Mount Erlang · the Cloud Sea
The first serious climb of the route, up Mount Erlang to a 3,437 m pass that often floats above a sea of cloud — the wall that historically guarded the road west.
Plan the day
Tianquan to West Erlang — the road, food, lodging and gear for this stage.
Road & riding
A big forested climb up Erlang Mountain, famed for its sea of clouds; the modern route dives through the long Erlang tunnel before the descent. Your first real taste of mountain gradient.
Food & resupply
Carry food and water — services thin out on the climb; a hot bowl at the pass-side stalls is welcome in the cool air.
Sleeping
Simple lodging on the Erlang side; an early night helps before the long drop to the Dadu River.
Gear & body
Temperature falls fast with height — a windproof jacket and full-finger gloves for the cloud-forest chill and the tunnel.
Landmarks
Tianquan
An old town at the east foot of Mount Erlang, where the Sichuan-Tibet road leaves the plains and enters the gorge.
Tianquan River
The clear mountain river the highway follows upstream, climbing deeper into the green Erlang gorge.
Zishiguan
A Qing-era stone garrison gate on the Tea-Horse Road, set among orchards in the gorge.
Lianglu
A small township at the foot of the climb, now part of Labahe town, where the road starts switchbacking up Erlang.
Laohuzui Tunnel
The Tiger's Mouth tunnel, cut through a sheer cliff on the winding ascent toward Mount Erlang.
Laba River
A forested side valley and nature reserve below Mount Erlang, home to takins and old-growth cloud forest.
Erlang Pass
A 3,437 m pass famous for its cloud sea; the old road’s great barrier west of Sichuan.
Erlang Tunnel
The long modern tunnel that bores under the old cloud-sea pass — the way west today.
Erlang Tunnel West Portal Viewpoint
The tunnel's west portal overlook, where you emerge high above a famous sea of clouds.
Questions about this day
How high is Mount Erlang pass?
The Erlang pass tops out at about 3,437 m — the first serious climb of the whole route and historically the great wall guarding the road west out of Sichuan.
Is Mount Erlang a hard climb?
It’s the first real test: a long, sustained ascent into thinning air, often with fog rolling across the road. In the game, settle into a low gear early, watch your heart rate, and let the cruise rhythm carry you up rather than burning your sprint.
What is the Erlang cloud sea?
Erlang is famous for floating above a sea of cloud — the pass often sits in clear sky while the valleys below are filled white. Catching it depends on the weather and time of day, which both shift live in the game, so it’s one of the route’s great postcard moments.
Ride your own 318
Cycling 318 turns the road to Lhasa into a daily, cozy ride. Check in at the landmarks, collect a postcard from each, and fill your 318 passport.
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