Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山; Yùlóngxuě Shān), (25km from Lijiang. Mules can be rented from the nearby Baisha Village or you can take a cable car to the top. Prices vary for the mules depending on what elevation you want to go to. ¥180 to ride to 3800 meters plus ¥5 for insurance. ¥300 to 4200 meters. ¥350 to 4600 meters. If you pay for the lowest elevation you might be able to bargain with the handlers when you reach the end and continue to the higher elevations for a lower price. Passengers over 100 kg might have to pay a surcharge. Tickets for the cable car cost ¥170 round-trip). A mountain massif (also identified as a small mountain range) visible from Lijiang and capped all year round. Its highest peak is Shanzidou (扇子陡; Shānzidǒu) at 5,596m. The view of the massif from the gardens at the Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang is noted as one of China's finest views. The far side of the mountain forms one side of Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡; Hǔtiàoxiá). You might be asked to purchase tickets for electrical car, which they call it as "Little Green frog". It's not worth it. You would miss the 20 minute walk on a wood trail which was very enjoyable. Also, renting a coat is not necessary during the late spring and summer season. You would find it a big burden later. On you way to Yu Long Snow Mountain, you may stop by at the Dong Ba Valley culture center. Though sounds copied from US, Lijiang did good job to present this traditional village to all visitors. They moved some families from other places to this village and let them live their normal lives. I have seen the husband in a family counting changes while the wife was comforting the baby. In another house, two youth siblings were baking their cookies and selling to visitors. This is way more alive. (I have visited the Indian center in Cherokee, North Carolina back in 1998. Villagers there behaved like they were working for boring jobs). There are live singing and instrument performing at different corners. You would see some singers are actually pretty and sin well. Entrance to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain ¥190, which only seems to be collected when entering from the Lijiang end.
