Qíliánshān

The Qilian Mountains rise along the southern edge of the Hexi Corridor, separating its dry oases from the highlands beyond. Parallel ranges enclose valleys of grassland and forest, while snow and glaciers cover the highest peaks. Rivers descend northward through the mountains to feed the Hei River and other inland streams. Their waters sustain cultivated land in the corridor, making the snowy ridges a defining feature of the landscape even far out on the arid plain.