Lost My Phone at the "Peak of Chengdu," but Found the Pure White of Winter

📅 Xiling Snow Mountain Adventure Diary 📍Location: Xiling Snow Mountain, Chengdu, Sichuan (The legendary scene of "eternal snow beyond the west window," a winter fairy tale where sea of clouds meets hot springs) ❄️ Soul-stirring! When the sea of clouds at Yin-Yang Boundary cascaded like a milk waterfall, I forgot to breathe. At 6 a.m., I trudged through the snow to the Riyueping Viewing Platform. In the mist, the 3,250-meter-high Yin-Yang Boundary suddenly unveiled itself—clouds tumbling down like frozen milk waterfalls, with the main peak of Daxuetang glowing amber in the dawn light. I fumbled for my phone to capture a time-lapse, only for a sudden mountain gust to send it tumbling off the cliff. But I laughed—this time, I remembered to bring my GoPro! 🏔️ Immersive Snow Carnival | Every snowflake tells the epic tale of the Shu Mountains 1. Yin-Yang Boundary Sea of Clouds (The ultimate romance of the Shu Mountains) ✅ Must-do: - Arrive before 6:30 a.m.! Capture the "sea of clouds + dawn light," with a 0.5x wide-angle for maximum depth. - Rent an audio guide (¥30) to learn about the "geological history" and use your phone’s macro mode to photograph "frost crystals." 🚗 Transport: Take a bus from Chengdu Chadianzi Station (¥35, 2 hours) → East Gate → Cable car up (¥120). 2. Ski Resort (A heart-pounding snow adventure) ✅ Hidden gems: - Drone shots of "ski slopes + sea of clouds" look like alien landscapes straight out of the camera. - Try the "snowfield hot pot" (¥100 extra) for a "fire and ice" experience. 3. Huashuiwan Hot Springs (A hidden paradise) ✅ Pro tips: - Hike 2km to the valley floor for shots of "steaming hot springs + snow mountain reflections." Wear red swimwear for better photos. - Stargazing camping (¥80/person)—see the Milky Way with your naked eyes! Bring a down jacket. 4. Du Fu Thatched Cottage (A time-traveling experience) ✅ Must-capture: - "Thatched cottage snowscape + plum blossoms" with your phone’s slow shutter to catch falling snowflakes. - Spot "Hanfu-clad beauties" (bring a telephoto lens!), but don’t disturb them. 5. Riyueping Cable Car (Extreme experience, upgraded) ✅ Thrills: - Ride Asia’s longest cable car (40 minutes one way) and film "the cable car piercing through clouds." - Listen to "snowfall ASMR" at night—use your phone’s noise reduction to record your own white noise. 🍜 Sichuan Food Feast | Gained 5kg in 3 days? Blame these! - Must-eat list: 1. Xiling Snow Mountain cured pork (¥80): Smoked with cypress wood, stir-fried with garlic sprouts. 2. Black chicken stew with mountain yam (¥120): High-altitude yam and snow-fed black chicken—so fresh it’ll make your eyebrows fall off. 3. Brown sugar glutinous rice cake (¥15): Crispy outside, soft inside, drizzled with secret-recipe brown sugar syrup. - Avoid: Overpriced "yak meat" in the scenic area—buy it cheaper at Huashuiwan Town supermarkets! 🛏️ Stay Recommendations | Sleep inside the scenery - Ski resort homestay: Yunqi Snow House (¥680/night), floor-to-ceiling windows facing the slopes, with cherries delivered by the host. - Huashuiwan hot spring hotel: Sakura Private Hot Spring (¥1,280/night), open your window to a hot spring pool, breakfast included. 💡 Pitfall Guide (Learned the hard way!) 1. Transport: - Weekend cable car lines take 2 hours! Visit on weekdays instead. - No signal in the scenic area! Download offline maps in advance. 2. Must-pack list: - ID, sunglasses (for snow blindness), cash (some shops only accept cash). - Ice cleats! You’ll walk 20,000+ steps daily. 3. Hidden gems: - Dafeishui Waterfall: Free shots of "ice waterfall + red stone beach"—even more stunning with a drone! - Xiling Snow Mountain Museum: Photograph "Quaternary glacial relics" and unlock Earth’s secrets. 📸 Legendary Shots - Yin-Yang Boundary sea of clouds (straight out of camera! ISO100 + wide aperture for bokeh). - Ski resort dawn light: Use your phone’s pro mode (ISO100, shutter speed 0.5s). 💰 3-day cost: Transport ¥100 + lodging ¥1,960 + food ¥500 = ¥2,560 ✨ Ramblings Xiling Snow Mountain is truly "Chengdu’s winter fairy tale!" Losing my phone was a bummer, but the black chicken stew and starlight healed everything. Next time, I’ll bring my parents for a week—skiing, hot springs, and sunrises every day, living like a snow-spoiled sloth (and eating brown sugar glutinous rice cakes forever!).