Classic Itineraries
New Year's Day flag-raising and mountain hike – Legislator Chiang Chi-chen invites you to hike for health
To welcome 2016, Legislator Chiang Chi-chen will host the “Happy Start · Welcome 2016 Flag-Raising and Lohas Hiking” event at 7:00 AM on New Year’s Day of 105 (2016) at Fengyuan Zhongzheng Park. The event will feature the Fengyuan Aile Choir leading the national anthem, with thousands of small national flags distributed on-site. Participants will sing their support for the country and exchange New Year greetings. The Chiang Chi-chen service office stated that after the flag-raising ceremony, in collaboration with the Love Mountains Association, participants will be invited to take part in an eco-friendly mountain cleanup. They will hike along the Beikeng Mountain Trail, taking in views of the greater Fengyuan area, making New Year wishes from the heights, and picking up litter along the way. This hands-on environmental action aims to provide a clean and tidy hiking environment. The event’s endpoint will be at the Biyun Temple on Gonglaoping, where local youth will perform live music, and Taiwan’s new-generation saxophone ensemble will play. Legislator Chiang Chi-chen will also join in for a performance. Everyone is welcome to join this energetic, healthy, and hopeful 2016 New Year event.
The Beikeng Trail is under renovation; Legislator Chiang Chi-chen invites everyone to go hiking
“The Keng Mountain Hiking Trail is the backyard garden of Fengyuan residents. The improvement project for Trail No. 1 has recently been completed. On the 21st, Legislator Chiang Chi-chen invited hikers to experience it. He stated that he will continue to develop friendly hiking trails and provide the community with a better environment. The Keng Mountain Hiking Trail was mostly built voluntarily by hikers, but lacked government resource support. Last year, in addition to initiating the ‘Three Peaks Heritage, Slate Relay’ event to help renovate parts of the trail, Chiang Chi-chen also asked the Council of Agriculture’s Soil and Water Conservation Bureau to leverage the Rural Regeneration Plan. Together with the Gonglaoping Industrial Development Association and the Nansong Community Development Association, they brought in public sector resources to jointly improve the hiking trail. This year, construction started on June 9th, with the addition of two new retaining walls, one wooden boardwalk, five drainage ditches, a sleeper trail, and an anti-slip surface. The project cost exceeded 3.92 million NTD. Chiang Chi-chen said that many local residents hike in Beikeng daily, but after rain, the trails become slippery and difficult to navigate. With the introduction of public sector resources, not only has the trail quality improved, but handrails have also been installed to make hiking safer for everyone. Liu, the president of the Three Peaks Hiking Club, said that many senior hikers expressed their desire to bring their grandchildren and children to explore the new trail, allowing three generations—elders, adults, and youth—to discover this beautiful backyard garden together.”
Kuomintang Legislator Chiang Chi-chen invites hikers to experience Beikeng Hiking Trail
Beikeng Hiking Trail is the backyard of people in Fengyuan. The improvement project of Trail No. 1 has recently been completed. On the 21st, Legislator Chiang Chi-chen invited hikers to experience it. He said he will continue to build hiker-friendly trails and provide the community with a better environment. Beikeng Hiking Trail is mostly built voluntarily by hikers, lacking government resources. Last year, in addition to initiating the “Three Peaks Heritage, Slate Relay” campaign to assist in repairing parts of the trail, Chiang also asked the Council of Agriculture’s Soil and Water Conservation Bureau to use the Rural Regeneration Plan to collaborate with the Gonglaoping Industrial Development Association and the Nansong Community Development Association, bringing in public sector resources to jointly improve the hiking trail. The construction started on June 9 this year, with the addition of two retaining walls, one wooden boardwalk, five drainage ditches, a sleeper trail, and an anti-slip surface. The project cost over NT$3.92 million and was finally completed and inspected recently.
No more mosquito breeding — Dali Market to be redeveloped
The No. 1 Public Retail Market in Dali District, Taichung City, has become a vacant "mosquito building" due to sluggish business and vendors' reluctance to set up shop. To make better use of the space, the city’s Social Affairs Bureau has decided to take over the facility and repurpose it as a hub for social welfare initiatives. City councilor Chang Fen-yu urged that a usage plan be developed first to fully utilize the site. Meanwhile, the annual Red Turtle Cake Blessing Festival in Dingliao Community, Wuchi, kicked off yesterday, drawing over 1,000 participants to make 5,000 red turtle cakes. Dingliao Village Chief Chung Chin-shui said that making these cakes before the Winter Solstice every year gathers the blessings of a thousand people, praying for peace and prosperity in the coming year. Mayor Lin Chia-lung also visited the Tanzi District to inspect the improvement project of the Xintian No. 1 Hiking Trail. He stated that next year, the budget will continue to be allocated for renovating the third trail, with priority given to extending the Xintian Hiking Trail to Fengdong Rock, connecting it with the Dakeng Hiking Trail system.
The Tanzi Xintian Hiking Trail will be extended to Fengdongshi Stone, connecting it with the Dakeng Hiking Trail System.
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung visited the Tanzi District’s Xintian Hiking Trail early this morning to inspect the first phase of trail improvement works, which were completed on December 18. He hiked along a 2-kilometer section of the trail together with city councilors Hsiao Long-tse and Chang Ya-___. He stated that next year, the city will continue to allocate a budget of NT$10 million to renovate the third trail and will prioritize extending the Xintian Hiking Trail to Fengdongshi Stone to connect it with the Dakeng Hiking Trail System. In the future, the city aims to create a 100-kilometer network of hiking trails across Taichung. Ye Ching-long, head of the Tourism Engineering Section at the Tourism and Travel Bureau, pointed out that the Xintian Hiking Trail, located in the Juxing Mountain area of Longxing Lane in Tanzi District, was established by Taichung County Government in 1991 (the 80th year of the Republic of China). It is divided into three sections—first, second, and third—with a total length of about 3 kilometers, including approximately 2 kilometers of wooden boardwalks. The highest elevation along the trail reaches 495 meters. This year, the bureau has utilized a budget of NT$10 million to repair elements such as handrails and signage systems along the first section, completing the work on December 18.
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung inspects the construction of the Tanzi Xintian Hiking Trail
The improvement project of the first Xintian Hiking Trail in Tanzi District, Taichung City, was recently completed. On the morning of the 20th, Mayor Lin Chia-lung went to inspect the site. He stated that next year, the city will continue to allocate a budget of NT$10 million to renovate the third trail and prioritize extending the Xintian Hiking Trail to Wind-moving Rock, connecting it with the Dakeng Hiking Trail system. The Xintian Hiking Trail was established by the Taichung County Government in 1991 and is divided into three sections—first, second, and third—with a total length of about 3 kilometers. The handrails and surrounding signage system of the first section were repaired and completed on the 18th. Lin Chia-lung said that the city government has allocated NT$10 million next year to renovate the remaining unfinished parts of the trail, making the 2-kilometer wooden boardwalk safe and easy to walk. Hiking trails should not be just made of concrete but should also incorporate landscapes, ecology, and cultural history. Therefore, the city government is also working with cultural and historical experts
Nantou County Magistrate Lin Ming-tsuen personally inspected road improvement projects
Nantou County Magistrate Lin Ming-tsuen, concerned about local road drainage ditches and wild stream improvement projects raised by residents during the “County Citizens’ Time,” today conducted on-site inspections of the Shuangdongpo Road drainage ditch in Caotun, the Hushan hiking trail improvement project, and the wild stream beside Zhongcheng Road in Puli. He immediately instructed the agricultural and public works departments to expedite the contracting of these improvements to ensure public safety. Magistrate Lin, accompanied by County Councilor Liao Zi-you and local residents, visited Shizhuo Lane in Shuangdong Village, Caotun Township, to inspect the sloped road essential for local farmers transporting produce. Due to the lack of drainage ditches, heavy rains often wash soil and rocks onto the road, turning it into a waterway and severely hindering pedestrian and vehicle passage. Magistrate Lin urged the swift completion of a drainage system to channel rainwater into underground drains beneath the road, ensuring smooth travel for everyone.
Fire at Nanchang Road mountaineering supplies store: gas lamp explosion sends crowds fleeing
A two-story old building at No. 1, Section 2, Nanchang Road in Taipei City caught fire around 2:30 p.m. As the second floor housed a mountaineering supplies store filled with a large number of gas lamps, the heat caused them to explode and ignite, triggering an intense blaze. Around 10 people inside the building panicked and fled in all directions; fortunately, they escaped in time and there were no major casualties. Firefighters arrived promptly to extinguish the flames, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Over 80 bodies found as snow melts — hikers uncover chilling truth that sends shivers down their spines!
As the dominant species on Earth, we humans have been relentlessly destroying the very nature we depend on, frantically exploiting its resources and leaving our home scarred and wounded. This has led to frequent natural disasters such as the Indian Ocean tsunami and global warming, making us seem so insignificant in the face of nature. Recently, what mountain climbing enthusiasts from Italy discovered in the Alps has plunged us into deep reflection again!
The rescuers initially thought it was a normal mountain accident, but they were stunned when they saw their extraordinarily bizarre deaths!
When it comes to the world’s most inexplicable events, one simply cannot omit the Dyatlov Pass incident that occurred on February 2, 1959. This tragedy not only resulted in the deaths of all nine hikers but also featured causes of death that were extremely strange and beyond reason, sending chills down people’s spines. The group had set out to climb Kholat Syakhl Mountain on the eastern side of the Ural Mountains, a peak referred to by locals as “Death Mountain.” Due to a lack of witnesses, the incident gave rise to numerous speculations—even Soviet investigators at the time could only hypothesize that the cause of death was some kind of “powerful unknown force.” In the three years following the accident, the area was completely sealed off, banning any skiers or explorers from entering.
Octogenarian goes missing; body found in mountainous area
A report was filed by family members on the 26th of last month regarding the disappearance of an 82-year-old man near Fanglan Community in Taipei City. Firefighters, volunteer firefighters, and the Panshi Rescue Team jointly searched Fanglan Mountain, adjacent to the community. At around 9:30 a.m. today, the body was found in the weeds near the mountainside. The deceased is suspected to have fallen accidentally while hiking. Police have cordoned off the area for investigation.
83-year-old man and friend lost on mountain hike at night, rescued by police and firefighters
An 83-year-old man surnamed Fan and his 64-year-old female friend surnamed Zhan hiked in the Baikelin Shade Trail in Daxi, Taoyuan yesterday (27th) afternoon. The two entered the mountain at 3 p.m. and were hiking toward Bai Shi Mountain. As it got darker, the pair gradually lost their way. They had no lighting equipment or drinking water. In a panic, Ms. Zhan called her daughter for help but couldn’t explain where they were. The Daxi Police Precinct of Taoyuan City received the report and dispatched Deputy Chief Sun Minghui of the San Ceng Police Station, Patrol Officer Pan Wenjin, and firefighters to search the mountain. The team set out at 7 p.m. last night, searching deep into the mountains along the Baikelin Shade Trail. After four hours, they finally found Mr. Fan and Ms. Zhan. The two were only tired and dehydrated but not in life-threatening condition. Around 1 a.m. this morning, they were escorted back to the police station for rest and were later picked up by family members.
Hiker Rescued After Being Stranded in Mountain Due to Intoxication
A 53-year-old man surnamed Zhang went hiking for exercise on Dongyanshan in Fuxing District, Taoyuan City, yesterday morning with his friend surnamed Huang. Along the way, they ran into other hikers who warmly invited them to share in some drunken chicken (a dish made with chicken and rice wine) and alcoholic drinks. However, Zhang reportedly couldn’t handle the alcohol, became weak all over, and was unable to walk down the mountain. As it grew dark and temperatures dropped rapidly, Huang grew worried that Zhang might suffer from hypothermia and quickly contacted the Daxi Precinct for help. Firefighters were called in to join the rescue mission, and together they managed to safely bring Zhang down the mountain.
Legislative election battle – Chen Shikai campaigns by hiking while Yan Kuan-heng inspects a swimming pool
On the 19th, the blue and green camp candidates in Taichung’s 2nd legislative district campaigned separately in Dadu. Democratic Progressive Party legislative candidate Chen Shikai started his canvassing at 6 a.m. on the Great Wall Hiking Trail in Dadu, while incumbent Kuomintang legislator Yan Kuan-heng, who is seeking re-election, inspected the Dadu District Swimming Pool and urged the Taichung City Government’s Physical Education and Health Division to expedite renovations and repairs. Yan Kuan-heng’s service office recently received complaints from residents that the over 30-year-old Dadu District Swimming Pool had some aging and damaged facilities, posing potential risks of injury to swimmers. Upon learning of this, Yan immediately instructed his service office to send a formal request, and after coordinating an inspection with the Education Bureau’s Physical Education and Health Division, he pledged to carry out immediate improvements.
Eslite Lecture Hall Steps Outdoors: Led by Stan Shih, Scaling Hehuanshan to Explore Aesthetics
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Beyond books, nature is also our greatest teacher. For 19 years, Eslite Lecture Hall has cultivated creative talent and shared knowledge. At the start of 2016, it steps out of the classroom, inviting leading domestic cultural and creative figure Stan Shih to lead a climb up Hehuanshan’s North Peak. In addition to reading mountaineering literature, participants will experience firsthand the irresistible allure of mountaineering aesthetics. Professor Fu Chaoqing from the Department of Architecture at National Cheng Kung University will guide students on a one-day walking tour of Tainan, the historic capital. Moreover, an unmissable course for film enthusiasts: Teacher Wen Tianxiang will delve into the Oscars, unveiling 88 years of exclusive behind-the-scenes secrets. Eslite Insight notes that in 2015, sales of outdoor recreation guidebooks grew by 40%, indicating that outdoor leisure activities have become an important way for readers to experience life. Therefore, the 56th season of Eslite Lecture Hall features two outdoor elective courses.
Unconventional Homework for Summer and Winter Breaks: Making Mini-Books, Hiking, and Biking
Taipei City has done away with standardized summer and winter vacation homework, leaving many parents and students at a loss. Xingxing Elementary School in Hsinchu County asks students to decide on their holiday research topics before the semester ends, then carry them out during the break—some have even created mini-books like "An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine." Meanwhile, Neicheng Elementary School in Yilan County takes students biking and hiking during the holidays instead of assigning traditional written work. The Ministry of Education today held a press conference titled “Fun Winter Vacation – Learning with Joy,” inviting Xingxing Elementary School near Hsinchu Science Park and Neicheng Junior-Senior High School, an experimental school in Yilan County, to share how they plan these breaks. Xingxing Elementary School Principal Chang Yi-tsai said that since the 100th academic year, they have eliminated standardized paper-based winter homework, encouraging students to plan ahead and borrow books of interest before the break, engaging in diverse parent-child reading and activities for self-directed learning. In summer, students are tasked with theme-based research projects—for example, older grades introduce exemplary figures, all presented through themed mini-books or posters. Fifth-grader Guo Xinyu from Xingxing Elementary School shared that during her summer after advancing to fifth grade, she became interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine after watching the Korean drama “Dae Jang Geum.” She visited the library for research, interviewed herbal medicine shop owners, and bought some herbs to study. She learned that TCM not only treats illnesses but also promotes wellness, and ultimately completed her mini-book “An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine,” which gave her a great sense of accomplishment. Neicheng Junior-Senior High School Principal Liu Hsien-tung said they encourage students to plan their favorite learning activities and then fulfill them over the summer and winter breaks. For instance, students are tasked with completing at least five “Hundred Peaks” mountain climbs, four river tracing or rafting trips, identifying 300 species of wildlife, taking two county-wide or island-circling biking tours, and trying independent travel. Neicheng Junior-Senior High School teacher Shih Chung-nan said that during the 2014 winter break, students independently planned a 5-day, 4-night self-guided trip to Japan—including itinerary, flights, and accommodation—all managed by the students themselves. The principal raised several hundred thousand New Taiwan Dollars externally, and each student contributed 16,000 NTD to make this rare project happen. Yuyi Chuan, a seventh-grader at Neicheng Junior-Senior High School, said that during his summer after sixth grade, he and over ten classmates planned a 300-kilometer biking trip through Hualien, Taitung, and Green Island over four days. The school provided three months of training beforehand, including physical conditioning and bike repair skills. During the trip, one rainy day, an unknown retired teacher heard they were coming and cooked a big pot of chicken soup using preserved radish for them—a flavor he still vividly remembers. “This kind of holiday homework gave me better childhood memories,” Yuyi Chuan said. He’s glad he didn’t have to do boring assignments over the break, and that hiking, biking, and independent travel made his vacations much more fun.
No dirt, no stench — strict waste and cleanliness control. Last year, 50,000 visitors came to explore Bali Incineration Plant as a scenic spot.
This isn’t an amusement park, it’s an incineration plant. Bali Waste Incineration Plant not only handles waste but also features facilities and attractions such as a heated swimming pool, eco-friendly cabins, and hiking trails. What was once a NIMBY facility has now become a leisure destination for the public. Last year, 50,000 people visited. Plant Manager Jiang Junqing said, “We’ve endured nearly 20 years of protests, and we’re happy to be known as the ‘most popular incineration plant.’” “Dirty and smelly — that’s the public’s fixed impression of incineration plants, but we’re different,” Jiang said. Bali Incineration Plant began operations in 2001. During the site preparation period, it faced strong opposition from nearby residents. But 15 years later, public perception of Bali Incineration Plant has completely changed. Jiang Junqing said that Bali Incineration Plant knows it’s not well-liked. In addition to strictly managing incoming and outgoing garbage trucks and enforcing cleanliness standards — ensuring no dripping water or foul odors — the plant also...
A male teacher from Nanzih First Senior High School goes missing during a mountain hike; Nantou volunteer police and firefighters conduct search operations
A 39-year-old male teacher surnamed Zhuang from Tainan took a hiking trip to the mountainous areas of Shuili and Xinyi townships in Nantou County during the 228 Holiday break. He was supposed to return home on the last day of the holiday but failed to do so. His family reported him missing, and as of today, he has not been found. A 39-year-old male teacher surnamed Zhuang, who works at National Tainan First Senior High School, took advantage of the 228 Holiday to go hiking in the mountainous regions of Shuili and Xinyi townships in Nantou County. He had planned to return home on the evening of February 29, but his family grew anxious when he still hadn’t come back by March 1 and reported him missing to the Nantou police and fire department. In response to the report, Nantou police and firefighters conducted search operations yesterday and today in the areas near Erping Mountain and Mingtan in Shuili Township, as well as the mountainous regions of Xinyi Township. Police officers, firefighters, and volunteer firefighters were deployed a total of 100 times, but as of this afternoon, there has been no sign of Zhuang. The family continues to stay in contact with Nantou authorities, providing possible hiking locations and routes. Relatives and friends of Zhuang noted that
228 holiday mountain trip in Nantou: A math teacher from Nantou First High goes missing
Where is the mountain-loving teacher? Zhuang Zhiyang, a 39-year-old math teacher at Tainan First High School who is passionate about hiking, went to the mountainous areas of Nantou during the 228 holiday. He was supposed to return to school on the 1st but never came back. His parents and family rushed to Nantou to report him missing, and students have also urgently launched an online search for him. The school stated that Zhuang Zhiyang, 39 years old and a father of three, is very popular among students and loves hiking. His whole family often hikes in Nantou, so he took advantage of the 228 holiday to go to Shuili and Xinyi Township. He was originally scheduled to return home on the 29th, but he has since vanished without a trace. His family did not bring his mobile phone with them, making it impossible to locate him via GPS. The Xinyi Police Precinct said that they are currently using surveillance footage and have deployed over a hundred personnel to search for Zhuang Zhiyang.
Greedily Capturing Scenery: Male Hiker Gets Lost, Alarming Teammates
A 21-member hiking team from Xiulin Township, Hualien, took advantage of the 228 holiday to trek along the Haimu Mountain Patrol Road. The day before finishing the hike and descending, Yang, a fourth-year student at National Taiwan Normal University, reportedly got distracted by the scenery and stopped frequently to take photos, causing him to lose his way. His teammates, unable to locate him, urgently reported the incident to the police. Officers searched the mountain in the dark and finally found the panicked Yang.