The quiet mountain town of Rilong is the jump-off point for hiking expeditions to the snowy peaks of Siguniangshan (Four Girls Mountain) in northern Sichuan's predominantly Tibetan Aba Prefecture. 

Once a remote mountain outpost, access from Chengdu has improved in recent years and the town has seen a good deal of development in anticipation of a regional tourism boom driven by the beauty of Sigunianshan and the surrounding valleys. 

A handful of recently built hotels line the towns main drag, where you can also grab a bite to eat at a number of restaurants or check email at an Internet cafe. The region, popular with backpackers and serious hikers, is still relatively free of large-scale development, but expect that to change soon.

Once an idyllic little town home to a mix of Tibetan and Qiang, local authorities and businessmen have pushed many of them aside, slating prime real estate along the main road for development. You can still find remnants of traditional village life off the main road among the modest homes, shacks and shops of locals, a number of whom offer homestays and run small shops and restaurants. 

From Rilong it is a short hike up into Haizigou (Lake Valley), and from there to the Four Girls themselves. It's possible to do a long day hike that will yield plenty of spectacular views; camping is also possible. Either way, dress in layers for warmth during bad weather and at night and to keep cool when exerting yourself at 

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