The maintenance of the road surface is quite odd: Once a pit occurs on the road, workers will simply scatter some salt into it and pour in some bittern, which are all close at hand. After the bittern coagulates, the road surface becomes smooth again.

 Golmud - Wudaoliang

Forty km from Gulmud, the train turns southwestward, running into Mt. Kunlun, known as the "forefather of all mountains." Climbing Mt. Kunlun brings the journey to a different type of climax. It extends about 2,500 km at an average elevation of 5,000 m with snow-covered peaks. The largest ice-free spring lies at the northern bank of the Kunlun River, producing not only good quality spring water, but also the extraordinary June-time snows.

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