Ethnic Tibetan villagers in Dagu Glacier Scenic Area in Sichuan province's Heishui county. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The 30-year-old's family moved from the mountainside to a traditional-style two-story home in the foothills in 2008.

"It's more convenient," he says.

"But my mother sometimes returns to our old house just to clean up and enjoy the scenery."

They used to get water from a spring by bucket. They now enjoy water that flows from the tap in their home.

The elderly, sick and disabled can visit the village's clinic.

Endengdorl recalls having to climb mountains to reach school.

Today, his 7-year-old son attends boarding school in the county seat, and his daughter attends a nearby kindergarten.

Indeed, the natural conditions remain as extreme as ever. But people－be they residents or visitors－are enjoying Dagu more than ever.

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If you go

Dagu is about six hours' drive from Chengdu. Prepare for potential altitude sickness. Shuttles take tourists around the area. Visitors can hop on and hop off these buses.