In August 1975, Our glacier group (20 members, including Tibetan guides) went to Egou Tsangpu River area to investigate the Season Wind Type Temperate Glaciers there.
The gray- green colored Egou Tsangpu was running like a storm. We left our vehicle at Eron, started to walk. The path getting narrower and narrower, the forests getting thicker and thicker, the mountains getting higher and higher and the light getting darker and darker. It was extremely high moisture in the virgin forests like in the tropical jungle.

Suddenly we heard the storming sound of a waterfall. Finally we passed the forests and reached a cliff. The waterfall was flying from the top of mountain towards the bottom of the valley. I tried look down to the valley, and I could see nothing but the fog of the water vapor.

"Where is the way to go?"
Our Tibetan guide Sangitezu pointed to next cliff : " After the next turn, you will see the stunning bridge".

Flying Bridge

The "bridge" was in front of us. Its length was less than 30 meters, it was built by wood and bamboo branches. Its base was fixed into the rocks. The most dangerous part of the bridge was complete empty of wood plates. Through the spaces looking down, one could not see the bottom, just felt the cold air raising from it.

Our guide warned us: "Keep distance, keep concentrate and absolutely quiet, one follows one."

Less than 30 meters distance, we used more than 2 hours to through it.

Once passed it, the highest stressed nerves relaxed, I felt my whole body was almost paradise. 

Both sides of the milk river were high cliffs. when I was worried about no way to go, our guides walked straight into the milk. I followed them, This milk was icy cold, we carried equipments, walking in the upwards direction of the river. A disadvantage of walking in the milk was that we could not see anything underneath the milky water, its depth or rocks. After a whole afternoon and the next morning walk in the milk, finally we arrived Luoguo Glacier.

This originate region of milk river was a incredible miracle of nature: Glaciers, snow fall, yet forests, grasslands, bamboo scrubs, yaks and sheep, all living happily together.

Sleeping on melting ice

I decided to build our camp here. I and another glaciologist Dang were responsible for observing the climate of ice surface etc. our tent was set on the ice surface.  We stayed 2 weeks there. 
One night, I laid down on my bed, but my body was slipped to the middle part of the bed gradually. And I almost heard water flow somewhere. I went out to check the situation, the bright moonlight reflects on the ice surface as usual. 
Next morning, we moved the tent and found the terrible truth: There was a hidden break space of glacier underneath the ice. We were sleeping on it. After 2 weeks warmed by our bodies, the surface ice melted, and a underground ice river flow through it. Fortunately we did not fallen into this big mouth of the glacier.

Afterwards, we had to move our tent frequently to avoid such danger. Sleeping on the ice was not always safe.

To study the history of glacier, we must collect certain amount of dead tree sample which was remained in the icy rocks. The ¹⁴C isotope analysis of these dead tree samples will tell us the changing history of the glacier.

It was heavy raining. During Summer, the temperate glacier extended to low altitude region, it was always raining but not snowing. Our clothes were completely wet, but the search was continuing.

"¹⁴C there!" Old Zhen shouted excitingly.
It was on a cliff, at over 30 meters height, a mass of yellow-black substance appeared between several icy rocks. Through telescope, we saw that it was dead roots remains.

As the youngest one in the group, I started to climb in the raining. The icy rocks were Sharpe, easy for climbing except that I was in hurry and forgot to wear gloves. My hands felt pain and pain, 1m, 2m, 10m, 20m . . . I reached the target. I turned my head looking down, everyone was gazing me in frozen air, no movement, no voice. I stood on two icy rocks, body attached to the cliff wall, using hamper took about 2 kg sample, put into a bag and threw it down to the ice surface.

Now how to get down from the cliff? A much more difficult task than the climbing up. 

When I finally jumped down to the ice on the soft clothes of my colleagues, we all happily laughed. However my bare hands were stained by blood.

The 14C isotope analysis proved that this dead root had an age of 1,819 - 2,030 years. That means the Luoguo Glacier had an advance about 2,000 years ago. It was during that movement, the Glacier buried those trees.

Snowfield looks a nice place, without cliffs or forests. However walk in the snowfield of Luoguo Glacier was not a easy task. You may just started your second step, suddenly your half body fall into a hole; Another few steps, another fallen down.

When we were exhausted, we floating ourselves on the snow sea. But if floating too long, the body could be tied into the snow, we had to dig a path to let the air enter the snow, otherwise could not get out of it.

The sunlight was extremely strong, 90% of sunlight was reflected into the air by the snowfield. If one doesn't care of protection, when one back to the camp and took off the sun glasses, the face skin became purple-black  colored, except two eyes, just like a giant panda.

Living on glacier side.

Folded waves of the glacier.

Have a close look.

White world

"Ice Mushroom" was the favoured table of glaciologists.

Glacier formed Icy Cave.

Glacier formed icy lake (with insects dancing on its surface. Have you ever see a ice mouse? it's a beautiful creature.)