Wula Mountains

Wula Mountains
Wula Mountains Inner Mongolia, China
Highest point
Peak	Dahuabei (大桦背), Urad Front Banner
Elevation	2,324 m (7,625 ft)
Geography
Location	Inner Mongolia, China
Range coordinates	40°43′N 109°15′E / 40.72°N 109.25°E / 40.72; 109.25
Parent range	Yin Mountains

The Wula Mountains[a] are a subchain in the south of the Yin Mountains in Inner Mongolia, China. They are divided between Urad Front Banner of Bayan Nur and Baotou (parts of Hondlon and Jiuyuan districts).

Running roughly west-east, the mountain range is up to 20 km wide and about 90 km long, the eastern end is marked by the Hondlon River. It rises from elevations respectively about 1,100 and 1,200 metres on the southern and northern foot, Dahuabei [b] is the highest peak with an elevation of 2,332 metres.[1]

Located at the northern edge of the East Asian monsoon region, the Wula mountain range straddles between temperate continental climate and more unstable monsoon climate zones.[2] It is therefore sensitive to global climate and environmental changes. Ecosystems are fragile and meteorological disasters occur frequently. The "Wuliangsuhai[c] Watershed Management Project" of China State Construction Engineering planted 19,446 mu (1,296.4 ha) of forest on the northern and southern foothills to reduce surface runoff and prevent soil erosion.[3]

On the northern slope, the soil consists mainly of loamy sandy soil and sandy loam soil.[4]

The tree species Platycladus orientalis is very common.[d][2] About two thirds of the mountain range is covered by forest.[1]

After Qin Shi Huang unified China, he regarded the Wula mountains as the "Northern watchtower"[e] of his empire, naming it the High Watchtower.[f][5] The name was used through the Qin and Han dynasties, the Hondlon ravine[g] was called High Watchtower valley.[h]

Wula Mountain Forest Park[i] is a conservation area located within the Wula mountains west of Dahuabei and 6 km northeast of Baiyanhua Town,[j] Urad Front Banner, at the border to Baotou.[1] It was designated as a National Forest Park by the Ministry of Forestry in 1992. The main tree species found are Chinese red pine, Oriental arborvitae, East Asian white birch, Chinese Juniper, and cypresses.[6] The tourist area can accommodate about 200 people for lodging and 400 for dining.

The park is accessible from the Baiyanhua exit on the G6 Beijing–Lhasa Expressway as well as via the China National Highway 110.[1] An entry ticket costs RMB 30.