Hiking photos - Ming Village overnight, Oct. 17-18, 2009

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We do this overnight trip to Cuandixia just once or twice every year, and it's always a good time. On this visit we had a nice walk in the hills around the village on the first day, had a bonfire after dinner, and once the sun went down, enjoyed some fireworks, a visit to a rowdy karaoke hall, and a sky full of stars. The second day was a very long hike through hills full of autumn colour and a bit of random weather.

Statistics for long hike: 7 hours to finish 28km at approx. 3.4km/hr; start height 882m, highest point 1,668m. Estimated 3,071kCal burned.

Mountains, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

The hills behind the village.

Road, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

The road up to the abandoned village.

Terraces, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Terraces up by the abandoned village.

Trail and trees, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Autumn colours in the trees.

Peak with flowers, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Foliage nearby the caves.

Cuandixia, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

View of the village from the hills.

Bonfire, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

The bonfire, kindled with old chopsticks.

Fireworks, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Fireworks and stars.

Trail in hills, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Getting started on the second day.

Terraces and trees, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Unused terraces.

Autumn colours, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Autumn colours on the way to Huangcaoliang.

Cliffs, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

The path to Huangcaoliang led through a cleft in the cliffs.

Leafy trail, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Up through the forest.

Great Wall on the ridges, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Autumn colours in the hills, Great Wall towers on the ridge.

Towers and campsite, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Great Wall towers with campsite in the background.

Tower, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

The tower where we had lunch and sheltered from the wind.

Valley, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

The high winds brought some mist and dust with them into the valleys.

Autumn colours, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

After visiting the Great Wall, we headed downhill through trees.

Trees, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Trees and long grass.

Farmhouse, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Farmhouse in the valley.

Trees and cliffs, Beijing Hikers Ming Village overnight hike, 2009-10-17/18

Not long after this shot of the entrance to the Longmen Gorge it started hailing heavily.