valley Shrouded in Fog. As the evening settled in, a thick fog enveloped the valley, reducing visibility to just a few meters. A four-person team had yet to return, and concern grew among the rest of us. We convened a meeting to discuss our options. After some deliberation, I made the decision: if the team hadn’t returned by 10:00 PM, we would initiate a rescue operation.

By 10:00 PM, there was still no sign of the missing team. I assembled a four-person search and rescue squad, all seasoned hikers with extensive experience in challenging conditions. Armed with GPS devices, compasses, and detailed topographic maps, we set out into the foggy night. The visibility was so poor that we had to constantly recalibrate our position using the tools at hand. By analyzing the terrain and the location of nearby glaciers on the map, we identified potential areas where the missing team might have sought shelter.

Around midnight, we spotted a faint glimmer of light in the distance. Using this as a reference point, we adjusted our course and moved in a tangential direction. Ten minutes later, through triangulation, we pinpointed the coordinates of the missing team. The search proceeded smoothly, and Jundao, one of our most skilled rescuers, used ropes to safely extract the stranded hikers from a maze of ice pinnacles. Fortunately, aside scared, they were unharmed. The cause of their disorientation was the dense fog, which had obscured their path and landmarks.

Day 6: August 18 – Baidang – Ega – Badang – Tangxiang Hut

We slept until 9 AM, likely due to yesterday’s exhaustion. Leaving Baidang, children begged for food. We moved quickly under cloudy skies with intermittent rain. Unlike our initial foggy ascent, we now had a clear view of the Kama Valley, with Makalu and Everest occasionally visible. Waterfalls cascaded down unnamed peaks. As we ascended to Tangxiang, rain began—typical of the Himalayan monsoon. At camp, we met a trio from Linyi, including a man in his 60s. I stayed in the same hut as before. Despite delays, we were still on schedule to reach Lhasa by the 25th.

Day 7: August 19 – Tangxiang – Shanong – Zhuoxiang

We rose at 6 AM to a dark, freezing morning. The yak herders were still asleep as we ate. The sunrise over the peaks energized everyone. Clouds came and went. The day’s short trek meant we reached Zhuoxiang by 2 PM. Some wanted to push on, but I saw little point. Descending into the valley would mean worse weather and water sources, saving only two hours. Better to rest at this five-star camp, dry our gear, and prepare for the next three days of dampness. The afternoon sun was glorious. I changed into beach shorts, set up a parasol, and felt like I was on a seaside vacation. We washed clothes, hair, and even brushed our teeth. That night, we had a feast, including hot pot, and the yak herders made delicious beef noodle soup. I even tried roasted barley.

It is worth noting that there is a path near this location that reaches the eastern face of Makalu, a more hidden corner that is rarely visited.

Day 8: August 20

Rain fell, but we couldn’t afford another rest day. The camp was surrounded by hundreds of wild chickens, unnoticed the day before. Entering the Kama Valley, the vegetation changed, with unfamiliar flowers appearing. We got lost, likely heading toward the Makalu East Face Glacier. Tsering Norbu spotted us from a hillside and guided us back. After lunch, we entered dense forests, experiencing relentless ascents and descents. Shajitang was an abandoned village overrun with thorny plants. The camp had good water but little flat ground. Dinner was canned meat stew and hot pot. The camp was infested with insects, so we avoided lighting lamps.

Day 9: August 21 – Shajitang – Naisangba (3,340 meters) – Ripu (3,100 meters) – Xiaowumi (3,080 meters)

Today’s trek was easier, with fewer ascents and descents. Leeches were less frequent, with only 2-3 per hour. The trail was rough, mostly abandoned and swampy. We began to experience true subtropical rainforest scenery. Wooden paths had decayed into mud, with new planks laid over them, creating a cycle of decay and renewal, resulting in today’s swampy trails.

The trek was incredibly challenging, with nearly every step feeling like an ordeal. The rainforest was revealing its terrifying side. All of our waterproof gear was makeshift, and our rain jackets quickly became soaked. The air was oppressively hot and humid. In such conditions, I found that an umbrella was a far more reliable tool.

Additionally, any insect-proof gear we had prepared proved utterly ineffective at this point. Insects and soft-bodied creatures swarmed toward us as if we were a feast. It was nearly impossible to avoid extra “protein” in our food. Well, this was something we simply had to adapt to.

In this area, many old trees can be encountered on which the government has marked their age, the oldest about 3,900 years old, which looks like a huge high tower.

Day 10: Xiaowumi – Wobalong (2,960 meters) – Danmudan (2,900 meters) – Guolapu (2,720 meters) – Zhaxiladuo (2,680 meters) – Chentang Town (2,500 meters) – Pengqu River Bridge – Zangga Village (2,200 meters)

Xiaowumi was a nightmare camp, with leeches everywhere and swampy ground. Only a small uphill area was dry. In the morning, we found leeches covering our yaks’ backs and eyes, swollen to the size of fingers, leaving the animals bleeding profusely. It was too gruesome to photograph. Today’s trek was strenuous, with constant ascents and descents. The final 1-2 km to Chentang Town was infested with leeches—slow walkers could easily pick up over 1,000. We fled, leading to the opening scene of this account. Even so, I removed hundreds of leeches in Chentang. Later, I heard that even Tsering Norbu, our yak herder, was frightened by this stretch—a man I considered as tough as a wild beast.

Every blade of grass bore over ten leeches, and the area was densely covered in grass.

I discovered that the most effective way to deal with leeches was to continuously rub salt grains on my legs, which effectively prevented them from crawling upward. However, this had to be done every five minutes. Since I was wearing an insect-proof net, I managed to ignore the leeches to some extent, but they quickly covered my face. In the end, I had no choice but to kill them with saltwater.

Day 11: Chentang Town – Dinggye County – Lhasa

Chentang Town is undergoing significant development, likely for tourism. The town is densely populated with little arable land, less than one acre per person. The Sherpas, primarily farmers, are mostly poor. Tourism may change this. The Sherpas are shy and friendly, with children running away at the sight of us, unlike the candy-begging kids in Lunzhulin. I hope future visitors avoid giving candy, which encourages begging, and instead offer tools.

Few Sherpas understand Chinese, even among the youth. Once, at a teahouse, I asked for “tea” with a drinking gesture, but the owner handed me a business license, thinking I wanted to “inspect” it. It was both frustrating and amusing.

I find that here, women are mostly engaged in heavy physical labour such as carrying water and building materials. Men are mostly involved in skilled labour, such as carpentry and construction.

Summary:
The route itself is not difficult but the altitude is over 5000 metres in some places and care needs to be taken to prevent and control AMS.The valleys are very dangerous during the rainy season and locals do not enter the Kama valley during the rainy season and care needs to be taken for geological hazards.

Although the trek to the east face of Mount Everest is now successfully operated by many commercial adventure companies, but hardly any companies go here in the rainy season. If you wish to explore this area, I recommend planning your trip between late September and late October.

Postscript: Li Congming disappeared in his last expedition 2014, he entered the no man’s land of northern Tibet, a total of 1,500 kilometres, which he almost completed after consuming all his food after more than 70 days. After two years, a team of off-road vehicle explorers found his belongings: a tent, sleeping bag, bicycle, camera and notebook. But there was no sign of a human being.

He was a great cyclist and contributed his life to the Tibetan expedition.The books and travelogues he wrote are an invaluable legacy to later cycling explorers.

The post Adventure Report: Everest East Face and Kama Valley first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

How to assemble Tianshan backpack

3FULGEAR — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:04:48 +0000

3FULGEAR, December 2024

This is a pack designed for all our expeditions in 2024-2025, and although we’ve equipped it with a strong hipbelt and aluminium frame, it’s still very lightweight.

All parts of the Tianshan Backpack can be disassembled, and you will receive a Tianshan Backpack disassembled into parts, which reduces the shipping cost by $30, so you can get this backpack at a great price.

The entire assembly process takes 5-10 minutes.

We use the Tianshan Ultra as an example to show how to assemble the backpack, the same applies to other versions.

WHAT YOU GET IN BOX:

A: Backpack Main Body

B: Hipbelt

C: Shoulder Straps

D: Waist Pad

E: Frame F: Load Lifters G: UHMWPE Cord(Option 1 for backpanel) H: Mesh Backpanel(Option 2 for backpanel)

STEPS:

1.Assemble the top half of the frame(E) and insert it into the section indicated by the arrows on both sides in the middle of the pack.

2. Assemble the lower part of the frame(E) and insert it into the black cloth tube hipbelt(B) as instructed.

3. Insert the frame tightly.

4. Assemble the upper and lower parts of the frame.

5. Tuck the top part of the frame inside the cloth.

6. With a little force, push the top of the frame to the very top.

7. Tuck one of the bottom corners of the frame into the triangle of cloth. This takes a little bit of strength. Handle the other side in the same way. The frame is secured, but this does not mean that the frame will not fall off and will need to be further secured with cord(G) or mesh backpanel(H).

8. Installation of waist pads (D)

9.Two backing options are available, UHMWPE is lighter and more reliable and mesh backing is more traditional.

VERY IMPORTANT: The cord must be tightened or the aluminium frame may fall off.

10. Press the Velcro of the hipbelt and the Velcro of the waist pad together.

11. Measure the length of the torso and select the corresponding height to install the shoulder straps.

12. To install the shoulder straps, run the cord through the plastic fastener (if the positions overlap)

13. Install the plastic fasteners under the shoulder straps as shown.

14. Installation of Load Lifters.

15. To further secure the hipbelt, the black webbing on both sides of the hipbelt needs to be attached to the body of the bag, please link the webbing and plastic fasteners as shown.

The installation is complete and you can now use the Tianshan backpack.

The Tianshan Ultra uses a trampoline suspension system, which must be properly tensioned to function correctly. To set it up:

Press the backpack against a wall with your body
Bend the aluminum frame into a curved shape
Tighten the cords to maintain this optimal curvature

The post How to assemble Tianshan backpack first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

Adventure Report: Aotai Trek

3FULGEAR — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 07:06:32 +0000

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WHO: Yu Liu, Liang XueYan, Jumper(JiangPu/Li Tao)

WHEN: July 2019

LENGTH: 80km 4days

WHERE: Qinling Mountain, Shanxi

DIFFICULTY: 5.5/10

This article is for our best friend, Jumper– the best explorer and outdoor gear designer(1972-2021)

DAY1 TaibaiMountain(3771m)-Dongyuan(3174m)

The mist hadn’t lifted yet, and we walked for 4 hours in the mist relying entirely on our GPS, but I could vaguely see black forests appearing and a sea of rocks fading away – the remains of those fourth-season glaciers proved that this place had once been an ice field, and that it was as high as 3,500 metres above sea level, but there were no objects in the shape of a mountain, and that the high-speed winds all year round chipped away at everything sharp, even hard granite can not escape the fate. From the top of Taibai Mountain to Dongyuan is a 10-kilometre stretch of alpine flatland, as flat as a rocky meadow. You can hardly imagine that all this was done in 10,000 years, which shows that the wind here is extremely terrible. He is like an invisible demon that has devoured the lives of countless trekkers. That’s why it’s also called the trekking route with the highest mortality rate.

Luckily we had passed safely through this place of death, and near the end we came across a large mani mound, also known as the ‘Position of the Ten Million Immortals’ (3,564m), which shows the way to the souls who have lost their way in the mountains.

Dongyuan is a pass and a wide area of alpine swamp, it is the source of a river and a paradise of animals, but in recent years a large number of trekkers have used this place as the last campsite of AotaiTrek, dropping so much trash and gears that the place has been seriously ecologically damaged. I have been here many times, so this time I wanted to do the route in reverse and Dongyuan became our first campsite

Jumper started to set up his homemade cuben tent, I had long since set up my Lanshan 1.5 prototype, and LiangXueyan was more cautious with a Lanshan 2 Fly. It’s very cold here, with little to no bugs, and we’ve all left the screen mesh inner tent at home.

DAY2 Dongyuan(3174m)-Xiyuan(3200m)-3 pyramid shaped peak-3200camp

We had 16 kilometres to walk today and there was no water on the trail, so our packs were heavy. Sometimes we climbed to the top of the mountain, sometimes we followed the trail west along the mountainside, one time on the south face, the next time round to the north. Sometimes the trail disappeared suddenly, so we climbed boulders and moved by jumping between rocks the size of pickup trucks. This extremely physically demanding trail is the feature of this trek, so the weight of the backpack is magnified, and if I’m carrying a 20kg backpack, as other trekkers do, it’s hard for me to jump on the rocks with confidence.

Jumper is an experienced hiker who could easily have done this route 20 years ago when it was still a no-man’s land. He often chooses different trails than us, or maybe there are no trails. Perhaps he likes to see different landscapes, while Liang and I prefer the safety of the trails.

Camp 2800 is the choice of most trekkers, but its a gusty windy pass that we deliberately avoided by camping on a small platform 400 metres above it.

DAY3 3200camp-2800camp-Shuiwozi(3100m)

This day’s journey was extremely similar to DAY 2, with an endless rocks left behind by melting glaciers.

Before approaching the shuiwozi camp, we passed a flat summit, which was very windy just like the one we walked on the first day, where many people got hypothermia and lost their lives.

We were lucky that there was very little wind here, so that we were able to send some flowers to the Hiker’s Monument.

Thank goodness for good weather.

Shuiwozi is a low spot on the side of a mountainside, a sheltered spot, but winds at certain angles can create vortexes here that make the bad weather worse, and no place here is absolutely safe.

I remember one year over 50 tents were destroyed here at the same time and everyone had to terminate their trek early.

DAY4 Shuiwozi-Aoshan（3500m）-Niangniangtai（2900m）-Road（2000m）

Today was extremely intense, with close to 30 kilometres to go, and we needed to do everyone else’s two-day trip in one day.

Because I realised that the weather was about to change dramatically , heavy rain was coming.

The trail is rarely travelled and most people will follow the northern slopes of Aoshan, but we chose the southern side of the valley.

This is the watershed between the climates of southern and northern China, and the south and north sides of the mountain have completely different vegetation distributions, with the south side being closer to the tropics and very humid.

Near the bottom of the valley the vegetation almost covered the trail and I had to use my hiking poles to open up the taller grasses as I went, which had the added benefit of let the wildlife to know that we were coming.

It was after 10pm when we reached the end of the route, a road I’d never been on before, Jumper sent GPS directions to his friend and we were soon back in the city.

Summary:

This trail is not too difficult overall, but the bad weather has caused many people to get injured or even lose their lives here. I think this risk is manageable, firstly by judging the window period through software such as windy to avoid encountering cold air from the north that is in the process of moving south but hasn’t yet arrived in this area, which is very prone to producing storms. If the northerly winds have started to build up and the weather is clear, the window has arrived and will last at least 2-3 days. If the southerly winds start, the weather won’t become deadly, but it will continue to rain lightly to moderately. This is the time to get down as soon as possible. If the southerly winds end and the northerly winds begin, you have about 1 day to evacuate the centre of the storm.

The other thing is that most people carry too much stuff, and the misconception is that the weather is bad here and I need to carry more gear and food. But that’s a recipe for disaster, too heavy a pack doesn’t allow one to travel fast and make quick choices. This is a high plateau and overpacking can make one more susceptible to acute mountain sickness.

Postscript:

Li Tao, trail name Jumper, who has a PhD in architectural design from Australia, has clearly put his talents to work where he prefers: hiking. And at the age of 40 he founded his own brand, Jumper Home, where he showed us a lot of uniquely designed gear on the trek, especially tents and backpacks, and he has always been an important inspiration to us, and this time was no exception.

But this was our last hike with Jumper, in 2021, he found a paradise in the great mountains.

The post Adventure Report: Aotai Trek first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

Adventure Report: North of the Southern Tian Shan Trek

3FULGEAR — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:55:00 +0000

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Team member: Liang Xueyan, Liu Yu, Liu Yinxi, Chen Xiaofen, Yan Nan, Psnake, XiaoLongNv

Time: August 2024

Length: 85km 6 days

Location: Xinjiang

Difficulty: 7.5/10

This is one of the most difficult treks in China. The history of the route is very new, with people starting to walk it after about 2019. The total length of the route is 140 kilometres, but you can get resupply or get out of the mountain at about 85 kilometres, and most people will only walk 85 kilometres because the scenery is better in the first half of the route.

Lack of sufficient information makes this route full of uncertainty.

What we do know is that the route involves climbing at least 2 snowy mountain passes with large glaciers, so some mountaineering tools are needed.

This is beyond the scope of a trekking route, and the extra mountaineering tools add weight, moreover making lightweight gear especially important.

This time my rucksack weighed about 10kg. Carried the latest Lanshan 1 pro SilPoly which weighs only 630g. The new Tianshan rucksack is made by Ultra200X. These two pieces of gear were the test gear for this trip and I evaluated the performance of both pieces of gear and determined how they could be improved.

I also tested the Extra Quilt EX zip from ICEFLAME, filled with 420g of 900FP down and weighing just 600g.

You can download my gear list at the link below.

https://lighterpack.com/r/lepu6f

Adventure Report:

DAY1 16km Solan Valley-Camp 1

Ascend: 1380m

The first day’s altitude will not exceed 3000 metres. Most of the time is spent walking in valleys and ridge meadows with views of snow-capped mountains in the distance. The paths are in good condition.

DAY2 16km Camp1-Malaerte Pass 3562m- Cabin

Ascend: 785m

The next day over a scree-filled pass is not too difficult and you can see the road clearly. Over the pass there is a dramatic descent, reaching directly into the river valley at over 2,000 metres above sea level. In the river valley there are a lot of brown bears, so we find a cabin instead of using a tent.

DAY3 14km Cabin- Valley crossing- Grass land before Asusada Pass 3600m

Ascend: 850m

Needed to cross a fast flowing river today and needed to build a protection system with ropes. This will delay a lot of time.

The way up towards the valley above is becoming less and less obvious and a lot of time is consumed determining whether the way is to the left or right of the river. This is very energy and time consuming. If the judgement is wrong, danger can be encountered.

There is a grassy area and clear water source high up a few hundred metres from the pass, making it an ideal campsite.

In the evening a member of the team had an acute attack of ITBS, a condition that causes rapid loss of movement. My treatment was to administer 0.75mg dexamethasone every 4 hours. Knowing that the acute oedema was gone.

DAY4 15.6km Asusada Pass 3880m-Small Lake-Glacier-Kirin Pass 3800m-Grass Camp

Ascend: 750m

Starting today off the trail, all future hikes are off-trail.

Over the 3880 metre scree pass, you can see the snow-capped mountains to be climbed in the distance. This day will lead into a glacier trek.

There are no trails leading to the glacier, you can only refer to the GPS history of other people’s walks combined with your own judgement from experience. The path is difficult to follow and full of moving rocks. You have to be extra careful with every step. There are also raging streams to contend with that flow down from the high mountains. Very dangerous.

The glacier walk started at 3pm and it was easy compared to the scree slopes and we soon reached the Kirin I pass, that is dangerous because of an ice slope of about 45 degrees, which requires the correct use of ice crampons in order to pass through, otherwise you may fall into the ice lake below.

Kirin II is a scree pass with no glacier or trail and requires going over countless rocks. This pass is the second most dangerous pass of the trip.

The campsite is at least an hour from Kirin II Pass.

DAY5 17.8 km Grass camp- Glacier-Elemente Pass I 4100m-Elemente Pass II-Camp

Ascend: 821m

Almost all of the day was spent marching on the glacier, there was about an hour’s sharp descent from the campsite to the glacier valley, there were no trail and it was difficult to walk through the bush.

There are several kilometres of walking on the glacier, and the area close to the pass is full of ice cracks, so walking in groups is required. Over Pass 1 there is a sharply descending ice slope that requires the use of ice axes.

Pass 2 has a broken snow bridge blocked by an ice crevasse so it is necessary to climb up the steep left side of the mountain, it is all movable rocks between 10-30cm and the left side of the peak is heavily weathered with rocks falling so helmets are necessary. Pass 2 is the most dangerous place in this adventure and it seems to be trying to tell you not to go over it.

Most people will burn through all their energy to get over these two passes.

But it’s not over yet, next you’ll be doing kilometres of glacier walking and need to bypass many ice crevasses.

Arriving at camp is late.

DAY6 7.6km Leave the Trek.

Today we dried all our gears as we have been getting wet almost every day for the past few days. It only takes 3 hours to leave the trail. We arrived at a construction site where a tunnel is being built through the Tianshan mountains and glacier.

The staff said the tunnel is 16 kilometres long and could be completed by 2029. This means saving at least one to two days of driving to southern Xinjiang.

Summary:

This is a risky and difficult expedition that is not for new hikers as it is lack of detailed information and has no trails.
Mountaineering tools are a must and can greatly reduce the danger.

For such an adventure, our pack was about 10kg and the weight of the pack did not create a disturbing burden, which made us all happy. The Lanshan pro Silpoly has performed very well and we have gathered a few issues that can be improved to make it even better before it is officially sold. The new pack prototype are being built in 2 models, a carbon fibre plate and an aluminium frame suspension system, both to be named the Tianshan pack.We will manufacture one of 2 models in future.

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How to Prepare Outdoor Food Using the 5-Step Principle.

3FULGEAR — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:36:54 +0000

HOW TO PREPARE OUTDOOR FOOD USING THE 5-STEP PRINCIPLE.

About Author: Yu Liu – 3FULGEAR Brand and Design Manager

I can’t go hiking in the mountains this year due to personal reasons, but I still want to write some practical knowledge and hopefully give some help to hikers who are planning an adventure.

I am a very picky eater, and I don’t want to repeat myself every day in the mountains, so I like to use basic ingredients to cook. I was often asked by other people in the mountains if I came from a “chef school”, and thus earned the trail name of “big chef”.

That’s exactly why I’ve had a lot of people ask me how to prepare food in the mountains, but it’s hard for me to answer specifically, eating and drinking in the mountains is a systematic project and varies from person to person, and my personal list of food isn’t necessarily suitable for everyone, so I’d like to write about something that is generalized.

Be forewarned, this article is dry and hard and as boring as reading a toolkit, but I promise it will be well worth the read and helpful if you have a trip planned.

We often go to two extremes with food carrying:

1, If you don’t carry an adequate amount of food, you may be faced with trying unpalatable foods because you have no options, or no appetite, you are malnourished and physically exhausted.

2, If you carry too much food, you may be overwhelmed by the pack weight.

These two scenarios happen all the time, and while exprienced mountaineers to be able to do good job, most of us can’t, so we need some sort of “tool” to figure out how much of food we carry is good.

Before introducing this tool, let’s first understand some basics, such as the types of ingredients, which ingredients are suitable for you.

Basic Ingredients, Ready-to-eat Foods, Freeze-dried Foods

Ready-to-eat food is very convenient, but the taste is not necessarily suitable as a main food in a complex outdoor environment. In addition, ready-to-eat food purchased from supermarkets generates a large amount of garbage, which is difficult to be disposed of properly in the field.

Freeze-dried food is a product of modern industrialization, it is very lightweight and nutritionally, but very expensive and has a single taste.

Basic ingredients refer to unprocessed raw materials such as flour, salt, oil, milk powder, etc. These ingredients can be cooked to make delicious meals; they are cheap, lightweight, and ready-to-eat food will be more flavorful and delicious, but cooking a good meal outdoors requires certain outdoor cooking skills.

How much food to prepare?

Different outdoor activities consume different amount of calories; the longer the duration of the same outdoor activity, the higher the amount of calories consumed.

For normal trekking activities, according to the weight of food, prepare 500 grams of food per day for activities under 5 days. 600-700 grams of food per day for 5-11 days. For high intensity adventures, prepare up to 1,000 grams of food per day. The exact amount of food to prepare can be found in the five-step food plan to be described.

Food Planning Tools: 5 Steps to Food Planning

For a novice outdoor traveler on a simple route, outdoor food may not seem to be a problem, but as the level increases and the difficulty of the route increases, how to prepare outdoor food slowly starts to become a tricky problem. In this article I recommend using the “Five Steps to Outdoor Food Planning”, which is quite different from our daily meals, and may be difficult to implement at first, but once mastered, this method will allow you to plan your outdoor meals in a more effective way.

This tool takes into account most people’s preference for team meal preparation and is suitable for small groups of multiple people, just adjust the number of people to 1 when using it solo.

Before doing so, you will need to gather the following information:

1.Team mumbers	2.Length of Trail	3.Expedition Goal
4.Intense	5.Weather	6.Altitude
7.Personal taste	8.Preferences	9.Balanced nutrition
10.Budget	11.Feasibility	12.Storability
13.Weight	14.Allergic

Once all of the above information has been gathered, it’s time to start preparing your food plan.

Step 1: Calculate how much to eat per day

In this step, you need to determine how much to eat per person per day by using five factors: intensity of activity, length of trip, duration of activity, weather, and altitude, which will be referred to as the per person per day amount below.

To determine the amount per person per day you can refer to the table below:

Activity Type	Food weight per day	energy
leisure camping	500-650g	2000Kcal
Warm environment 2-5 day light hiking	650-800g	2500-3000Kcal
Cool environment 5-10 day heavy weight hike	800-900g	3000-3500Kcal
Cool environment 10 day+ heavy weight hike	900-1000g	3500-4000Kcal
Winter hiking or expedition	1100g	4000-4500Kcal

*The weight of food indicated in this table includes the water of the food itself, which is about 30%, if you bring all-dry food, then 30% of the weight will be deducted from the table.

*The above weights are made based on the consumption of an adult male. Since female have a low basal metabolic consumption, they can reduce the food weight by 100 grams/day.

Step 2: Calculate the total amount

The total weight of food can be calculated using the following formula:

*Total weight = number of people in the team × number of days of activity × food weight per person per day

Step 3: Categorize your food

Knowing the total weight of the food, you now need to categorize the food into more detailed categories such as breakfast, dinner, trail food, etc.

You can refer to the table below:

Type of food	Per person per day
Type of food	550g	700g	800g	900g	1000g	1100g
Breakfast	92	112	128	149	156	152
Dinner	101	126	146	158	165	160
Meat	66	89	101	108	169	172
Trail food	123	149	160	167	200	196
Flour	40	51	59	72	40	40
Suger/drink	44	47	55	63	67	72
Soup/dessert	18	28	41	59	67	76
Milk/egg/oil	66	98	110	126	138	132

In this table, the flour ratios for the 1000-1100g class (winter camping, heavy-weight trekking for 10 days or more) are only equivalent to the 550g class (recreational camping), which is lowered because flour-based ingredients are very difficult to cook in cold and very difficult conditions.

Step 4: Calculate the weight of each food item

For example, for a team of 6 people on a 4 day early summer mountain hike with moderate daily activity, the weight of flour I need to prepare is:

51g x 6 people x 4 days = 1224g ≈ 1.2kg

Step 5: Choose the type of food

Based on the above results, personal taste, food preference, budget, storage resistance and other information to choose your favorite food, the weight of these foods can be matched according to your taste and habits, the total weight of each type is the same as your calculations on the line. Continuing with the above example, the type/weight of flour you prepare could be:

1.2 kg = 800 g of flour(It can be flour or bread.) + 200 g of muffin mix + 200 g of frying flour.

Finally, you can summarize the various results, make a table and go to the market to purchase according to the table. I strongly recommend that teams planning to cook as a group take time out in advance to make food plans together and divide up the purchases, to some extent you can hone the team ahead of time.

Give examples of each type of food:

Trail food: candy bars, chocolate, energy bars, dried fruit, preserved fruit

Dinner: noodles, rice, potatoes, millet, corn, pancakes

Breakfast: oatmeal, corn mush, instant porridge

Eggs and milk: eggs, milk powder, cocoa powder

Meat: ham, sausage, cheese

Flours: flour, bread, various baking mixes

Sugar/Drinks: powdered drinks, brown sugar, white sugar, glucose

Soup: freeze-dried soup mixes, instant soup mixes, various flavorings and sauces

Addendum: Critical Outdoor Nutrition Knowledge

For a successful adventure, outdoor food nutrition is the key of keys, and at its most fundamental level, it determines whether or not you can survive in a hostile environment. It also determines how quickly your body recovers as you are active for longer periods of time, which means that your body will be able to stay energized for longer periods of time.

Because our physical and mental states can change in dangerous, high-pressure, and hostile environments, we need to carefully and deliberately consider these bodily responses before doing a nutritional program.

For example, you may want to consider the following:

1.Familiarize yourself with the nutritional components, water content, and caloric content of various foods.

2.During an expedition, the frequency of our diet will increase.

3.Outdoor diets will have more protein than everyday life because muscles will grow and repair.

4.In high altitude/high intensity activities/hot environment, appetite and thirst will be reduced, following the appetite to eat will not satisfy the body’s needs.

Energy

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories a person burns per day when they are inactive in a warm environment, BMR varies from person to person, a 70kg 17 year old male has a BMR equal to approximately 1900 kcal while a 60kg 25 year old female has a BMR equal to approximately 1300 kcal.

The number of calories we need for an activity is approximately equal to the exercise exertion plus the BMR. By doing this calculation, we can approximate the number of calories from food needed for a particular activity.

Water

Water makes up about two-thirds of the body’s weight, and although it does not provide calories, it provides the environment necessary for cellular biochemical processes.

In the wild, all water is not driect drinkable and must be treated before drinking, I will described this in the article “Purification of Natural Outdoor Water”. When dehydrated, we experience fatigue, lethargy, irritability, muscle weakness and various gastrointestinal disturbances. Depending on the intensity of the activity and the environment, we need to drink 2-4 liters of water per day. However, it is important to drink the right amount of water. Drinking too much water can lead to hyponatremia, which is similar to the symptoms of dehydration.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate is the main source of energy, it can be stored as liver glycogen in the liver after absorption to provide continuous energy for the brain and muscles, but the storage of liver glycogen is limited, so we recommend eating 30-60g of carbohydrates per hour during activities over 90 minutes. In the outdoors, you can eat trail food at each hourly break.

Eating carbohydrates and protein 15-30 minutes after the end of the day’s activity is extremely helpful for recovery, as this is when the body utilizes protein most efficiently, and the carbohydrates taken with the protein protect it from being degraded for energy.

Proteins

Proteins form the basic structure of cells and are the foundation of life. Proteins are made up of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids present in our body, of which 11 can be synthesized in the body and 9 cannot be synthesized on their own but can only be ingested through food; we call these 9 amino acids essential amino acids.

In outdoor activities, we have to estimate how much protein to carry according to different intensity of activities. You can use the following formula to calculate:

Protein requirement (dry weight grams) = body weight (kg) x activity factor

*For hiking, the activity factor is 1.1-1.6

Animal proteins tend to contain all the essential amino acids, but many plant proteins will be deficient in a specific essential amino acid. When there is a single source of protein, certain essential amino acids that are low in content become limiting amino acids, and just as building a house with enough bricks but no cement, limiting amino acids can interfere with protein synthesis. This is why it is important not to have a single source of amino acids in our food.

Fats

Fat can be burn for energy, but it takes a lot of oxygen to burn, and it also needs carbohydrates to provide some energy for its breakdown, so it is only valuable for energy supply during low-intensity activities or after hiking in camp ground. So trail snacks shouldn’t contain too much fat.

Fat is extremely calorie dense, 2-3 times more than carbohydrates and protein. During outdoor activities, foods should have a slightly higher fat content than the daily diet in city because the body needs more calories than usual. If we rely only on carbohydrates, we may face hypoglycemia, a condition in which the brain, in order to maintain normal functioning, urges the body to break down proteins (muscle, bone) and stored fats, and a large amount of degradation of the former can affect our health.

When designing an outdoor diet, we recommend 15-30% of total calories from fat, with no more than 10% of total calories from saturated fatty acids.

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals do not make up the structure of cells, but are necessary for cellular biochemical reactions. We recommend that food should be diversified to avoid mineral deficiencies to some extent, and some vitamin tablets and mineral supplements can also be used as dietary supplements for outdoor activities.

To summarize, food preparation is an important project for adventure activities, which determines the quality of your life in the mountains, and a well-fed mood is good, which can indirectly avoid a lot of conflicts in team.

In the new hikers lack of experience, with this introduction to the food preparation method can be scientific and fast food program, the exprienced hikers can also use this method to simplify the preparation process.

I have been using food preparation five-step method for many years, after verification personally feel very simple and practical, so this method will be written out recommended to you, I hope to help you in trail.

Of course, at home in advance to practice good cooking level is crucial, food preparation and then well prepared, made into dark cuisine is also regrettable.

Finally, I wish you will all become a master of outdoor cooking soon.

How to Make Ultralight Hiking Sandals at Home

3FULGEAR — Wed, 24 May 2023 06:31:40 +0000

HOW TO MAKE ULTRALIGHT HIKING SANDALS AT HOME

By Yu Liu

Sandals are very important in long distance hiking, you can’t wear hiking shoes or boots all the time after arriving at the camp, putting on sandals can make your feet feel incredibly relaxed, and sandals are even more important when crossing rivers and bathing, the normal sandals are heavy, at least 200 grams a piece, wet sandals are also very slippery, not safe for use when crossing rivers. This is when we need to prepare a pair of hiking sandals.

I was deeply influenced by the idea of born to run when I contacted barefoot running in 2017, and I walked hundreds of kilometers in a pair of luna sandal at that time, but I was very dissatisfied with the luna, it was heavy, the sole and the upper would slip when wet, and it was especially easy to stink my feet, so I decided to DIY a pair myself.

It probably costs about $20 to make a pair of hiking sandals, and can take an afternoon to do by hand.

Before that, you’ll need to get a piece of foam rubber sole, which is easily available on Amazon Japan for about $15. In addition you need some rope or webbing, if you can buy buckle on the better, can not buy it does not matter, with knots can also be.

Vibram foam rubber sole:

Vibram 8338 Yamada Vibram Sheet, Black, Pack of 2, Shoe Polishing, Shoe Care Supplies, Sole Adhesive, black

Let’s see the finished product:

After you prepare all the materials, please prepare 2-3 hours to do the handiwork.

1. draw the outline of your own feet on a piece of paper.

2. Draw the outline of the sole according to the outline of your foot.

3. Determine the location of the 3 holes, the first one is the hole next to your big toe, use a pen to point a dot. The second and third holes should be determined according to the position of the very front of your calf shin, draw a line on the paper flush with the front of the shin, move 1 cm inside the sole according to this line, this is the location of the string, determine the size of the holes according to the width of the webbing you use.

4. Plate making: Cut down the cardboard with a hobby knife, draw the final sole shape on a piece of heavy cardboard and cut it out. put the cardboard on the rubber sole and draw the outline on the rubber.

5. Cut down the rubber bottom with a hobby knife and punch holes with a hand drill. If you use webbing, then you need to cut a long strip-type mouth, which is very simple: Using a drill no more than 3mm, drill two holes spaced 1.5cm apart, and then cut the middle part of the two holes with a blade.

6. There are many ways to put on the band/webbing or cords, you can refer to my way of putting on the tape. Or create one for yourself, there is no principle to follow, as long as you think it looks good. The strap on toe side is not easy to fix, I use fire to melt the top, solidify it into a T-shaped top, which can prevent the webbing from falling off.

This way an ultra-light sandal is made and you can run a few miles in it to try if it suits you.

For the record, we don’t mass produce these sandals, I just wanted to share a DIY process.

11MarMarch 11, 2025

The No Man’s Wilderness : White Lake Loop in Altai Mountains.

← BACK TO ADVENTURE PAGE

Team member: Liu Yu, Zi Long, Jun Dao, Kuai Le, Cha Ye

Time: October 2016

Length: 250km...

25FebFebruary 25, 2025

Is 3FULGEAR’s New Tianshan 45 the Best Budget Ultralight Pack?

We at 3FULGEAR are truly honored that Outside Backpacker and Nathan... read more

14FebFebruary 14, 2025

Adventure Report: Everest East Face and Kama Valley

← BACK TO ADVENTURE PAGE

Team member: Liu Yu, Mingyue, Jundao, Ruguo,Tusheng, etc.

Time: August 2014

Length: 140km 10 days

Location: Tibet

Difficulty:...

12DecDecember 12, 2024

How to assemble Tianshan backpack

3FULGEAR, December 2024This is a pack designed for all our expeditions in 2024-2025, and although we've equipped it with a... read more

26NovNovember 26, 2024

Adventure Report: Aotai Trek

← BACK TO ADVENTURE PAGE

WHO: Yu Liu, Liang XueYan, Jumper(JiangPu/Li Tao)

WHEN: July 2019

LENGTH: 80km 4days

WHERE: Qinling Mountain, Shanxi

DIFFICULTY: 5.5/10

This... read more

16AugAugust 16, 2024

Adventure Report: North of the Southern Tian Shan Trek

← BACK TO ADVENTURE PAGE

Team member: Liang Xueyan, Liu Yu, Liu Yinxi, Chen Xiaofen, Yan Nan, Psnake, XiaoLongNv

Time: August...

13SepSeptember 13, 2023

How to Prepare Outdoor Food Using the 5-Step Principle.

HOW TO PREPARE OUTDOOR FOOD USING THE 5-STEP PRINCIPLE.

About Author: Yu Liu - 3FULGEAR Brand and Design Manager I can't go hiking... read more

24MayMay 24, 2023

How to Make Ultralight Hiking Sandals at Home

HOW TO MAKE ULTRALIGHT HIKING SANDALS AT HOME

By Yu LiuSandals are very important in long distance hiking, you can't wear... read more

The post How to Make Ultralight Hiking Sandals at Home first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

How to increase the protection of Lanshan tent in windy days.

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 07:40:54 +0000

How to increase the protection of Lanshan tent in windy days.

3FULGEAR

Today we received a letter from a friend.The letter shared with us his first bad experience with Lanshan.

I bought the Lanshan 2 Pro (3-season). I used it for the first time the other day in mid-October in a mountainous area in cold temperatures (perhaps 5 degrees celsius) and windy conditions (up to 70 km/h gusts). Since it was not snowy, or below 0 degrees Celsius and the winds were high but not extreme, I thought the tent should be good enough given it is marketed as a 3-season. However, I was very cold whilst sleeping in the tent as the wind was blowing under the outer sheet and into the inside with virtually no protection from the wind.

I sympathize with this friend’s experience, so I think it is time to share my experience with you how to make your trekking pole tent give you better protection in harsh conditions.

Unlike a free standing tent which has a fixed height, a trekking pole tent has the unparalleled advantage of a normal tent, it can be changed to meet your needs, in a sense, it is like a tarp, only not as flexible as a tarp.

I have used Lanshan 2/lanshan 1 pro 3 season version to spend 20-30 nights in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5000m at -20 degrees Celsius, so I would like to share with you how to use Lanshan /Lanshan pro tent in windy days.

There are many youtubers making videos on how to set up your Lanshan tent, you can also refer to the article I wrote, but those methods above are the standard set up method, that is, the method used for general environment.

ARTICLE: HOW TO PITCHING YOUR LANSHAN TENT PERFECTLY – OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION

In windy day, the tent pitched with the above method will be like a bridge hole, the wind will keep pouring in and you will not feel any warmth. Therefore, we have to lower the height of the tent, so that the tent as close to the ground as possible. This is done to reduce the possibility of letting the wind blow into the tent.

To start with, we lay the tent on the ground and, if necessary, let the backpack press against it. Adjust the length of the pegs holding cords in the four corners of the tent, about 5-6 cm will do.

Fixing the 4 pegs at the four corners.

Setting the trekking poles to about 115 cm and pitch up the tent so that the height of the tent will be lowered by 10 cm down to make it almost close to the ground.

Secure the cords of the doors on both sides, but instead of using hooks to link the doors, use a separate peg to hold the doors in place. Make the lower edge of the door close to the ground.

At this point, if you are not an experienced user of Lanshan, you will likely need to adjust the length of the peg cords again to make the tent completely full and tight.

This will give you a shelter with better wind proof performance, but we don’t recommend completely fitting the tent to the ground, as maintaining some ventilation is necessary for sleep quality and condensation mitigation.

Don’t forget to make sure all guy lines are tightened.

How to pitching your Lanshan tent perfectly – official recommendation

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:14:26 +0000

HOW TO PITCHING YOUR LANSHAN TENT PERFECTLY – OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION

By Yu

The Lanshan series is a non-free standing tent supported by trekking poles. Since there is no tent pole support, the Lanshan tent can be set up in many different forms by changing the position of the stakes. You can raise or lower the tent according to your own situation, but this also brings a problem, how to set up a ” standard ” form of tent?

In order to solve the problem of standard construction, we designed the Lanshan tent with four positioning cords, which can be found in the four corners of the interior floor and are not elastic. You can find the four non-stretch yellow ropes at the corners of the interior floor. Using the cords to determine the location of the stakes is the key to setting up the Lanshan tent.

Next I will demonstrate how to set up the Lanshan 2 Pro tent, this method is also applicable to Lanshan 2, Lanshan 1 and Lanshan 1 Pro.

First we will lay the tent on the ground, the tent is hexagonal, in order to make it look rectangular, you can temporarily stack the Fly’s vestibule on the Interior, this will make it easier for you to observe whether the set up is standard.

It should be noted that the positioning rope should be straightened and on the extension line of the long side of the interior floor, which is about 90 degrees from the short side of the interior floor.

The one shown in red is the positioning cord.

This is based on the four positioning cords to lay down four stakes. Then hang the four corners of Fly on the four stakes.

Both Fly and Interior have been linked to four ground stakes.

The stakes of the vestibule are at the midpoint of the long side of the Interior (you can see a ring here), a distance of 1.2 meters/47inch, which the same as the width of the Interior, and according to this distance you lay two stakes on each side of the tent.

Anywhere between 1 meter and 1.5 meters is fine, no need to measure precisely.

The rest is easy, adjust your trekking poles to between 115cm-125cm, install the poles, fix the guy line on both sides of the vestibule to the stakes and tighten them.

You can see that by doing this, even if you don’t make any adjustments, the tent is in perfect shape.

Finally, don’t forget to fix the guy line at the head and tail of the tent before you enjoy camping. As you can see, the interior of Lanshan 2 Pro is very spacious.

The post How to pitching your Lanshan tent perfectly – official recommendation first appeared on 3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears.

3F UL GEAR Ultralight Outdoor Gears

The No Man’s Wilderness : White Lake Loop in Altai Mountains.

Team member: Liu Yu, Zi Long, Jun Dao, Kuai Le, Cha Ye

Time: October 2016

Length: 250km 14 days

Location: Altai Mountains

Difficulty: 8.5/10

5. Breaking Out of the Wilderness

Is 3FULGEAR’s New Tianshan 45 the Best Budget Ultralight Pack?

Is 3FULGEAR’s New Tianshan 45 the Best Budget Ultralight Pack?

Adventure Report: Everest East Face and Kama Valley

Team member: Liu Yu, Mingyue, Jundao, Ruguo,Tusheng, etc.

Time: August 2014

Length: 140km 10 days

Location: Tibet

Difficulty: 5.5/10

Adventure Report:

How to assemble Tianshan backpack

WHAT YOU GET IN BOX:

STEPS:

Adventure Report: Aotai Trek

WHO: Yu Liu, Liang XueYan, Jumper(JiangPu/Li Tao)

WHEN: July 2019

LENGTH: 80km 4days

WHERE: Qinling Mountain, Shanxi

DIFFICULTY: 5.5/10

DAY1 TaibaiMountain(3771m)-Dongyuan(3174m)

DAY2 Dongyuan(3174m)-Xiyuan(3200m)-3 pyramid shaped peak-3200camp

DAY3 3200camp-2800camp-Shuiwozi(3100m)

DAY4 Shuiwozi-Aoshan（3500m）-Niangniangtai（2900m）-Road（2000m）

Adventure Report: North of the Southern Tian Shan Trek

Team member: Liang Xueyan, Liu Yu, Liu Yinxi, Chen Xiaofen, Yan Nan, Psnake, XiaoLongNv

Time: August 2024

Length: 85km 6 days

Location: Xinjiang

Difficulty: 7.5/10

Lack of sufficient information makes this route full of uncertainty.

What we do know is that the route involves climbing at least 2 snowy mountain passes with large glaciers, so some mountaineering tools are needed.

This is beyond the scope of a trekking route, and the extra mountaineering tools add weight, moreover making lightweight gear especially important.

I also tested the Extra Quilt EX zip from ICEFLAME, filled with 420g of 900FP down and weighing just 600g.

You can download my gear list at the link below.

Adventure Report:

DAY1 16km Solan Valley-Camp 1

Ascend: 1380m

The first day’s altitude will not exceed 3000 metres. Most of the time is spent walking in valleys and ridge meadows with views of snow-capped mountains in the distance. The paths are in good condition.

DAY2 16km Camp1-Malaerte Pass 3562m- Cabin

Ascend: 785m

DAY3 14km Cabin- Valley crossing- Grass land before Asusada Pass 3600m

Ascend: 850m

Needed to cross a fast flowing river today and needed to build a protection system with ropes. This will delay a lot of time.

The way up towards the valley above is becoming less and less obvious and a lot of time is consumed determining whether the way is to the left or right of the river. This is very energy and time consuming. If the judgement is wrong, danger can be encountered.

There is a grassy area and clear water source high up a few hundred metres from the pass, making it an ideal campsite.

In the evening a member of the team had an acute attack of ITBS, a condition that causes rapid loss of movement. My treatment was to administer 0.75mg dexamethasone every 4 hours. Knowing that the acute oedema was gone.

DAY4 15.6km Asusada Pass 3880m-Small Lake-Glacier-Kirin Pass 3800m-Grass Camp

Ascend: 750m

Starting today off the trail, all future hikes are off-trail.

Over the 3880 metre scree pass, you can see the snow-capped mountains to be climbed in the distance. This day will lead into a glacier trek.

The glacier walk started at 3pm and it was easy compared to the scree slopes and we soon reached the Kirin I pass, that is dangerous because of an ice slope of about 45 degrees, which requires the correct use of ice crampons in order to pass through, otherwise you may fall into the ice lake below.

Kirin II is a scree pass with no glacier or trail and requires going over countless rocks. This pass is the second most dangerous pass of the trip.

The campsite is at least an hour from Kirin II Pass.

DAY5 17.8 km Grass camp- Glacier-Elemente Pass I 4100m-Elemente Pass II-Camp

Ascend: 821m

Almost all of the day was spent marching on the glacier, there was about an hour’s sharp descent from the campsite to the glacier valley, there were no trail and it was difficult to walk through the bush.

There are several kilometres of walking on the glacier, and the area close to the pass is full of ice cracks, so walking in groups is required. Over Pass 1 there is a sharply descending ice slope that requires the use of ice axes.

Most people will burn through all their energy to get over these two passes.

But it’s not over yet, next you’ll be doing kilometres of glacier walking and need to bypass many ice crevasses.

Arriving at camp is late.

DAY6 7.6km Leave the Trek.

Today we dried all our gears as we have been getting wet almost every day for the past few days. It only takes 3 hours to leave the trail. We arrived at a construction site where a tunnel is being built through the Tianshan mountains and glacier.

The staff said the tunnel is 16 kilometres long and could be completed by 2029. This means saving at least one to two days of driving to southern Xinjiang.

Summary:

This is a risky and difficult expedition that is not for new hikers as it is lack of detailed information and has no trails.Mountaineering tools are a must and can greatly reduce the danger.

How to Prepare Outdoor Food Using the 5-Step Principle.

HOW TO PREPARE OUTDOOR FOOD USING THE 5-STEP PRINCIPLE.

Basic Ingredients, Ready-to-eat Foods, Freeze-dried Foods

How much food to prepare?

Food Planning Tools: 5 Steps to Food Planning

Step 1: Calculate how much to eat per day

Step 2: Calculate the total amount

Step 3: Categorize your food

This is a risky and difficult expedition that is not for new hikers as it is lack of detailed information and has no trails.
Mountaineering tools are a must and can greatly reduce the danger.