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Tiger Leaping Gorge
 The
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia Gorge) is located
between the Yulong Snow Mountain of Lijiang and
the Haba Snow Mountain of Zhongdian. The movement
of the earth's crust caused the Jinshajiang River
to change its course. When the river flows to
where the gorge is, its banks suddenly narrows,
the narrowest point being only 20 m. in width.
From the peak of the jokul on the west bank to
the river there is a drop of 3,900 m., thus making
it one of the deepest canyons of the world. With
a length of 16 km. it is divided into the upper,
the middle and the lower sections, having 18 rapids.
A huge square stone, Tiger's Leap Rock, stands
in the river. The river's swift currents, racing
like a thousand horses, with cataracts pounding
the banks, are awe-inspiring and spectacular.
It was given the name, according to the legend,
because a hunted tiger made his excape to the
other side of the gorge in a single leap.
The hike through the gorge
is very popular. It takes about two days with
one night at the small town of Walnut Grove, which
is the approximate halfway point.
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