Conquering Phu Sa Phin is not just a trip

The image of the magical mossy forest and the “dinosaur spine” winding through the sea of clouds was truly an irresistible invitation, urging me to book a trekking tour to conquer Phu Sa Phin peak. But here, I cannot tell about the majestic beauty of the mountain on a rainy day, thick fog and muddy steps. So, if you want to listen to simple stories, let’s start this trip with me.

Phu Sa Phin is the highest mountain peak in the Ta Xua range, located in Son La province, bordering Tram Tau commune of Lao Cai province, at an altitude of 2,868 m above sea level. Previously, this mountain peak was also called Ta Xua. This is the old name of the local people that was restored to clearly distinguish the mountain peak from the mountain range and commune of the same name. The journey to conquer Phu Sa Phin peak has a total length of about 22 km round trip, with two main routes for visitors to choose from. The first route starts from Hang Chu commune, Bac Yen district (old), Son La province. The route is considered easy to go, suitable for beginners. The second route starts from Ban Cong, Hanh Phuc commune, Lao Cai province, which owns the legendary "dinosaur spine".

The road was muddy right from the starting point.

I booked a tour and then canceled it, waited for many storms to pass, and this time I was determined to go. Our group had 8 people, 5 girls from Lao Cai and Hanoi , along with 1 guide and 2 porters in charge of carrying luggage and supporting the movement. After a night at a homestay in Tram Tau commune, early the next morning, we boarded a shared bus heading to Hang Chu - the starting point of the journey.

I still remember the feeling of surprise when I arrived: it was drizzling, the road was slippery, but there were nearly 100 tourists still standing ready, raincoats, hiking sticks in hand and determined not to give up.

If the weather is favorable, this route can be traveled by motorbike.

"Normally, from here we will take a motorbike taxi for about 4 km, taking about 30 minutes to reach the starting point of climbing the mountain" - Mr. Bui Dinh Son, our tour guide said and pointed to the slope ahead.

But that day, the rain continued, the dirt road was so muddy and slippery that the car could not move. The whole group decided to climb on foot from that point. Shoes were covered in mud, raincoats stuck to their bodies, but everyone had faith that the rain would only be at the foot of the mountain, and that higher up the sky would clear up, and they might even see a sea of clouds. It was this hope that gave the whole group energy, so that each step, though heavy, was still filled with excitement and anticipation.

The trekking group was still enthusiastic on the muddy road.

On the way, we saw motorbike taxis with chains on their wheels, sliding down the muddy slope. That scene was enough to tell us that today’s journey would not be easy. I started talking to Chau Quoc Lam, a young man from Ca Mau who was on a cross-country journey. Although the journey was muddy and tiring, what impressed me most was that everywhere Lam smiled and was ready to hold up a small fan to help people dry off their sweat and rain.

The wheels must be chained on slippery roads.

Phu Sa Phin was the first mountain he chose to conquer. “I heard this is the easiest route to climb, but it’s actually very difficult. I brought a flycam with me, just hoping that the sky would clear up so I could capture the beautiful scenery,” Lam smiled, then continued walking heavily.

It was past 12 noon when we finally crossed the first muddy stretch. My companion, Phuong Linh, looked at the measuring device and saw that the distance was 5.2 km, which meant it had been more than 3 hours since we started.

This destination is supposed to be just the starting point of the climb in favorable weather conditions. Groups stop to rest under the shade of trees. A quick lunch in the middle of the forest becomes special, I can enjoy a delicious lunch to recharge my energy before the long journey.

We continued our journey. As we climbed higher, the forest began to become more distinctly stratified. The path was small and narrow, not too steep, but the rain soaked our clothes and shoes, making each step heavy. Everyone just wanted to reach the top as soon as possible, then go back down to the hut to change clothes and get some warmth.

The group continued climbing in the rain.

After a tiring journey, nature seemed to want to compensate us with an unbelievable scene, a magical moss forest at an altitude of about 2,700 - 2,800 m. Every tree trunk, ancient root, and rock was covered with a layer of green moss, shimmering under the rain. This was truly the highlight of the whole journey. Every little corner was like a fairy tale painting. I tried to take out my camera, despite the heavy rain, just hoping to capture these surreal moments.

Khanh Huyen, a member of the group from Hanoi, who has conquered 6 mountains, still could not hide her excitement: "This moss forest is the motivation for me to climb here". Along the primeval forest, moss carpets spread endlessly, clinging from the ground to the trunks of ancient trees, with intertwined roots, strangely shaped.

The moss forest was the highlight of the trip.

It was past 4 pm when we finally reached the summit, nearly three hours later than the trip when the weather was favorable. Everyone in the group was soaked and exhausted. Ngoc Anh, the smallest girl in the group, also a first-time climber, held her conqueror badge in her hand: “Normally, I have to ask someone else to help me open the bottle cap, so no one would believe that I had reached the top of the mountain. This trip, I used ten times more strength than will. If I hadn’t been determined, I would have given up at the muddy part.”

It was still raining, the sea of clouds had to hide somewhere in the white mist. We only had time to take a few souvenir photos before continuing down the mountain, heading towards the rest house located about two hours from the top.

That night, we stayed in a hut in the middle of the forest, with the temperature only about 8 degrees Celsius. Ngoc Anh shared with me a heat pad, Son poured out some plum wine he brought from home, "sweet as syrup", he said with a smile. Not only our group, but also other groups gathered, got to know each other, sipped and laughed together.

The porters heated water and prepared food for the night at the hut in the forest.

That day we didn’t use the phone but sat and talked. I learned more about Sinh - the porter of the group. All day he carried more than 20 kg of stuff on his back, but when he returned to the hut, he was still quick to light the stove, cook, prepare warm water for us to bathe, then ask each person if they were tired. I also learned more about Son - the tour guide, who had a stable job but still chose to spend the weekend climbing mountains and guiding guests, not only to earn more income, but also because of his passion for the forest paths. I learned more about a friend who was tired with the job of “8 hours looking at the screen”, determined to climb mountains to recharge, or another friend who, after conquering this mountain peak, would start a new life with her small family.

The next morning, we started our journey down the mountain. Looking back at the path we had just taken, I secretly felt lucky that I had not chosen the reverse climbing direction, with its steep cliffs and challenging “dinosaur spine”. It was a narrow strip of land, precariously balanced between mountains and forests, where just one slip would make the climber’s heart skip a beat. There were sections so steep that one had to hold on with both hands and feet to crawl over.

Mr. Bui Dinh Son said: “In sections like this, the most important thing is to hold hands at the right time. That’s why none of the groups I lead have given up yet.” The saying contains the team spirit and the bond between people who are small in the middle of nature.

After the trip, I also realized that conquering Phu Sa Phin is not only a story of passion but also contributes to the livelihood of local people. Every weekend, dozens of porters earn extra income from carrying luggage and supporting tourists. Temporary shelters set up in the middle of the forest, small stalls serving food, hot water, hygiene... have now become familiar stops. Thanks to that, homestays in Tram Tau and Hanh Phuc commune are always crowded with guests, leading to the development of many other services such as cuisine, hot mineral baths or renting climbing equipment...

Porters and guides enthusiastically assist mountain climbers.

This trip had many regrets for us, because we did not have pictures of the fairy moss forest in the sunshine, and could not admire the floating sea of clouds as expected. But when we overcame the difficulties to return, each of us felt more mature, loved what we had more and had more energy to continue the journey.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chinh-phuc-phu-sa-phin-khong-chi-la-mot-chuyen-di-post886986.html