Brotherhood on the Snow Road ☆ Deqin, Yunnan · Riding the De-Gong Road

Hesitation and the Decision to Go

Before setting out, I hesitated. Should I turn back the same way? Snow roads are unpredictable and full of risk. But I thought, since I’ve come this far, not trying would leave me with regret. So I chose to push forward.

Snow Blockades and the Wait

At first, the mountain road was forgiving, with only small falling rocks along the way. But as the altitude rose, patches of snow appeared. Entering Peacock Mountain, the situation changed abruptly. Large avalanches of snow blocked the road completely. I had to turn back to find a bulldozer clearing the way. Two hours later, the road was finally open, and I returned to the snow track.

Struggles in the Snow and Acts of Help

Riding in the snow was far from easy. To avoid sliding, I carefully followed the ruts left by vehicles before me. Near the tunnel entrance, the most difficult challenge appeared: a truck was stuck deep in the snow, unable to move. Everyone nearby gathered to help push. After half an hour, the truck broke free.

Not long after, it was my turn. My bike sank into the soft snow, the rear wheel spinning uselessly. Just when I thought I couldn’t move on, the same people who had helped the truck came back to pull me free as well.

When I finally rode past the snow and looked up to see the mountains glowing gold in the evening sun, the fear and exhaustion dissolved. What remained was a quiet relief, and the kind of gratitude that only comes after enduring both hardship and help.