Hiking Mt. Emei 峨眉山 - One of China's Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains

Sichuan province's Mount Emei 峨眉山 provides SPECTACULAR winter hiking (on stairs of course - this is still China) for those willing to spend the 1-2 days walking up extremely steep steps.

Mount Emei is within 2 hours of Chengdu by train or just 15 minutes from Leshan Buddha and really cannot be missed!

While it is entirely possible (and the most popular option) to take a bus all the way up to the ski resort and then either walk or take the gondola (more like a moving can of sardines for how tightly you're packed) up to the Golden Summit, I would not recommend that to ANYONE who has the time to hike or can come back at a later time.

Hiking Mount Emei in January offered stunning landscapes of lush green forests near the bottom and snow-capped mountains and trees as you continue further up the mountain. And most importantly - solitude, peace, and an opportunity to embrace nature while still being accessible by train.

The hike is grueling, and in winter can be dangerous at parts where steep steps covered in deep snow become slides (you'll want hiking books or crampons - some of the stores higher up will offer makeshift crampons for sell, but if you're hiking up, you'll want them earlier), but the peace and scenery are absolutely worth it whether the hike takes you 1 or 2 days.

There are countless temples on your way up, all of which you can stay at (in dorm rooms) for about 50RMB a night and offer meals as well. The temples don't take reservations, but the closer you get to the ski resort and summit (where there are hotels), the more likely the temple is full.

I began my hike from town (either Baoguoshi 报国市 or Emei shi 峨眉市) around 7 am and made it to Taiziping at 7pm. You can begin your hike further up the mountain as well (at Wuxiangang 五显岗) which will save you some time. You don't miss much by starting here instead of at Baoguoshi (especially if starting very early), but I personally was glad I started from the bottom. It was extremely peaceful and serene, and by the time you reach Qingyin Pavilion you really appreciate its beauty. But I think if you started right before there, you might just pass on by without taking it in.

I wanted to hike as close to the summit as I could, but I found myself in a bit of a pinch as all the temples around the summit were full and darkness was quickly approaching. Thankfully, across from Taiziping (the last temple on the way to Golden Summit) was a small restaurant with several dorm rooms and beds (with electric sockets and heated blankets) inside offering beds for 100RMB. (Twice as much as the temple, but a bed's a bed.)

This was the perfect option to see sunrise in the morning, which really cannot be missed.

If you absolutely do not have time, or your fitness is not at the level to hike the almost 3000m, then taking the bus will absolutely provide stunning views at the summit, but much of the magic will be lost on the insanely large crowds of people (and the noise, trash, harassing of monkeys, etc that goes with crowds).

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