Mount Xuebaoding

Mount Xuebaoding | Xuebao Ding

Photo: Golden autumn of Xuebaoding snow mountain in Sichuan Province, China. Photo by Yu Zhang.

Mount Xuebaoding, also written Xuebao Ding and known in Chinese as 雪宝顶, is the highest mountain in the Min Mountains of Sichuan, China. Rising to 5,588 meters (18,333 feet), it forms a striking snow-and-ice-covered summit near the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and stands above the celebrated Huanglong landscape. It is also an ultra-prominent peak, with more than 2,000 meters of topographic prominence.

Xuebaoding occupies an especially interesting position in Chinese mountain geography. Although considerably lower than the great Himalayan summits farther west, it is the highest point of the Min Mountains and one of the most easterly high glaciated mountains on the Tibetan Plateau’s margin. The surrounding landscape combines sharp alpine peaks, glaciers, limestone terrain, forests, alpine meadows, and exceptionally rich wildlife habitat.

🏔️ Overview

Mount Xuebaoding rises in Songpan County, within the Ngawa (Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of northern Sichuan Province. The mountain belongs to the Min Mountains, a north–south-trending mountain system along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Mountaineering literature also places the Min Shan at the eastern end of the broader Hengduan Mountains region.

The name Xuebaoding is commonly translated as “Snow Treasure Peak.” Tibetan-derived names are rendered in English sources in several ways, including Shar Dung Ri and Shire Dongri, with the latter translated as “Eastern” or “Oriental Conch Mountain.”

Xuebaoding is surrounded by a compact group of other high peaks, including Little Xuebaoding, Sigenxiang Feng, and Yuzhen Feng. Despite its relatively isolated position east of Sichuan’s loftier ranges, its large prominence makes it one of the most topographically significant mountains in this part of China.

For a broader overview of the country’s mountain geography, see Mountains in China: A Guide to the Country’s Highest Peaks and Major Ranges.

⚡ Fast Facts

Field	Details
Continent	Asia
Country	China
State/Province	Sichuan
County/Region	Songpan County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
Mountain Range	Min Mountains, eastern margin of the Hengduan Mountains
Parent Peak	Yaomei Feng
Elevation	5,588 m / 18,333 ft
Prominence	2,057 m / 6,749 ft
Isolation	About 169.3 km / 105.2 mi
Nearest Higher Neighbor (NHN)	Dàihuáng Fēng Běi Wèi Yī — 5,647 m, about 169.3 km SSW
Coordinates	Approximately 32.676° N, 103.846° E
Alternate Names	Xuebao Ding, 雪宝顶, Shar Dung Ri, Shire Dongri
First Ascent	August 1986, Himalayan Association of Japan / Chinese-Japanese expedition
Peak Classification	Ultra-prominent peak

The parent peak designation of Yaomei Feng comes from high-mountain prominence systematics in which Xuebaoding’s approximately 3,531-meter key col ultimately connects it to the higher Yaomei Feng massif. Modern terrain modeling gives Xuebaoding an isolation of about 169.3 kilometers and identifies the lesser-known 5,647-meter Dàihuáng Fēng Běi Wèi Yī as its nearest higher neighbor.

📍 Location

Mount Xuebaoding stands approximately 25 kilometers east of Songpan in northern Sichuan. It occupies the central part of the Min Shan high-mountain group, close to the transition between the Tibetan Plateau and the lower Sichuan Basin farther east.

This geographic position gives Xuebaoding unusually dramatic ecological variation. High glaciated summits rise above alpine meadows and deep forested valleys, while the northern side of the massif adjoins the famous Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area.

Huanglong was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992 and is celebrated for its travertine terraces, colorful calcite pools, forests, waterfalls, snow-covered mountains, and rare wildlife. UNESCO’s Huanglong Biosphere Reserve description lists elevations reaching 5,588 meters—the height of Xuebaoding itself.

📏 Elevation & Prominence

Mount Xuebaoding reaches 5,588 meters (18,333 feet) above sea level. This makes it the highest summit in the Min Mountains. It is also frequently described as the easternmost mountain on Earth exceeding 5,500 meters in elevation.

Its 2,057 meters (6,749 feet) of prominence is arguably even more revealing than its elevation. Any summit with at least 1,500 meters of prominence qualifies as an ultra-prominent peak, placing Xuebaoding among a relatively select group of mountains that rise exceptionally far above the saddles connecting them to higher terrain. Peakbagger and Peaklist both list approximately 2,057 meters of prominence for Xuebaoding.

Its defining key col is approximately 3,531 meters above sea level.

Modern PeakVisor terrain modeling calculates Xuebaoding’s topographic isolation at approximately 169.3 kilometers (105.2 miles). The nearest terrain higher than Xuebaoding occurs at Dàihuáng Fēng Běi Wèi Yī, a 5,647-meter summit or subsidiary peak lying south-southwest of Xuebaoding.

🪨 Geology

The Xuebaoding region lies along the geologically complex eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, where crustal deformation, uplift, erosion, and glaciation have created steep mountain relief.

Limestone is particularly important around Xuebaoding, although the wider Minshan region also contains sandstone, slate, limestone, and granite. The dominance of carbonate rocks in parts of the region is especially evident in nearby Huanglong, where calcium-rich water has created its famous travertine pools and terraces.

Glaciers have also been major landscape-forming agents.

Scientific research on moraines around Mount Xuebaoding has documented repeated episodes of glacial expansion. Cosmogenic exposure dating indicates glacial activity during several periods, including before the Late Glacial, during roughly 15,600–11,200 years ago, during the early to middle Holocene, and again during later Neoglacial periods.

These repeated glaciations helped carve cirques, valleys, steep ridges, and other alpine landforms around the massif.

🌿 Flora & Fauna

One of the most remarkable features of the Xuebaoding region is the dramatic change in ecosystems with elevation.

Lower valleys support dense mountain forests. With increasing altitude, forests give way to shrublands and alpine meadows, while the highest slopes become dominated by exposed rock, snow, and ice.

The wider Minshan region is one of China’s most important centers of mountain biodiversity. UNESCO describes the Huanglong Biosphere Reserve as a biodiversity hotspot supporting animals including the giant panda, Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey, and leopard.

The Minshan Mountains are particularly important for giant panda conservation. Large forested areas provide both habitat and movement corridors for pandas and numerous other mammals.

Other animals associated with the wider Minshan forests include takins, musk deer, Asiatic black bears, red pandas, and numerous mountain bird species.

The extreme difference in elevation between the valleys and Xuebaoding’s summit allows temperate forest ecosystems and severe high-alpine environments to occur within a comparatively short horizontal distance.

🥾 Hiking & Climbing Routes

Mount Xuebaoding is not a conventional hiking summit. Although some approaches involve hiking through valleys and alpine terrain, reaching the summit requires mountaineering experience on snow, ice, and glaciated terrain.

A traditional approach reaches the mountains from the Songpan area. Roads extend toward Mafeng Village at roughly 3,360 meters, and the southwest base-camp area is reported at approximately 4,200 meters. From there, climbers enter increasingly serious alpine terrain.

The summit is surrounded by steep slopes and glaciers. Historical descriptions classify the easiest climbing terrain as a snow, ice, and glacier ascent, although conditions can vary considerably depending on snow accumulation, temperature, and glacier conditions.

First Ascent

The best-supported historical record identifies August 1986 as the first ascent of the main summit.

The Himalayan Club records that a Chinese joint expedition with the Himalayan Association of Japan made the first ascent of Xuebao Ding in 1986. Japanese mountaineering historian Tamotsu Nakamura likewise identifies an August 1986 Himalayan Association of Japan ascent, followed by additional Japanese ascents in 1991 and 1992.

Some later American Alpine Journal commentary noted that the 1986 ascent had at one time been disputed by another Japanese expedition claiming a first ascent in 1991. However, the broader historical record supports 1986 as the accepted first ascent.

🏔️ Field Guide Tip: Xuebaoding should be treated as a technical high-altitude mountaineering objective rather than a trekking peak. Glacier travel, crevasses, steep snow or ice, rapidly changing weather, and altitude all require serious preparation. Climbers should also verify current access and permit requirements locally before planning an expedition.

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

The Minshan region experiences strong seasonal variation.

Local mountaineering information describes May through September as the wetter season, with October through April generally drier. July and August can nevertheless provide comparatively favorable periods for mountaineering, although summer weather can remain unstable.

Snow conditions vary markedly through the year. Local climbing sources report the snowline near approximately 4,600 meters in winter and considerably higher during summer.

For ordinary sightseeing rather than climbing, the warmer months provide easier access to the valleys and attractions surrounding Huanglong and Songpan.

Mountaineers should plan according to current snowpack, glacier conditions, precipitation, avalanche hazard, and local regulations rather than relying solely on calendar dates.

🧭 Nearby Mountains & Attractions

Little Xuebaoding

Mount Little Xuebaoding, or Xiao Xuebaoding, lies only about 5–6 kilometers southeast of the main summit. Its accepted elevation is approximately 5,443 meters, making it the second-highest mountain of the Min Shan. An international team made the first well-documented ascent of the peak in May 2012 via the northeast ridge.

Sigenxiang Feng

Sigenxiang Feng rises between Xuebaoding and Little Xuebaoding and reaches approximately 5,359 meters. Its name is associated with four branching glaciers visible on its western side.

Yuzhen Feng

Yuzhen Feng rises southwest of the main summit to approximately 5,119 meters and forms part of the tightly clustered Xuebaoding massif.

Huanglong Scenic Area

Huanglong lies immediately north of the high Xuebaoding massif. Its colorful travertine pools, waterfalls, forests, and mountain scenery make it one of the most famous natural attractions in Sichuan.

Yaomei Feng and Mount Siguniang

Farther south-southwest, Yaomei Feng rises to 6,250 meters in the Qionglai Mountains. It is Xuebaoding’s prominence parent and one of the most spectacular alpine peaks of western Sichuan.

Gongga Shan

Farther south, Gongga Shan (Minya Konka) rises above the Daxue Shan and is the highest mountain entirely within Sichuan. Together with Xuebaoding and the Mount Siguniang group, it demonstrates the extraordinary range of alpine landscapes found along the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

💡 Fun Facts

Mount Xuebaoding is the highest mountain in the Min Mountains.
Its Chinese name 雪宝顶 is commonly translated as “Snow Treasure Peak.”
At 5,588 meters, Xuebaoding is often described as the easternmost mountain on Earth above 5,500 meters.
Its 2,057 meters of prominence makes it an ultra-prominent mountain.
Xuebaoding’s topographic parent is Yaomei Feng, the highest summit of Mount Siguniang.
The nearest higher terrain is not Mount Siguniang itself but the obscure Dàihuáng Fēng Běi Wèi Yī, approximately 169.3 kilometers away.
The mountain stands beside the famous Huanglong landscape, whose travertine pools are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Scientific studies of Xuebaoding’s moraines provide evidence for several separate glacial advances during the Late Quaternary.
The accepted first ascent of the main summit took place in August 1986.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How high is Mount Xuebaoding?

Mount Xuebaoding is 5,588 meters (18,333 feet) above sea level.

Where is Mount Xuebaoding?

It is located in Songpan County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, near the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.

What mountain range is Xuebaoding in?

Xuebaoding is the highest mountain of the Min Mountains (Min Shan). The Min Shan form part of the complex highlands along the eastern edge of the broader Hengduan mountain region.

What is Mount Xuebaoding’s prominence?

Its accepted topographic prominence is approximately 2,057 meters (6,749 feet). This qualifies Xuebaoding as an ultra-prominent peak.

What is Mount Xuebaoding’s isolation?

Current terrain modeling gives an isolation of approximately 169.3 kilometers (105.2 miles).

What is Mount Xuebaoding’s nearest higher neighbor?

The nearest higher neighbor is identified as Dàihuáng Fēng Běi Wèi Yī, a 5,647-meter summit approximately 169.3 kilometers south-southwest of Xuebaoding.

What is Mount Xuebaoding’s parent peak?

High Asian prominence systematics identify Yaomei Feng, the 6,250-meter highest summit of Mount Siguniang, as Xuebaoding’s prominence parent.

Has Mount Xuebaoding been climbed?

Yes. The accepted first ascent was made in August 1986 by a Himalayan Association of Japan/Chinese-Japanese expedition.

Is Mount Xuebaoding difficult to climb?

Yes. Even though it is far lower than an 8,000-meter Himalayan peak, Xuebaoding involves high-altitude snow, ice, glacier travel, steep terrain, and rapidly changing mountain weather. It is a mountaineering objective rather than a normal hiking summit.

Is Mount Xuebaoding near Huanglong?

Yes. The Xuebaoding massif rises beside the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, and the mountain forms the dominant high alpine backdrop to the protected landscape.

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