A Day to See Three Scenic Spots: Hiking with Kids at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Spruce Meadow, and Blue Moon Valley

My connection with Lijiang has lasted for four or five years, yet I had always missed out on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. This time, we finally embarked on the journey to the snowy mountain, filled with belated apologies in my heart—sorry, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, I underestimated your grandeur and let down the long-held expectations. To keep this mountain and sea appointment, we set off from Club Med before dawn. After arriving at the visitor center by car, we immediately took the cable car to the 4,506-meter-high check-in point. Upon first reaching the high-altitude area, my breathing was still adjusting, but I couldn’t wait to climb higher with “Little Brother.” Unexpectedly, the little guy got into a tussle with his gloves, sometimes insisting on buttoning them, sometimes urging to unbutton. Already feeling a bit suffocated from the lack of oxygen, this little episode made me a bit impatient. But when I turned to look, the snow-capped mountains stretched endlessly, and the sparkling glaciers shimmered faintly in the light. The breathtaking beauty instantly dissolved all my restlessness. We exchanged a smile, regained our rhythm, and continued hand in hand. The plank road wound upward, with few children around. “Little Brother’s” small figure stood out in the crowd, naturally becoming the focus of praise from passing tourists. Encouragements like “The little one is amazing” and “Keep going, almost at the top!” were far more effective than my countless reminders, becoming his greatest motivation to keep climbing. We steadily ascended along the plank road, taking a breath of oxygen every few steps, cheering each other on through the high-altitude challenge. In less than an hour, we reached the 4,680-meter-high viewing platform. Although crowded, the summit did not diminish the stunning scenery. After quickly taking a few check-in photos, we happily began our return journey. On the shuttle from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to Spruce Meadow, “Little Brother” took a quick nap during the 20-minute ride and arrived fully recharged. Unexpectedly, in this “high mountain meadow secret realm,” the little guy transformed into my personal photographer—just by my simple description of the desired scene, he could precisely capture the light and composition. The moment the shutter clicked, a series of high-quality shots were frozen in time. Surrounded by lush greenery and clear skies at Spruce Meadow, and the blue lake and snowy mountain reflections at Blue Moon Valley, we fully indulged in the joy of photography. “Little Brother” became more and more engaged, skillfully framing and angling each shot—truly my capable little photography assistant. On the way back, the car was quiet, with “Little Brother” sleeping soundly on my shoulder. Reflecting on this day—from waking up early at dawn to set off, to hiking nearly 20,000 steps measuring the mountain and sea, to patiently accompanying me throughout to capture beautiful moments—this small figure holds immense energy. My son indeed has amazing physical endurance and extraordinary photography talent. He’s truly incredible!