Black Lake - Haba Snow Mountain

Getting There - Haba village is just beyond the Tiger Leaping Gorge, about an hour drive. The village is a good base for climbing Haba Snow Mountain. In high season I was told there is a bus near Tina's Guesthouse in Tiger Leaping Gorge; however, this isn't a reliable option. Instead, Tina can help arrange a shared taxi that will cost 50 RMB per person, one-way. Hotels - There are a few in Haba Village to choose from as well as others in the road to the scenic area. Camping in the park is an option. If staying in Haba Village, an hour car ride to the scenic area, its highly recommended to stay at Snow Mountain Climbing Inn. The owner and his family are extremely helpful and gracious. Food is amazing and they can help arrange transportation, a guide, and horse when trekking. The owner of the hotel is building luxury tents on the trail for overnight stays. The accommodating includes food and horse for 1280 per person. To just hire a horse and guide us 300 RMB per day. Share the horse as needed if in a group. Attractions - The hike to Black Lake is long and difficult, especially in rainy conditions, much of the trail is exposed at high elevations, over 4300 meters near the end of the trail before descending to 4200 meters down to the lake. . As mentioned, you can hire a mule to complete the hike or go on your own. A guide would be helpful so the horse isn't a bad option, but if to have map downloaded from AllTrails or another site it would be invaluable. Otherwise follow the many cairns and red flags on the trees while using your intuition to lead the way. The out and back trail gradually climbs nearly 1200 meters in 6 miles, roughly 12 miles total, with some areas very steep, rocky, and slippery. On some occasions you will cross small streams and will get wet. It's possible it will rain and become cooler as you gain elevation so bring layers. Other than a currently being constructed glamping test site, there is no good along the way, so bring provisions. Overall this is a very rewarding, and scenic hike, but challenging for most. You must acclimatize a few days to a week before attempting this hike to avoid altitude sickness. Many people purchase oxygen tanks. Once you ascend to the highest point, traversing a steep rock field through a small stream, you'll come to an open grassy area overlooking the Black Lake below. You could end your adventure here and camp for the night, get a nice view and return, or descend to the lake and camp, or get a closer look before returning. If making this a multiday trek with the intention of ascending Mt. Haba, this would be the ideal location for camping, and spending an extra day acclimatizing and exploring the area. This is a much lesser traveled area and makes it more pristine, as well as rewarding. The views and trail are spectacular and challenging, but worth the effort.