Changbai Mountain North Slope and Heaven Lake (长白山北坡·天池)

Changbai Mountain North Slope and Heaven Lake is the most visited approach to the volcanic summit of Changbai Mountain (known in Korea as Baekdu) in Antu County, Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin Province. The crater lake sits at about 2,189 m and is described as the highest volcanic lake in China, with the national border with North Korea running across the caldera. Access is through the North Scenic Area gate at Erdaobaihe Town. Visitors board a mandatory shuttle bus up the mountain road, pass through zones of birch forest, larch and alpine tundra, and then transfer to a jeep for the final climb to the summit parking area. From there a short, steep walk leads to the rim viewing platforms above the lake. On a clear day the water appears deep blue and ringed by grey and rust-coloured peaks; fog and cloud frequently close in, sometimes within minutes, and even in summer the lake is often hidden. Weather determines whether the summit is open, and access is usually closed from about October to May when snow covers the road. A full visit takes six to eight hours including queues for the shuttle and jeep. The best arrangement is to arrive at the gate as soon as it opens, around 6:30, so the summit is reached before midday cloud builds and before tour groups arrive. Crowds are heaviest in July and August and around national holidays, when waits for buses can last well over an hour. The lower slopes also hold the Changbai Waterfall and hot-spring streams, which can be combined with the Heaven Lake trip on the same ticket zone. Photographers favour the rim platforms on the Chinese side for panoramas of the caldera, and early October for autumn foliage on the lower forest belt. Warm, windproof clothing is essential because summit temperatures can sit near freezing in summer.