Bala Gezong Snow Mountain, with an elevation of 5,545 meters, is the highest snow mountain in Shangri-La. It stands on the bank of Jinsha River and, together with the opposite Baimang Snow Mountain with an elevation of 5,640 meters, forms a gorge as good as the Tiger Leaping Gorge. These four mountains and two gorges tower facing each other with the yak plateau in the middle, making Shangri-La a relatively independent geographical unit. The east gate into Shangri-La is the Lower Bridge Head, and the west gate is the Upper Bridge Head. The Shuodugang River in the east divides the Haba Snow Mountain, and also a river in the west goes through the Bala Gezong Snow Mountain. "Gangqu", with a literal meaning of a river originating from snow mountain, originates from the Shangri-La Snow Mountain, and runs into the Jinsha River through the Upper Bridge Head. 

People go through the Upper Bridge Head which is the only gateway to Tibet and Sichuan, and pass through Deqin County to Tibet, then go up along Gangqu and cross the narrow pass for Bala Gezong, arrive Derong County of Sichuan, then go for Batang County. Once in the Long March, the Second Front Army fought a battle at the Upper Bridge Head, that's why there is a Red Army Bridge on the Gangqu River. 

"Bala" literally means "coming from Batang", and "Gezong" literally means "white castle". The nature gives birth to the endless beauty surrounding this sacred snow mountain. Pear flower in spring, green grass in summer, myriad colors in autumn, frozen land and sunshine in winter. Besides the four-season scenery, at the foot of Bala Gezong Snow Mountain, there is the unceasingly running Gangqu River and unique gorge and precipice, as well as the dry heat river valley landscape resembling tropical African Savannah, and on mountainside, there is thick virgin forest as well as various rare birds and beasts and exotic plants, and on mountain top, there is lofty snowy peak glacier and ice lake, as well as high mountain shrub meadow with high mountain flowers and plants and rare Chinese herbal medicine, and flowing stone beach landscape. All these above mentioned scenery is common to see around the whole year in the Bala Gezong Ecotourism Scenic Area. 

                              Shangri-La Grand Canyon Plateau Lake 

Walking into the Bala Gezong Canyon, the most striking thing is the water of Gangqu River, which would be the clearest water in the world. The river flows from the Upper Bridge Head, no villages along the riverside, and of course no industrial pollution. It runs sometimes rapidly, sometimes gently, in a bending curse along the canyon. Both precipices of the canyon extends at 90° upwards, you cannot tell how exactly the height is, but it will be no less than 1,000 meters. The highway is on the west bank, and the ancient road is on the east bank, pity there is no horse caravan now, thus no melodious tinkle of bells be heard. A few years back, life of the Bala villagers at the foot of the snow mountain depended on the ancient road, it is said that none of them had gone beyond this paradise land, and none of them had seen a car. 

Stepping on the tourist plank road over the canyon, seeing cliffs upwards and downwards, it will make you worried about safety and feel slightly soft on your feet. The iron grey "A-Thread-of-Sky" looks really far-reaching. Out of the canyon is the virgin forests, then the high mountain pastures, and finally the pure white snow peak. Every year in late spring and early summer, various rhododendron blossom in clusters to embellish the snow mountain and green water, forming a beautiful picture scroll, while in bright and crisp fall days, row upon row of trees, red colored mountain from top to foot, cattle and sheep taking leisure and carefree walk on the grassland, constituting a colorful autumn scenery. If you want to see the top of Bala Gezong Snow Mountain, you have to go further 9 km from the Bala Village, the snow peaks there are composed of Danxia landform, very spectacular, together with the natural pagoda partly visible between the cloud and mist, like a fairyland. 

Bala Gezong Snow Mountain is a holy land for Tibetan Buddhism, and there is only one village throughout the time over one thousand years, that is Bala Village which literally means "Tibetan village from Batang". Legends say, long long ago, one of King Gesar's senior generals, who was tired of perennial and constant wars, dreamed that one day three fairies bringing him to a fairyland-like canyon with no wars and worries. The next day, he talked about his beautiful dream to his Buddha tutor, and the tutor said that it was the order from snow mountain god, and that you were expected to seek for a harmony and peaceful homeland. So,