Have you heard of “The Baiyue” ? This is actually a list referring to 100 mountain peaks in Taiwan. Yet, they aren’t just any other mountains. They are mountains over 3000m in height. For most hiking buffs, one of the biggest accomplishments in life is to complete these 100 peaks! Me, on the other hand, doesn’t have that big of an ambition at the moment. However, it would still be really awesome to complete at least one of them. So off I went!
I dedicated my first Baiyue to “HeHuanShan North Peak” on Jan 27th, 2020. HeHuanShan is located in Nantou and boarders with Hualien. She sits right inside the Taroko National Park. There are actually 4 hiking trails surrounding HeHuanShan. They are north peak, west peak, east peak , and the main peak. One major reason I selected HeHuanShan is because many experienced hikers consider it to be the most friendly trail. And if you ever thought about climbing Jade Mountain, the tallest peak in Taiwan, HeHuanShan is a great place to train!
There are various ways to get to HeHuanShan. I went by car and stopped at XiaoFengKou Parking Lot. If you are traveling by public transportation, I would highly recommend you to stay 1 night in Qingjing Farm. You can spend the first day touring around the farm and taking in the green pasture view. The next day, take the bus 6658A from Qingjing and get off at the final stop–XiaoFengKou. You will find yourself at a parking lot. Follow the sign that leads you all the way down to the entrance of North Peak. Let the hike begin!
HeHuanShan North Peak is a mixture of stairs and rocky trails. That being said, you’ll need to scramble sometimes to get further up. As I gradually ascended, I could feel the air getting thinner and the wind blowing stronger. I was also feeling a bit out of breathe so I stopped for a short break. When I looked around, I was absolutely stunned by the beauty in front of my eyes. The winding roads silently circled the green, and fluffy clouds flowing peacefully on top of mountain tops. Serendipity is the word I chose for this majestic view. Discovering the unexpected is one of the reasons why I enjoy hiking so much.
Another reason to love hiking is the tingling excitement you get when you finally reach the mountain peak. The higher I went, the stronger the wind blew. Although it was very sunny that day, the wind could still give you a serious headache. I had to wear a cap, pull up my hoodie, and wrap a scarf around me. The total distance for North Peak is 4km. So imagine walking like that for 2 hours and encountering a sign saying only 0.2km left! The moment when I held that sign saying “HeHuanShan North Peak 3422m” in my hand, I was beyond thrilled. AND it seems like I’ll be doing more Baiyue in the future!
I’ve learned a lot after my first Baiyue. Most importantly, you need to be prepared for notorious weather and terrains. As mentioned earlier, only 1/4 of the trail is paved with stairs. Therefore, if you have the proper equipment, you’ll feel less tired through out the whole hike. Below is a list of items I suggest to bring for a long hike during winter time, but feel free to throw in your ideas!
- Beanie (cap is also good, but when the wind gets really strong, it’s a bit of a hassle)
- 1 bottle of water
- 1 scarf
- 1 thick coat (better to be windproof & waterproof)
- 1 pair of gloves
- alpenstock (I don’t use it but it helps relieve stress on your knees)
- small packs of tissues (I got runny nose from the strong wind)
- energy snacks or cookies to recharge
There’re plenty of long hikes to do in Taiwan. The terrains are mostly rougher and require more strength. If you are just looking for short trails to stay fit and healthy, check out 5 Easy Hikes To Do Around Taipei
Viajeradelibre 