Thursday, May 11, 2006

Mongolia | Bayankhongor | Segs Tsagaan Bogd Uul

Segs Tsagaan Bogd Uul is one of the most sacred mountains of the central Gobi Desert. Located seventeen miles north of the Chinese border, at N42º51.815 / E098º48.612, the 7101-foot mountain can be seen from much of southern Bayankhongor Aimag and would have served as a beacon for the several of the old caravan routes passing through this area, including the Shar Zam (Yellow Road) to Beijing, routes south to Lhasa, in Tibet, and west to Urumqi, in Xinjiang, China. On the northern flank of the mountain is a famous spring, Süüjin Bulag.
On the trail to Segs Tsagaan Bogd Uul
The beacon of Segs Tsagaan Bogd Uul from near Ekhiin Oasis
Gov-Altai Mountains from the summit of Segs Tsagaan Bogd Uul
The 7101-foot summit of Segs Tsagaan Bogd Uul. From here the Mazong Mountains in China, over 100 miles away across the Black Gobi, can clearly be seen. The Notorious Warlord and Bandit Dambijantsan, who was infamous for robbing caravans in this area, built his fortress hide-out in the Mazong Mountains.