Exploring the Xiashe Massif, Sichuan Province, China

We spent the next day walking across the pasture to the Zhopu Monastery, where Lenny had re-established base camp since the departure of the British climbers. We left a cache of gear hidden under a rock to be collected by jeep at a later stage. Arriving late in the afternoon, we were welcomed into the small community of people associated with the monastery, some of whom Lenny knew. We pitched our tents in Tae-Woon's mum's front yard. The day was beautifully fine but cold.

The fine weather departed as the next day advanced, and the team collected the equipment by jeep. The 27th was another cold, snowy day. The team visited the monastery, which was in a spectacular position — above a lake beneath the huge granite cliffs of the Jarjinjabo Massif.

We spent the next 3 days returning to Chengdu by jeep. By this time, the plateau was covered in snow and the trip a lot wintrier. We spent one night in Litang and a second in Kanding as guests of the Sichuan/Ganzi/Tibetan Autonomous Mountaineering Association.

The Zhopu pasture area of the Shaluli Shan Range has seen very little climbing activity, the only two rumored previous visits being an American party that was successful on a rock spire above the Zhopu Monastery and a Korean party that made an unsuccessful attempt on Xiashe. However, the area has a number of unclimbed peaks, most of which are accessible by four-wheel drive, negating the need for porters and making it possible to climb a mountain within a 2- or 3-week period.