Every winter, I am full of expectations like an old friend who has not met for a long time, and even pray in my dreams, looking forward to a heavy snow in the Tomur Grand Canyon of the Wensu Tianshan Mountains.
In my opinion, the Grand Canyon is beautiful all year round. However, the real beauty is that after the heavy snow falls, the thick silver-white snow covers the surface of the canyon, just like the beauty of heaven and earth, and a layer of white snow is scattered on the top of the crimson mountains. The dazzling red, the dazzling white, the beauty is unforgettable.
Wensu Tianshan Tomur Grand Canyon is located in Wensu County, Aksu Region, Xinjiang, in the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, Bozi dun Kirgiz Nationality Township, a world natural heritage site, Tianyishan Tomur Peak Conservation Area.
There are the most beautiful Danxia geological wonders in western China, the largest rock and salt karst geological scenery in China, the rare ancient rock and salt geological scenery in China, the strange Yadan geological wonders in western China, and the unique giant rock dissolution geological secret in China, which can be called Xinjiang's "living geological evolution history museum".
In the canyon of more than 200 square kilometers, the distribution of mountain wall rock layers is staggered and orderly, and the folds and curved lines formed by squeezing are very clear; the broken rocks are sandwiched in the rock layers of mountain walls, and after hundreds of millions of years of wind and rain erosion, they have formed a strange landscape with towering cliffs, strange peaks, different shapes, rugged and strange colors, strong colors, diverse forms and colorful landscapes. In winter, the Grand Canyon after the snowfall is red and white, and it is beautiful against the background of blue sky and white clouds.
The high head, the layered white lines, like the majestic husband and the beautiful woman with the graceful posture, towering into the clouds, fresh and handsome. The canyon after the snow, the colors are gorgeous, the intense crimson red, the white and immaculate white snow, otherworldly.
The peaks are majestic and magnificent. The towering peaks take on a variety of stunning shapes against the backdrop of blue skies and snow. The cascading rocks create a wonderful combination of red and white colors after heavy snowfall.
The snow covers the gentle undulating curves of the rock formations, and the whole canyon is wrapped in silver, as if entering a quiet and elegant fairy tale world.
Majestic, majestic, majestic. The cliffs of the knife and axe, the various mountain stones, the brightly colored crimson mountains, and the crystal clear snow, set majestic, strange, dangerous, quiet, beautiful and beautiful in one.
The peaks of the majestic mountains are tall and tall, forming a strong red-white contrast under the white snow. The sky is blue and calm, the sun is shining and dazzling, the snow is whiter and more dazzling, and the canyon behind the snow is more charming.
On the reddish-brown mountain, the layers of folds and entanglements are intertwined with the colors of the rocks themselves under the illumination of the light, which is very gorgeous. Looking around, the cliffs are high, the peaks are towering, the masculine dew is strong, the silver light is brilliant, and the snow is like a silver dragon across the sky.
White is holy, red is solemn. The snow laughs on sunny days, and the strong and delicate texture optimizes the majesty of the mountain and the intense colors.
This winding path leads to the "Chicken Gut Trail", the texture of the towering cliff rock formations on both sides is clear, and the wrinkles and deformations and curved lines are very clear, forming a unique "line of heaven", and the snow is embedded in the edge of the cliff, like a beautiful silver flower.
The ravines are long and winding, and the stone walls on both sides of the canyon squeeze the high and deep blue sky into a thin curved blue line, and from this gap, you can look up at the sky and see the white clouds floating leisurely in the narrow, blue sky. Heavy snow fell, and a circle of white snow hung from the edge of the rock, red and white.
Iron bones, strange peaks. The stone pillars that stood tall rose from the ground like a sword piercing through the clouds. The canyon is full of scenery and thrills, and only the brave warriors who are not afraid of hardships can appreciate and appreciate it, which can be described as "unlimited scenery in the dangerous peak".
Several brightly colored stone chickens walked past my camera.
On October 5, 2020, when mainland photographer Lv Fengxiao was visiting the Grand Canyon, he encountered the Snow Leopard of the Tianshan Mountains at close range, and in the ten minutes of the encounter with the Snow Leopard, he used DV and drones to shoot a clear picture of the snow leopard "patrolling the mountain", which was broadcast on CCTV and other media. In the past two years, the Tianshan Snow Leopard has appeared in the Grand Canyon many times.
Due to the good ecological environment, it is a paradise for wild animals such as goats, goose-throated antelopes, hares, foxes, wild boars and other wild animals. It is understood that there are 5 species of national first-level protected animals and 21 species of national second-level protected animals distributed in the canyon.
It was once an important part of the Muzart Trail (also known as the Chateau Trail) on the "Silk Road". From the north side of the canyon, enter Bozidun Township, cross the Tianshan Muzat Daban through the ancient city of Chenzi to enter The Xia Te Township in Zhaosu County. According to historians, Muzat Daban was a necessary mountain pass for the famous Bow Moon Ancient Road of the Tang Dynasty, bordering the Xiate Ranch of Zhaosu County in Ili in the north and the Broken City in Bozidun Township in Wensu County in the south, with a total length of 120 kilometers, which is a shortcut between the north and the south of Xinjiang, and is also the most dangerous ancient pass on the Silk Road. The Muzart Trail is now a fascinating destination for tourists and explorers, and the Grand Canyon is still a pastoral route for local herders. Grazing in the cold, empty valley, herds of sheep running in the snow, a few sheepdogs occasionally barking, and the mountains suddenly add a little life.
The snow mist rising from the heavy snow rises and spreads like a mushroom cloud, and the scenery is spectacular. The canyon is shrouded in flying snow and fog, and the silhouette of the mountain is hazy and faint, like an ink painting with a suitable thickness and lightness. The climate of the Grand Canyon is very interesting, suddenly the fog is flying, and suddenly the sun is shining. It snows on cloudy days and snows on sunny days; sometimes hundreds of meters apart, but it is cloudy and sunny. Immersed in the middle of the misty canyon, it is like driving the fog and floating in the clouds.
Sometimes the feathery snow is covered with thick white snow on the ground, and sometimes the small snowflakes flutter with the wind, and the flying snowflakes are pulled into silver silk threads under the wind. I like this weather the most. Surrounded by silent mountains, watching the clouds and mist flying, watching the snowflakes flying, watching the snow flakes fall to the ground, watching the snowflakes melt, and listening to the sound of feet stepping on the snow, this is the most intimate communication between human beings and nature, no words, just heart, affection.
The fine snowflakes fluttered gently in the sky, as if to savor the beauty of the canyon again, but it did not know that its otherworldly, fairy-like fall had become another beauty in the beauty of the canyon. Snowflakes flutter and sprinkle, crystal white and not stained with dust, as if singing praises for the grand winter scene.
Cold and summer, wind and rain hit the ice and snow, this hundred-year-old poplar is still in good spirits, taking the wind and snow as the best spiritual reward, showing vigor and solemnity in the flying snowflakes.
These giant red icicles, which are 40 to 50 centimeters thick and 3 or 4 meters high, bear witness to the temperature difference between day and night in the canyon. Every day at noon, under the warm sun, the melting snow water flows down the mountain, and at night, the temperature plummets, the snow water solidifies, and after a day-to-day cycle, a huge colorful ice hanging is formed. Crystal clear in the bright sunshine.
Lo and behold, the icy and jade ice hanging on the mountain, echoing the distant peaks, forming a strong contrast between time and space and color. Isn't this a beautiful sight?
Overlooking the city of ten thousand mountains, the fiery red cliffs and red cliffs and the colorful stone pillars of the stone peaks are more and more colorful against the background of the snow. The natural berms, earthen towers, earthen walls, and courtyards are like an ancient and spectacular ancient city, mysterious and magical under the protection of the peaks. Under the projection of light and shadow at different moments, the beautiful tone of the shadow is also different, beautiful and beautiful.
The most beautiful scenery after the snow. Red rock red cliffs, stone peaks and stone pillars, and snow-capped trees, and the glaciers and snow-capped mountains in the distance under the blue sky and white clouds, forming an incomparable natural picture. I look forward to a bigger snow falling on the Grand Canyon, bringing us more surprises and more beauty.
Photo/Text/Guo Sha
Editor/Hansheng Wang