Braving Kanas at -30℃: Your Essential Survival Guide

I initially planned to ski in Altay, but when the guesthouse owner mentioned, "Kanas Lake is frozen," I impulsively hired an SUV the next day and headed into the mountains. Looking back, it was crazy but totally worth it! [Pre-Trip Preparations] 1️⃣ Warm Clothing: - Choose a down jacket with at least 300g of filling. - Waterproof and non-slip snow boots are essential (learned this the hard way). - Pack at least 40 hand warmers (stick one on your phone too!). - Goggles are a must (snow blindness is no joke). 2️⃣ Transportation: - The winter bus from Burqin to Kanas is not in service. - Sharing an SUV is recommended (around ¥400/person). - Contact a local driver in advance. - Prepare snow chains. [Itinerary] 🔸 Day 1: - Morning: Watch the morning mist at Shenxian Bay. - Afternoon: Take photos in the white birch forest of Hemu Village. - Evening: Wait for the starry sky (best after 9 pm). 🔸 Day 2: - Get up early to watch the sunrise (around 7:30 am). - Overlook the frozen lake from the Guan Yu Tai (Fish Viewing Platform). - Afternoon: Experience a horse-drawn sleigh ride. - Evening: Capture the "boiling water to mist" phenomenon. [Tips to Avoid Pitfalls] ⚠️ Village supermarkets close at 6 pm. ⚠️ Phones lose battery quickly (bring a power bank). ⚠️ The "boiling water to mist" effect is best captured at noon. ⚠️ Book wooden cabin guesthouses in advance. [Unexpected Surprises] - Encounter snow foxes (high probability around 10 am). - Watch herders chisel ice for water (by the Hemu River). - Find complete snowflake crystals (near Guan Yu Tai). - Experience making milk tea around a stove (super cozy!). I spent half an hour by the Hemu River, watching herders use ice picks to chisel open the ice for water, foals chasing their mothers in circles in the snow, and children carrying *lieba* (Xinjiang flatbread) running across wooden bridges. Suddenly, I understood what the locals meant by, "Winter in Kanas is a poem reserved for those who are not afraid of the cold."