A typhoon stymied our previous attempt to hike Yushan (3952 m, Taiwan's tallest peak) which left us, as our fallback, touring the salt museum and newly minted national park near Tainan. The park, and all trails, were closed indefinitely. We cancelled our permit, reapplied for the next week and held our breath in anticipation that the park would re-open (no typhoon trail damage) and that we would be lucky enough to get the permit again (it is a lottery system, and chances of getting a permit on any day are unknown. However, a mid-week permit application is usually going to be ok as few people are applying during that time).
This week, typhoons be damned! The weather was right, we were lucky with the lottery and the tickets and permits were in hand, food and clothes all packed...and off we headed.
Hualien to Taipei to Chiayi to Alishan to Dongpu...then the summit. Train (3 hours), High Speed Rail (1.5 hours), Bus (2 hours), dude in van giving us a ride (0.5 hours), and there we were, at the trailhead hostel of Dongpu.
We arrived at the Dongpu hostel early enough to get a little hike in, check out the visitor center and generally revel in the quietness of an empty (nearly) hostel. A nice, sparse yet comfortable abode in the mountains was a nice start to the trek. Early to bed, and we were set for the next mornings 3am alarm...
Out of bed...drizzle coffee and tea down our throats as we stumble around in the morning fog...scrub our teeth...start to walk. And walk...
The first 2+km are along a roadway, somewhat up but mostly down, and we were lucky enough to have the a star studded sky and a crescent moon accompany us along the way. For the next 2 hours we plodded along with only out headlights and moonlight to guide us along the cliffside trail. A stunning and humbling start to the trek - the silent flecks of sunlight in the breaking dawn massaged our skin with warmth as we plodded upwards. Flashlights and headlamps put away, sweaters and hats removed, we moved on and up.
The morning brought with it the first good views of the vast expanse of Yushan National Park that spread out beyond us, and around us. The morning fog in the valley, the crisping blue sky above us, and about 24km and 10 hours of walking ahead were becoming visible to our eyes. On we went...
The first part of the trail is a mixed bag of flat sections and uphill switchbacks, then the trail starts to wander upward more gently until finally you reach the treeline. That is not to say that the first section is easy, not at all, but the section that takes you to, and through, the treeline and up to the craggy beyond is undoubtedly steep and a step-step-breath...step-step-breathe... situation. While we knew that this part was approaching, we still drank in all the misty morning beauty of Yushan.
This part of the trail was mostly through towering Hemlocks, aged keepers of the trail. Once through the
Tsuga domain we popped out into the junipers and eventually to the clear craggy treeless barrens of the alpine.
The sun well above the ridge and smacking us with its heat, we plodded along and up the trail in comfort. There is a cabin, the Paiyun Cabin, that is just below where this (above) picture was taken. It is currently out-of-service and being rebuilt, and it would otherwise have been an excellent stopping point for the day. However, our one day ascent was well on its way to success so cabin or not, we wandered happily onward.
Once above the trees the trail takes on a different hue - the upward slope along switchback swathes of gravely ground that characterized the lower trail is traded in for rocky ledges and chained paths up scree faced ledges. Here the trail becomes less trail-like and more scramble-like, and if it were not for said chained ledges and rockslide protection (above right) it would be near death-defying to make it to the top along this face. However, many feet and much sweat and blood had been spilled as others summited before us, helping to etch out a path to the top.
At this elevation, especially coming from almost 0 masl to about 4000 masl in two days, we both started to notice the brain-numbness that distorts simple movements and thoughts - a feeling that is rare to us now living near the ocean. It is a neat feeling, if you are aware that it is happening...biologically, that is. Frustrating, though, when a small cluster of pebbles at your feet is an insurmountable challenge and you try your best but your legs don't listen, leaving you stumbling and cursing.
With concentration focused on our feet, breath daunted by the paucity of atmosphere, we went on.
From a start in the complete evening darkness, to the lofty hemlock grove drenched with ferns and flowers, to precipice cliff faces and sparse juniper scree, to bare alpine crags, to cliff faces adorned with a chained passage up, to the peak.
We finally stepped upon the roof of Taiwan, after five years of dreaming.
It is a stunning panorama that surrounds you at the top. Taiwan, laying out below us in its entirely, was draped in bubbling clouds to the west, and empty sky the rest of the way around. We spent an easy hour and a half up there gazing, pondering and reveling in the joy of being there.
The pictures below will round up this tale. Arriving back at the trailhead, walking back to the hostel and rewarding ourselves with some hot tea and the removal of our hiking boots ended this adventure.
The next day we opted to do what any sane person would do after a 12+hour day of hiking, and that is to go for a hike. We wandered down the road to look for a non-existent trailhead (which was crossed off on the newer maps they had, but not the internet versions or the versions we got at the visitor center, for some reason) but along the way found the macaque crossing set up by the park. Apparently there was a substantial population decline due to vehicle impacts, so the park helped remedy this by establishing a roped crossing for the little primates. It seemed to have worked, if only in part, as the population has since rebounded to sustainable levels. Afterwards, we ventured back into the park proper and found a nice little network of trails that, while with minimal elevation gain save for one epic uphill, kept us busy for the next 4 hours.
Then, the arduous decision to leave was made. We had to be back in Hualien, which meant we had to leave. So, after another nice day in the mountains we packed, called for a ride and headed back to Alishan where we stayed the night. The next day we were off to Chiayi, then Taipei and then finally to home in Hualien.
(Happy Birthday sweetheart!! Sweet 39...)
