Niubei Mountain

Niubeishan rises to about 3,660 metres on the eastern edge of the plateau, directly opposite the Gongga range across a deep valley, and its particular quality is position: warm moist air from the Sichuan basin meets the mountains here and condenses, so a sea of cloud fills the valley below the ridge on a large share of days while the summit stands clear, with Gongga and its neighbours rising through the white. It has become a well-known camping and sunrise spot, reached by a steep hike of several hours from Zhenxi or by hired jeep up a rough track, with tents pitched on the ridge overnight.

The main sights

• The cloud sea - valley filled with cloud below a clear ridge.
• Gongga Shan - Sichuan's highest peak across the valley at sunrise.
• The ridge camps - tents pitched along the summit for the morning.
• The jeep track - the rough road up as an alternative to hiking.

When to go

October to April gives the best odds of a clear summit above cloud; summer is wetter with the ridge often inside the cloud rather than above it. Nights are cold and windy year-round.

Good to know

The cloud sea is not guaranteed and the ridge is sometimes simply fogged in. Camping is cold and exposed with basic facilities. Weekend crowds on the summit are considerable.

Nearby

Yingjing lies east; Hailuogou is west across the valley.