Classic Itineraries
Couple Missing During Hike in Central Taiwan; Gear Found
A couple from central Taiwan went missing while hiking Mount Dabajian, and rescuers today found a backpack and mobile phone belonging to the husband, surnamed Ou, inside the Bajianshan Mountain Hut. Rescuers are continuing their efforts to advance into nearby valleys in a full-scale search. A retired teaching couple in their 50s from Taichung City began their hike up Mount Dabajian on November 25 and were expected to return home on November 30 but went missing. It was reported today that hikers discovered unidentified gear at the Bajianshan Mountain Hut on December 3, suspected to belong to the missing couple. The Taichung City Fire Department urgently sought assistance from the Linyang Camp of the Army Special Warfare Training Center, dispatching six rescuers by helicopter to the Bajianshan Mountain Hut for the search. Snow Mountain National Park also sent rescuers to assist in the operation. In the afternoon, the Taichung City Fire Department confirmed that four rescuers arrived at the Bajianshan Mountain Hut in the afternoon, where they found a backpack containing the missing man’s mobile phone and a hat printed with the name of his former school, thus confirming it belonged to the missing man—but the couple was not found near the hut.
Couple Missing After Hiking Trip, Rescue Underway
A Taiwanese couple surnamed Ou went missing for several days while hiking the Holy Ridge Trail of Snow Mountain in Tainan City. The Taichung City Fire Bureau received a report from their family and dispatched a large search team into the mountains, but they have not been found yet. The retired Ou, a former teacher, and his wife started climbing the Xueshan (Snow Mountain) Holy Ridge Trail on November 25 and were expected to descend on November 30. However, they have been out of contact for five days. Their son reported the disappearance to the police on the 3rd, and their last known location was believed to be at Cuihu Mountain Hut in Heping District, Taichung. Upon receiving the report from the Shei-Pa National Park Administration, the Taichung City Fire Bureau immediately set up an advance command post at the Lishan Branch. A joint first-response rescue team composed of the Heping Fire Branch, Shei-Pa National Park Administration, and Shei-Pa National Park Police Force was formed. On the 4th, they landed at Xinda Mountain Hut by helicopter but did not locate the couple. As of today, five rescue teams totaling
Couple goes missing during mountain climb; Hsinchu County Fire Bureau launches search
A married couple surnamed Ou have been missing for several days while climbing Mt. Dabajian, and Hsinchu County Government Fire Bureau is deploying a helicopter this afternoon to search for them in the mountains. The Chinese Taipei Mountain Rescue Association stated today that the Ous checked into Xinda Mountain Hut on the 25th and entered the trailhead at Chiyu Mountain on November 29. The couple planned to climb Mt. Dabajian and were expected to descend on November 30, but they have not been in contact with their family since. The family informed the Chinese Taipei Mountain Rescue Association that they had asked police in the Shei-Pa Mountain area to search for the couple’s vehicle at Wuling Farm on December 3, but it was not found. On December 4, they requested assistance from Hsinchu County police and fire bureau, and the police have since located the vehicle. Hsinchu County Government Fire Bureau said it will dispatch a helicopter at 2:30 p.m. carrying four rescue team members to search the 3050 highland area of the Mt. Dabajian massif.
Mount Fuji climbing accident in Japan: 2 dead, 2 hospitalized
A climbing accident has occurred on Mount Fuji in Japan, with two people confirmed dead and two others injured and hospitalized. The four hikers were all from Kyoto, aged around 50 to 60. The group of three men and one woman were climbing Mount Fuji together yesterday morning, roped together, when a fall accident occurred. Upon arrival at the scene, police found that two of the men had no signs of cardiac or respiratory function. One man in his 50s was injured and airlifted to a hospital for treatment, while a woman with less severe injuries also went to the hospital for a checkup after descending the mountain. The climbing trails on Mount Fuji have been closed due to winter snow accumulation.
Health Wisdom – Stay Optimistic and Content: Hiking and Stargazing for Wellness
Working in the highly regulated offshore fund industry, Chen Guanhe, General Manager of Kanghe Investment Consulting, the exclusive agent for Julius Baer and KBI Funds, finds his daily stress relief and wellness routine in hiking, stargazing, and traveling the world. He says, as Mencius quoted Confucius: “When Confucius climbed Mount Dong, he felt Lu was small; when he climbed Mount Tai, he felt the world was small.” Gazing into the distance from high ground always broadens one’s perspective and helps one easily forget all worldly trivialities. Stargazing has been his childhood passion—“the more you understand the stars, the more you realize how vast the universe is, and how unnecessary it is to fret over life’s small matters.”
Bearing Heavy Loads Without Safety Nets: Advocating for Taiwan’s Porters
Wu Xuming, a seasoned porter who specialized in carrying heavy gear for hikers, tragically fell to his death last year after being burdened with overloaded equipment. Yesterday, Jim Duff, founder of the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG), personally came to Taiwan to appeal to Legislative
Real-life "So Young": Man Proposes After 450-Kilometer Bike Ride
Love on Two Wheels "So Young" is a recent buzzword, and now, a real-life version has unfolded in Nanning. A 24-year-old man from Nanning and his two friends set off from the city, biked 450 kilometers over four days, and finally arrived in Mengshan County, Wuzhou City, to propose to their beloved. Their ...
Baring All at the Summit Is Nothing New, but a British Man Goes Nude on a Snowy Mountain
It’s not uncommon for hikers to take a nude summit photo as a memento after reaching the top, but walking 100 meters naked on a snowy mountaintop—that’s truly cool. A 35-year-old British photographer, Dan Arkle, recently climbed Crib Goch near Snowdon in North Wales. After ascending to an altitude of 3,028 feet (about 923 meters), he stripped off his clothes one by one and eventually stood stark naked atop the snow-covered peak. According to the UK's Daily Mail, many people climb snowy mountains to feel the power of nature and express their awe. “My goal in being naked on the summit was to experience that feeling more intensely, to show the world how vulnerable and small humans are in the face of nature,” said Dan Arkle.
Always advocating sports, the chairman leads the mountain climbing
It’s not uncommon to hear of business owners using sports to boost employee morale and train teams. In Taichung, the well-known listed real estate company Chungtai Real Estate (3056) takes it a step further, with the chairman personally leading all senior executives in weekly mountain climbing activities. Chairman Wu Xikun stated: “Our company is 20 years old now—it’s time to train our physical fitness so we can keep going for another 20 years!” Wu has always encouraged employees to exercise to stay healthy, as he himself has been an athletic enthusiast since childhood. Basketball, badminton, and table tennis are all no challenge for him, and even golf, a sport many business owners are keen on, he taught himself. He eventually worked his way down to a handicap in the 70s, jokingly calling himself a self-taught sports maniac.
Mountain climbing should be classified into levels to reduce the strain on rescue resources
Two hikers who originally planned to celebrate New Year’s Eve by summiting a snowy mountain peak ended up having an unforgettable New Year after getting lost — but their ordeal also mobilized a large-scale rescue effort, reigniting calls for a classified management system for mountain climbing.
Sichuan: Female Climber Dies After Carabiner Detaches and She Falls off Cliff
On the evening of the 4th, the management bureau of the Siguniang Mountain Scenic Area in Sichuan Province, China confirmed that a female climber had died after falling off a cliff while climbing in Jianzi of Shuangqiaogou, Siguniang Mountain. It is understood that the deceased climber was a woman surnamed Wu from Guangzhou. She was an outdoor sports enthusiast organized by an outdoor club. During this climbing activity, she fell to her death after a carabiner came loose. At present, the scenic area management bureau has dispatched four rescue teams, totaling 24 people, to Jianzi to carry out rescue and follow-up work.
Mountain hikers rescued; evacuated by helicopter this morning
Hikers Chen Youzhu and Zhang Yunqian were climbing Snow Mountain on December 31 last year. They lost their way while passing through Black Forest and got lost in the mountains for three days. Around 2 p.m. on the 3rd, they managed to reach the Sanliujiu Mountain Lodge to safety. They relied on two lighters to start fires for warmth and rationed their only two Black Gary gummies and energy drinks, eating just one when they could no longer bear the hunger. At around 11 a.m. this morning, the two were evacuated by helicopter. Chen said that they had aimed to reach the summit of Snow Mountain this trip to see the snow scenery, but they didn’t achieve that goal this time. He added that next time he will come fully prepared and continue pursuing his dream of summiting the mountain and seeing the snow. Zhang, on the other hand, said she doesn’t want to go hiking again anytime soon.
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Rescued hikers staying at mountain lodge tonight, plan to descend tomorrow
Chen Youzhu and Zhang Yunqian, the snow mountain hikers reported missing around 2 a.m. on January 1, returned to Lodge 369 on their own around 2 p.m. on the 3rd and encountered the fifth batch of search and rescue personnel from the Taichung City Fire Bureau. After their identities were confirmed by Yang Chunchang, the leader of the team, the two are currently in shock, physically exhausted, and in urgent need of rest. They are temporarily unable to return to the trailhead and are expected to head back as soon as possible tomorrow depending on their physical and mental condition.
Carrying only two Mentos, hikers narrowly escape tragedy on mountain
According to the Taichung City Fire Bureau’s Second Search and Rescue Team, frontline rescuers learned from the two rescued hikers, Chen Youzhu and Zhang Yunqian, that they had planned a day trip between Black Forest and 369 Mountain Hut on December 31 of last year. As such, they only brought warm clothing, two Mentos (candies), a lighter, a map, a GPS device, a mobile phone, and a small amount of drinking water.
Two hikers reported missing in the snowy mountains have been found
The two hikers, surnamed Chen and Zhang, who went missing while climbing the snowy mountains on New Year’s Day, were found this afternoon. As both are in weak condition, they will rest at the 369 Mountain Hut before being escorted down the mountain.
Hikers go missing; aerial and ground search yields no results
Another case of hikers disappearing in the snow mountains emerges. Three hikers planned to climb Snow Mountain’s main peak on New Year’s Eve. On the evening of December 31, a 31-year-old man surnamed Chen and a 41-year-old woman surnamed Zhang set out lightly equipped to scale the main peak of Snow Mountain. A 26-year-old man surnamed Liu, feeling unwell, stayed behind at the 369 Mountain Hut. By the early hours of New Year’s Day, neither of the two had returned, prompting Liu to urgently report the situation to the fire department. Around 8 a.m. yesterday, the Taichung City Fire Department deployed seven mountain rescue personnel aboard a Black Hawk helicopter to conduct an ascent search, though no findings have been reported yet. These three hikers from New Taipei City applied for entry into the mountain area on the evening of December 30 and were scheduled to descend yesterday. Their goal was to climb the 3,886-meter-high main peak of Snow Mountain. At around 8 a.m. on December 31, Mr. Chen and Ms. Zhang prepared to head toward the main peak. They set off lightly equipped from the 369 Mountain Hut, planning to pass through Black Forest and Snow Mountain First Cirque before making a direct push to the summit.
Celebrate New Year’s Day in Taichung with Mountain Hiking and Outdoor Activities
Taichung City celebrated New Year’s Day today with simultaneous events at the Municipal Government Building and Longjing District. Both locations held flag-raising ceremonies, hiking and walking activities, as well as holiday markets and lucky draws to warmly welcome the new year. Enthusiastic locals turned up early to gather, singing the national anthem of the Republic of China together, saluting the flag, exchanging New Year greetings, and ushering in the new year as a sea of flags fluttered in the breeze. The flag-raising ceremony at the plaza in front of the Municipal Government Building was presided over by Taichung Mayor Hu Jhih-huang. The event was lively, featuring walking activities and a holiday market. The walk took place along roads near the government building, which were under traffic control. After the hike, a lucky draw was held on-site, giving away 280 bicycles. A female university student surnamed Hong, wearing small national flag stickers on her face and holding a small flag in her hand, came to join the flag-raising. She said that as a Taichung resident,
Climber Suffers from Altitude Sickness on Yushan, Rescued by Air Force Helicopter
A hiker surnamed Chen was climbing Yushan with a tour group on New Year’s Eve when he suddenly suffered from altitude sickness and requested rescue from the National Search and Rescue Center. In response, the Air Force Base in Chiayi dispatched a Sea Gull helicopter on the morning of December 31. Fortunately, the terrain was flat, eliminating the need for a winch rescue, and the patient was airlifted to Tri-Service General Hospital’s Chiayi Branch for treatment in less than half an hour, allowing him to safely spend New Year’s Eve. Chen and his fellow hikers had planned to ring in the new year by scaling Yushan. However, as they ascended to higher altitudes, Chen began experiencing dizziness. Unable to walk back down on his own, his teammates contacted the National Search and Rescue Center to send a helicopter. The Air Force Chiayi Base’s rescue team received the report at 11 a.m., warmed up the helicopter in 10 minutes, and headed out. Upon locating Chen, who was still conscious, they hoisted him aboard. Initial checks showed no external injuries. The rescue team returned to the Shuishang Base within half an hour, where Chen was transferred to a fire department ambulance for further transport to Tri-Service General Hospital’s Chiayi Branch.
New Year's Eve mountain summit attempt leaves 1 man and 1 woman missing
A hiking team of three from New Taipei City planned to summit Snow Mountain’s main peak on New Year’s Eve. They entered the mountains on December 30th and were expected to descend on January 1st. Yesterday morning, Mr. Chen (31 years old) and Ms. Zhang (41 years old) set off lightly equipped, intending to reach the summit of Snow Mountain’s main peak. Mr. Liu (26 years old), feeling unwell, stayed behind at the 369 Mountain Hut. As of midnight, neither of the two had returned to the hut. Mr. Liu urgently reported the situation to the fire department. Around 1 a.m. today (January 1st), two members of the Lishan Fire Brigade began searching on foot. At around 8 a.m., the Taichung City Fire Bureau dispatched seven mountain rescue personnel to conduct an aerial search via a Black Hawk helicopter.