I spent four days trekking through the jungle to reach two peaks of Lai Chau province, Chu Va 12 (2,751m) and Ta Lien Son (2,996m), with a myriad of emotions from anxiety, confusion, to extreme happiness.
Located in Son Binh commune, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province, Chu Va peak, seen from afar, looks like a sharp arrow piercing up, standing out against the blue sky. On a beautiful day, white clouds surround, creating a majestic, overwhelming scene. Although not in the top 15 highest peaks in Vietnam, Chu Va 12 has recently attracted mountain climbing enthusiasts because the route to the top has diverse terrain and landscape. The distance of nearly 20km (including both up and down) passes through mysterious forests to the majestic sea of clouds. As one of the most difficult peaks in the Northwest, the journey to conquer Chu Va requires high physical strength and endurance.
Chu Va Peak seen from afar.
There were 5 of us, meeting at Tam Duong, Lai Chau. From Hanoi, after about 7 hours on the night bus, we arrived at the foot of the mountain, met the porter (the person who carries climbing gear) and set off into the forest. The first steps were not too difficult because the road was quite gentle. However, this is the time when the body must slowly transition from a state of rest to continuous movement.
The first leg, we passed through cardamom fields with lush green leaves spreading out, leaning to block the path. The scent of the leaves mixed with the smell of damp earth after a light rain. As I walked, I listened to the rustling of dry leaves under my feet, the chirping of birds above, and the sound of the wind swaying the branches and leaves, things that are hard to find in the city. Sweat began to pour. My body gradually heated up. The cold disappeared after only a few minutes of warming up, but after a short rest, I was freezing again.
Green moss covers the rocks along the stream.
After the first hour or so, the signs of the challenge were clear. In the middle of the dry stream, large rocks were stacked, covered with green moss. The path was slippery so one had to tread cautiously. Small rocks occasionally threatened the hikers by rolling down from above.
The long path led into the deep forest. The giant old trees stretched out their long, ghostly arms, displaying a mysterious, wild look. As the afternoon wore on, the clouds descended, obscuring the path. Visibility was less than 1 meter. The scenery was dim. The flashlights flickered. Everyone had to walk cautiously to avoid falling. The rain also started to get heavier when we arrived at the hut at around 3 pm. At that time, we were wondering whether we should go to the top that day or not because the way down was already dark, and if it rained, the difficulty would increase many times. The fatigue that began to seep into every muscle immediately extinguished the thought that we would go to the top that day.
Primary forest with diverse vegetation.
The vegetation in the forest is diverse. On the tree trunks, moss, mushrooms, lichens… are everywhere.
Darkness covered the vast space. The only remaining light was the flickering fire. The firewood burned cracklingly. We sat around to warm ourselves, cook and chat. As the night wore on, the temperature dropped, the wind howled in gusts, penetrating our warm clothes, cutting into our skin, making us feel cold. Things got worse as the rain poured down towards dawn. The sound of rain pattered against the roof of the hut. The wind beat strongly against the tarpaulin. Through the gaps in the hut, I saw the trees swaying, the leaves flying. Huddled in my blanket, I thought negatively that the journey would be incomplete and my heart was filled with sadness.
Unexpectedly, when I was in despair, the rain showed signs of gradually slowing down and then stopping completely. The joy of continuing on did not last long before the bumpy roads appeared before my eyes. After the rain, the already steep road near the top became even more challenging. Obstacles abounded. There were steep slopes that made looking up suffocating. Small, jagged rocks were waiting to roll down. Looking up were large rocks, looking down was an abyss. In front of me, sometimes there were dense thorny bushes clinging to my trouser legs, sometimes there was a bamboo forest that occasionally whipped straight into my face. I had to take deep breaths to calmly move little by little. Each step was heavier because my feet felt like they were buried in mud.
After about 2 hours, I reached the summit. The rain in the morning seemed to have washed away the atmosphere, leaving the sky clear and crisp. Just a few hours ago, I could not have imagined that the view at the summit would change 360 degrees like that. That was when I realized that sometimes, good things are always there, waiting for me ahead, maybe thousands of steps away or just a few more steps, the important thing is that I have enough perseverance to go through the misty clouds that are deceiving me to falter.
Chu Va peak milestone 12 (2,751m).
Porters are local people who know the way and help carry heavy loads.
View from Chu Va Peak 12.
At the top of Chu Va 12 mountain at an altitude of 2,751 m, the view is unobstructed on all sides. In the immense space, I stood there, feeling the magic of nature. Layers of clouds like rolling waves, sometimes fierce, sometimes calm, surrounded the mountain peaks, layer upon layer. In the vastness of all around, in just a few minutes, another picture appeared, making all my senses vibrate, I went from one surprise to another.
"How many times in life can I see such scenes?" I suddenly asked. The arduous journey that I had gone through appeared like a slow-motion film, making me appreciate the value of each moment that appeared before my eyes. The feelings of fear and fatigue were still there, but they temporarily fell asleep to give way to a strange peace. The journey to the mountain peaks taught me that happiness does not mean the absence of pain, happiness begins when the heart honestly admits the existence of pain, so that the eyes can feel the beauty of the things around, even the beauty in the most seemingly harsh things.
After about 30 minutes on the top, we returned to the hut and went down the mountain along the same path and got out of the mountain just as the sun was setting.
Leaving Chu Va, I said goodbye to my friends, stayed in Lai Chau, to continue the third day of the journey. From here, I will go without any acquaintances. I don't think being alone is too bad or scary. Being alone is an opportunity for me to learn how to live lovingly and happily with myself.
The road to Ta Lien peak passes through the forests.
Ta Lien peak, also known as Co Trau mountain (2,996m), is the next destination. This is the 6th highest peak in Vietnam, located in Ta Leng commune, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau, bordering Lao Cai. For a long time, I had heard about an old forest with moss-covered ancient trees, and red maple leaves weaving green patches. Although I had been to many mountain peaks in the Northwest before, I was still excited. Left alone for the last half of the 4-day journey, I found a porter to be my guide to avoid any unexpected events.
On the morning of the third day in Lai Chau, I woke up, feeling my whole body aching from top to bottom, every muscle in my legs and arms numb after 2 days of trekking through the forest and crossing streams. Imagining the 2-day journey of being exposed to the dew, walking step by step through the steep slopes, I just wanted to give up. I muttered: "Let's just go back, not continue this torture anymore". But after a few minutes of hesitation, the forest beckoned me, I gathered all my motivation to decide to continue.
The forest is hazy in the mist.
Ta Lien is characterized by its primeval forest with ancient trees so large that several people can hug them, full of majesty and mystery. In winter, the maple leaves change color to prepare to put on a new coat. Patches of red and yellow dot the lush green patches of the forest, brilliantly hidden in the hazy clouds that come and go.
After nearly 4 hours of not-so-difficult walking, we stopped to rest, had lunch at the hut at an altitude of 1,900m and reached the summit in the afternoon. Lunch was simple with only bread and sausages. The road from the foot of the mountain to the hut was relatively easy to breathe, but the section from the hut to the summit was completely different. This section was characterized by rocky slopes. Sometimes, I had to crawl down using both hands to squeeze through tree holes and overcome dense bamboo bushes that crisscrossed each other like a matrix. Finally, I reached the top of Ta Lien before sunset.
The ancient tree stretched out its ghostly arms.
From the top of Ta Lien, I went back to the hut just as it was getting dark. At night, the temperature dropped, my temples ached every time I was cold. My teeth were chattering. As soon as I arrived at the hut, I quickly grabbed a piece of bread to eat, then immediately found a blanket to wrap myself up to prevent any cold air from getting in.
After a good night’s sleep, I woke up on the morning of the fourth day. The sunlight gently filtered through the forest canopy, sparkling the dew drops on the leaves, then gently touched the ground. My heart was filled with joy when the sunlight appeared. But that’s the weather in the mountains. The sun suddenly appeared and suddenly disappeared.
Saying goodbye to my friends who stayed at the hut last night, I started to descend the mountain. The last leg was relatively easy, both in terms of terrain and distance, but for me it was the most difficult part when my body's energy was depleted. Halfway through, I took out a piece of ginger candy from my pocket and sucked it to replenish my energy. The water in the bottle was only half left, I drank and drank, drinking as if I had never felt so thirsty. After a long walk, we reached the small trail leading out of the forest and ended the 2-day journey.
Ta Lien is famous for its beautiful fairy-tale maple forest.
In early winter, maple leaves change color and fall onto the path.
Maple leaves covered the mountain trails.
Every time I go into the forest, my spirit is purified. Nature always has a strange soothing power. The forest is mysterious, hiding lurking dangers, but at the same time it also gives me a feeling of protection. The forest has rocky slopes that make me lose my breath, deep abysses that make me afraid, but there are also gentle streams that soothe and ease the weight that falls on my knees and calves. Climbing the mountain, I allow myself to be weak, I don’t need to always be strong, like the tattered forest leaves that never resist the water. Tired, I allow myself to rest, and whenever my spirit is down, I cool myself by pouring the green forest canopy into my eyes.
I always believe that traveling is not just a geographical shift but also a shift in spirit, in thinking, and the cultivation of new ideas about life, about nature and about yourself.
