Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

8. Small Dam on Trail to the Top of Huangshan

Another picture taken from the cable car where you can see a small dam capturing water flowing down the canyon. For the most part the canopy of trees and bamboo obscure the trail. I'm sure the hikers appreciate the shade on their long hike. Many of the swirling granite pinnacles have a pine tree or two sprouting from their joints, pointing like green umbrellas not only vertically but also horizontally into misty space. The Huangshan pine grows in poor soil and on rocky crags. Its roots secrete an acid that erodes rock, allowing roots to burrow into crevices for nutrients and moisture. The roots often exceed by several times the length of their trunks, thus helping the pines to withstand fierce mountain gales. Several of the pines have ages of over a thousand years.