What Kong writes is true. Xuelian is a fantastic area with lots
of potential on big, hard, beautiful, untouched mountains; also,
the approach from the north, which was our idea not his, is easy.
Look out for an article in the 2009 AAJ.
However, don't deal with Kong. He is a liar, cheat and extortionist.
He expects to make a 200% profit off every trip he runs, and he
does this all the time on Muztagh Ata. His technique is to keep you
completely ignorant of the true costs. If you ask, he lies. If you know,
he reverts to extortion, threatening to cancel your trip. Once he had
our money (5000EUR on actual costs of 1600EUR + fee) he cheated
us further, cancelling one of the staff we'd paid for. He also underpaid
the other staff member. Ours is not a unique case -- I have heard
from people he has cheated on Muztagh Ata and on other peaks. An
"endorsement'' for him in the 2008 AAJ reads "dishonest, difficult
to deal with, and manipulative,'' and we will write something similar
in the 2009 edition. Many agents in Xinjiang behave this way, and
most Chinese are shocked and ashamed if they learn how foreign
climbers are being treated in their country.
Look out for Kong Baocun in lots of guises, including Xinjiang Tourism
International, China Xinjiang Mountaineering Organisation (not to be
confused with the governmental China Xinjiang Mountaineering Association,
whose name he often invokes), China Alpine Organization, run by his
nephew Kong Genping, and websites including
http://www.chinalpine.org,
http://www.7546m.com and
http://www.muztaghata.com.
So you know, the cost of a permit for 6000-7000m in Xinjiang (Xuelian)
is 10000RMB. For 7000-8000m it is 15000RMB (Muztagh Ata). See
http://www.china.org.cn/sports/news/200 ... 638044.htm
This number is for up to 11 climbers, and beyond 11 there is a supplement
of 1000RMB per person. There is a huge additional fee for unclimbed peaks.
The regulations say that the CXMA will provide a liaison officer and you will
have to pay his salary in addition. Salary for guides is normally 200RMB per
day. In China there are many options for transport, food, equipment and
horses or camels to transport gear. In general it is completely unnecessary
to arrange these things in advance, and you can do them all yourself on the
spot. Even when the agent tells you it is necessary, and you pay a lot for
advance treatment, you will find your guide winging it when you get
there.