Tibet Diary by Zhou Yun

Sunday, May 29

How can I describe my mood right now? Excited? No. Far more than that, I can't believe my eyes. I feel as if I'm dreaming. I'm looking at Namjagabrwa Peak, the highest point on Mount Segila.

With an elevation of 7782 meters, Mount Segila is the 15th tallest mountain in the world. The Brahmaputra River circles the mountain, and cuts into its base, creating world-famous gorges, such as the Brahmaputra Gorge. Shrouded by both clouds and the mist generated by crashing water in the gorges, Mount Segila is also known as the "Shy Mountain".

My Tibetan driver has taken me to Lulang Forest, a 100,000-hectare sea of trees to the east of Mount Segila, which according to him offers the best view of Namjagabrwa Peak. Both standing there in awe of nature, he tells me that winter is the best time to view the 749-million-year-old, metamorphic mountain. He then tells me more about Mount Segila.

He says Mount Segila is the most complete example in the world of ecosystem changes due to elevation. He says rainforests, deserts, and glaciers can all be found on the mountain. He says on the western slope of the mountain there is a vast field of rhododendra, which bloom every May and June, turning Mount Segila into a "flower mountain". My driver tells me on October 30, thirteen years ago, the Sino-Japan Friendship Mountaineering Team made a successful ascent of Mount Segila. It was the last virgin peak above 7700 meters in the world.

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