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Read Excerpts from One More Horizon
China's Taklamakan Desert is located in Xinjiang Province,
known as the Alaska of China for its remote, northwestern
location. The Uygur people who are native to Xinjiang refer to
the Taklamakan as "The Desert of No Return." Bounded by
the world's largest mountains, the Taklamakan holds the
lowest spot on the face of the earth after the Dead Sea. The
Turpan Depression lies at 154 meters below sea level.
The Karakoram Highway runs over the western section of
the Himalaya Mountains between Pakistan and China. One of
the highest roads in the world, its creation resulted in the
deaths of hundreds of workers who preformed feats of
mountaineering during construction. The route marks the
northern Silk Road and the eastern most advance of the
armies of Alexander the Great.
Xiahe, China is located in Gansu Province in the central part
of the country and is home to the Gelugpa, or Yellow Hat,
Monks. The Labrang Monastery in Xiahe is one of the six
primary Tibetan monasteries of this sect. The town is
bounded to the south by a vast area of grasslands populated
by Golok Nomads who travel the plateau on horseback.
Chapter 1: Preparations
"All I have is seven thousand dollars...for the entire trip."
His enthusiasm deflated like a leaky balloon. "This is
impossible," he told me. "It can't be done."
All material copyright 1990-2008 Scott Zamek
New Jersey State Parks is a Stackpole Books publication
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