WE’VE BEEN GOING TO THE GOBI DESERT SINCE 2002 AND HAVE A GREAT RESPECT FOR THE AREA. FROM BOTH THE CHINA AND MONGOLIAN SIDES WE HAVE CROSSED ITS EXPANSE AND VENTURED INTO THE FRINGES, AS WELL AS VISITING SOME OF THE MORE OBSCURE PARTS AWAY FROM THE CENTRAL REGION.
FOR A FEW YEARS WE HAD BEEN HEARING ABOUT NEW ICE ROUTES BEING DONE IN THE RANGES OF THE SOUTH, BY LOCALS FROM THE CITIES ALONG ITS SOUTHERN EDGE. IT WASN’T HARD TO IMAGINE – ASIDE FROM THE BLISTERING COLD – SO WE SET OUT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.
SURPRISINGLY EASY ACCESS AND A VERY FRIENDLY AND TALENTED LOCAL SCENE SHOWED US THE WAY, TELLING US OF DOZENS OF ICE FALLS IN THE MOUNTAINS. MANY ARE SECRET OR VERY REMOTE, BUT SOME ARE CLOSE TO ROADS OR APPROACHED DOWN SOLIDLY FROZEN RAVINES. IN MANY WAYS THIS IS AN ICE CLIMBERS FANTASY, OF EXOTIC PLACES AND BIZARRE LANDSCAPES, WITH UNTOUCHED ICE HIDING IN THE GORGES. ALL THE ICE IS SPRING FED SO IS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAR, AND VERY COLD TEMPERATURES MAKE FOR FALLS THAT ARE FAT AND WELL FORMED.
THESE ARE ICE FALLS THAT ARE LARGE, USUALLY SINGLE PILLARS, TOPPING OUT AT RIDGES WITH VIEWS ACROSS THE DESERT, THE ICE IS GOOD AND WHEN THE SUN HITS THINGS ARE SURPRISINGLY HABITABLE, AND THERE’S NONE OF THE CROWDS FOUND SOMEWHERE LIKE SHUANGQIAOGOU. THE LOCAL CLIMBERS ARE EXCEEDINGLY WELCOMING, AS ARE THE HERDERS THAT LIVE IN THE VALLEYS, AND THOUGH LIFE IS HARD ROUND THERE THE FOOD IS GOOD AND THE LODGINGS VERY COMFORTABLE.
IN 2025 WE WILL RETURN WITH SMALL TEAMS, LIMITED TO 4 OR 5 CLIMBERS, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR BIG GROUPS LEARNING TO CLIMB, AND SUITS THOSE ALREADY LEADING WI3 AND ABOVE, WITH PLENTY OF STUFF AS HARD AS YOU WANT TO TAKE IT. THIS IS FOR INDEPENDENT CLIMBERS, AND SMALL TEAMS THAT ALREADY CLIMB TOGETHER, AND LIKE ALL OUR TRIPS IS A REAL EXPEDITION NOT A GUIDED TOUR. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO LEARN HOW TO ICE CLIMB.
TRIPS GO IN JANUARY, FROM THE FIRST TILL THINGS START GOING CRAZY WITH CHINESE NEW YEAR. EACH TRIP GOES FOR 7 DAYS, THOUGH EXTENDED TIMELINES POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WANTING MORE REMOTE ICE THAT REQUIRES CAMPING.
VERY LIMITED PLACES.
