I have missed the blue ice of Lake Sailimu for a long time, and I just want to see the difference from the blue ice of Lake Baikal in 2019. In fact, I went to Sailimu Lake once in the summer of 2016. In that season, Sailimu Lake was full of grass and hawks were flying, and the lakeside was full of wild flowers. The roads along the lake were mainly dirt roads, with many cars and people. Near the Guozigou Bridge, I also lived in a yurt. I got up in the morning and went to the lake to watch the sunrise.
However, Xinjiang’s epidemic prevention policy is very strict, and it is adjusted from time to time. Although it is not far from Yili, the first two times when I drove to the east gate of Saihu Lake, I was persuaded to return because the epidemic prevention policy did not meet the standards. I passed the entry conditions for the third time, but I was still not allowed to stay in the scenic area. The east gate is now the only entrance to Saihu Lake, which is the Moon Bay area that entered the park in the early years. Most of the lake is frozen, and a batch of yachts newly added in recent years are still frozen at the pier.
The dirt road around the lake has been changed to an asphalt road. The side of the lake is a colorful riding belt. It is about 70 kilometers around the lake. According to my plan, it is recommended to enter the east gate and drive clockwise. The lake is on the right and along the The invincible lake view opens and stops, and the east gate goes out, which is just right for one day. If the east gate enters the south gate and exits in a counterclockwise direction, it happens to be the viewing point of the Guozigou Bridge when you come out, but the car is on the inner road, and at the same time, you miss the lake view next to the east. Of course, if you have time, you can go clockwise, go east and south, and take an extra section of the east side.
The southeast section is something I haven’t passed before. The road is close to the lake shore, basically parallel to the Lianhuo Expressway. The ice surface near the lake shore is partially melting, and pebbles are exposed on the clear bottom of the lake. I found that there is a small island in the lake. I didn’t see it before. No one ever told me.
The map says it is called a small island in the middle of the lake. It looks like a starfish from the sky. It is frozen to death and the green grass has not yet recovered. There are three pavilions on the island, one in the style of Han Dynasty and two in the style of ethnic minorities. You can see There is a frozen ship, probably a means of transportation after the unblocking.
The swamp here can walk to the lake, which is very primitive, but pay attention to whether the ice under your feet melts.
Due to the impact of the epidemic, most tour groups have not organized the Sailimu Lake Blue Ice Tour in April this year. It turns out that at this time you can really see the blue ice surface and the orchid lake water, and the endless ice cover begins. It melted, creating a series of ice cracks and crystal clear lake water, and occasionally the roar of ice cracks could be heard, echoing in the empty valley!
Sailimu Lake, known as "Jinghai" in ancient times, is located in the middle of the Tianshan Mountains, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Most of the snow-capped mountains have not yet melted. Standing on the shore of the lake facing the wind, the yellow grass, blue lake, and snow-capped mountains are particularly magnificent. It is the warm and humid Atlantic Ocean in Xinjiang. There is a saying of "the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean" in the place where the airflow last favored.
After passing the south gate clockwise, there is the water habitat of the Xihai Swan Wetland Meadow. There is a warm current seeping from the grassland, so there is always a lake bay that does not freeze. This is the legendary place where you can see swans. Most of the waters are frozen, and the swans don't want to fly, so they stay in this warm waters in pairs. People in the scenic spot said that when the lake ice completely melted and there were more people, they would fly away.
When the temperature rises at noon, water vapor rises from the surface of the lake, and the entire lake area is covered with clouds, and the surrounding snow-capped mountains are lifted by the water vapor, like a mirage. There are caravan hotels and yurts in Xihai Grassland, Dianjiangtai, Qingshui Beach, and Shili Long Causeway, but the accommodation policy is relatively strict now, and I am a person who can swim but not live.
After passing Saibeibao, it is the northeast coast of the lake area. To the south, you can see rolling snow-capped mountains. There are many trails near the lake without tourists. It is called "Ten Mile Long Causeway". I heard that there is a field of wild tulips nearby. There is a brand "Tulip Viewing Area". Now it is the blooming period of wild tulips in the highlands, but I can't find it. Is it eaten up by this group of camels who don't know what to do?
It was hard to find a young lady who looked at the lake in a daze to take a photo. It seems that the entire Saihu Lake has been contracted. Perhaps such a calm day will become a memory. It has not been easy to travel these past few years, and it is not easy to not travel.
