Classic Itineraries
Legendary Swiss climber known as the "Swiss Machine" dies in Everest accident
Officials from the Nepal Tourism Board stated this afternoon (30th) that Ueli Steck, the legendary mountaineering hero known as the "Swiss Machine," tragically lost his life this morning while climbing the Nuptse wall. He was 40 years old. His body has now been transported to Kathmandu. The Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck had returned to Mount Everest this year to acclimatize and was preparing to tackle an unclimbed route starting in May. Dinesh Bhattarai, director of the tourism board, said that Steck fell approximately 1,000 meters from Camp 2 on the Nuptse wall this morning. Other climbers spotted him and immediately alerted the authorities. His body has been recovered and was flown to Kathmandu, Nepal, by helicopter.
Qilai Mountain Tragedy: Female Hiker Dies After Falling into Valley While Calling for Help
A 33-year-old female hiker surnamed Li from Kaohsiung City and a male guide surnamed Huang attempted to climb Qilai Mountain. Around 5:00 PM on the 29th, Ms. Li fell into a valley and became trapped at the 5.8 km mark on the gravel slope near Chenggong Shelter. While still conscious, she called for help. On the morning of the 30th, the Air Rescue Squadron dispatched a Black Hawk helicopter for the rescue mission. However, when they found Ms. Li, she had already passed away. Her body was hoisted and transported to Nantou Stadium, where it was handed over to authorities for investigation. The Hualien County Fire Bureau received a report at 5:30 PM the day before yesterday stating that a female hiker surnamed Li had lost her way and slipped onto a gravel path while descending from Qilai Mountain Lodge toward Chenggong Mountain Lodge. She had not yet reached the three-way junction near Qilai Main and North Peaks. She reported being unable to move her arms or legs and requested rescue. Investigations revealed that Ms. Li and the male guide surnamed Huang had been traveling together from the 28th to the 30th to climb Qilai Main and North Peaks. On the 29th—
Before climbing, do these 7 life-saving things
Taiwan’s high mountain scenery is stunning, and once you’ve climbed once, you’ll be hooked—but to stay safe, you need to learn these 7 things before heading up. 1. Properly acclimatize to altitude At altitudes above 2,500 meters, the thin air and lower atmospheric pressure reduce the amount of oxygen available to the body, causing discomfort—this is altitude sickness. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the most common condition encountered when climbing high mountains, occurring in up to 36% of people. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue and weakness, and difficulty sleeping. Additionally, 0.5–1% of people may develop high-altitude cerebral edema (characterized by unsteady walking, altered consciousness, or changes in mental state) or high-altitude pulmonary edema (with symptoms such as pale lips and nose, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing up blood, and increased heart and breathing rates), both of which can be fatal.
Hiking Tragedy: Friend of Liu Chenjun Says to Live Stubbornly in the Other World
Taiwanese couple Liang Shengyue and Liu Chenjun went hiking in the Himalayas of Nepal. News of their disappearance broke on March 10, drawing concern from family and friends back home. Liang’s family coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India to seek assistance from Nepalese police in the search. The two were found by a rescue team in a valley yesterday. Liang had lost 30 kilograms but was conscious, while Liu sadly passed away after falling into the valley. Friends and family were heartbroken and reluctant to accept the news, but also offered their blessings that she would live stubbornly in the other world.
Lien Yu-han’s 10-year-old plant companion ‘Stinger’ joins her on hikes—even though it died in ‘The Longest Day in Chang’an’!
Growing up in the hills of Sanzhi, Lien Yu-han loves nature, and her favorite activities and dating spots usually involve hiking. At an outdoor sports brand event on the 26th, she showcased her essential hiking gear, which included not just the usual water bottle, snacks, and camera, but also an air plant she named “Stinger.” Whenever she feels like bringing it along, she does. She admitted that her hiking friends used to find it unbearable and often teased her, but she believes plants, like people, need sunlight.
Liu Chenjun's Death in Nepal Mountaineering Shocks Classmates
Liu Chenjun, a student majoring in Chinese Literature at National Dong Hwa University, and her boyfriend Liang Shengyue went hiking in the Himalayas of Nepal in February. After that, they lost contact with their families. Since the disappearance news broke, classmates and friends have been posting messages on their Facebook pages to cheer them up, hoping they were just temporarily in the distant snow mountains. Even Liu’s most admired teacher, Wu Mingyi, posted to help locate them. Everyone held positive thoughts waiting for their return, but tonight the news of Liu’s death came. A former classmate surnamed Wang said sadly, "You were supposed to come back and share your stories!" The classmate revealed that Liu Chenjun was naturally cheerful, loved being close to nature, and cared about social issues. She clicked with her boyfriend who shared the same passion for outdoor activities. The Himalayan trek had been planned and arranged since the previous semester, with plans to take a one-semester leave to spend four months in India.
Miaoli City's Tung Blossom Festival Follows Ancient Traditions – Well-Behaved Sentences Pack Encourages Family Hiking
The series of activities for the Meinong Hakka Tung Blossom Festival organized by Miaoli City Government officially kicked off on the 26th. Unlike the Council of Hakka Affairs' tradition of worshipping the God of Land, Mayor Chiu Ping-kun performed the most traditional Hakka ritual to worship the heavens and the mountains and rivers. He also announced that a "Family Well-Behaved Hiking Activity" will be held on May 6th along the trail next to the Gongwei-Su Tunnel, where 100 boxes of "Well-Behaved Sentence Packs" will be given out to allow families to enjoy the cultural charm of Miaoli City’s pedestrian trails. The ceremony was presided over by Mayor Chiu Ping-kun, accompanied by performances of Hakka eight-tone music, and the Tung Blossom Dance by Huawen Elementary School students kicked off the event. This year, the Council of Hakka Affairs has themed the Tung Blossom Festival as "Come and See the Tung Blossoms," using the worship of the God of Land to express the Hakka people's reverence for heaven, earth, and forests, as well as to symbolize the connection between cultural heritage and the land. However, Mayor Chiu Ping-kun has a different view on which deities the Tung Blossom Festival should actually honor.
Celebrate Labor Day Early: Yunlin County Government Hosts Family Hiking Event
To celebrate International Workers' Day, Yunlin County Government organized a family hiking event in Dapu Community, Gukeng Township on the 23rd. In addition to the hike, the event featured performances such as tai chi and folk dancing, as well as a lucky draw, allowing participants to enjoy a rare moment of leisure together. County Magistrate Lee Chin-yung stated that the Labor Day recreational activity provides an opportunity for workers to relax, relieve daily work pressure, and strengthen parent-child bonds outside of work. Over the past 20-plus years, the county government has achieved significant results in establishing labor regulations. He hopes that workers will continue to strive together with the county government to make Yunlin more progressive and harmonious.
Lin Chia-lung and his city government team experience the Xintian Hiking Trail
The Xintian Hiking Trail in Tanzi District has been developed for 23 years and attracts many hikers. The improvement project for the third section of the trail was recently completed at the end of last year. On the 16th, Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung led a city government team to inspect the site, emphasizing the goal of creating a 100-kilometer network of hiking trails, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. Lin Chia-lung, along with city councilors Chang Ya-? and Hsiao Long-tse, Agriculture Bureau Director Wang Chun-hsiung, and Tourism and Travel Bureau Deputy Director Chen Yu-cheng, hiked up the third section in the morning before descending via the second section. Along the way, they warmly greeted residents they encountered and stopped at an observation deck to enjoy the mountain scenery. Lin Chia-lung stated that the city government is comprehensively reviewing the safety of 37 hiking trails in Taichung, spanning approximately 75 kilometers. In addition to maintaining existing managed trails, the city plans to develop an additional 34.8 kilometers of trails that incorporate landscape, ecology, culture, and safety features.
Health Tips – Li Chih-hsien, General Manager of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, Embraces a Healthy Lifestyle Through Hiking
In Taipei, if you want to enjoy a view from above, besides Taipei 101, there’s also the option of hiking—free of charge—to gaze at the cityscape while immersing yourself in nature. For many, including Li Chih-hsien, General Manager of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, hiking step-by-step is their way of embracing a simple, natural, and healthy lifestyle.
Taiwan KOM Challenge – Spring Ride on the King of the Mountains Route, Traffic Control on Hehuanshan
The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has commissioned the Republic of China Cycling Association to organize the Taiwan KOM Challenge – Spring Ride. It is expected that from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM on the 17th, the section of Provincial Highway 14A between kilometers 31.3 and 32.85 (from Wuling to the Hehuanshan Visitor Center), approximately 1.5 kilometers in length, will be in use. Volunteers will manage traffic along the route, while key intersections will be monitored by police officers from the respective local police precincts. The Puli Works Section urges road users to obey traffic directions and drive carefully.
Mount Everest Opens for Climbing Season as Domestic and International Mountaineers Flock to Tibet
A 37-year-old from Wenzhou, Pan Zhengsheng, set off with other climbers to Nepal on the 8th of this month to prepare for an attempt on the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest. Meanwhile, another 24 mainland Chinese climbers departed on the 12th from Tibet to begin their Everest ascent. Climbing Everest costs at least 300,000 yuan (RMB, the same below), or about NT$1.35 million. For a growing number of mainland climbers, even if they succeed in reaching the summit, they can only stand there for a brief five minutes—but they still find it deeply fulfilling. Pan Zhengsheng is not the first person from Wenzhou to climb Everest. Before him, Nan Shizhen became the first Wenzhou native to summit Everest back in May 2007, though he climbed via the north side. There are two main routes to Everest: the south side in Nepal and the north side in Tibet (China). Each route has its own challenges and vastly different climates, but both share one ultimate goal—reaching the top of the world.
Climbing Everest Costs 1.32 Million Yuan – Mainland Climbers Love the Challenge
Pan Zhengsheng, a 37-year-old from Wenzhou, set off with other climbers to Nepal on the 8th of this month to prepare for an ascent of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. Another 24 mainland climbers departed on the 12th, starting their climb from Tibet. Climbing Everest costs at least 300,000 yuan (RMB, the same below), about 1.32 million New Taiwan dollars. For a growing number of mainland climbers, even if they succeed in reaching the summit, they can only stand there for a brief five minutes – yet they still find it deeply fulfilling.
Avalanche on Popular Vancouver Hiking Trail Kills 5 South Korean Climbers
A cornice formed by strong winds near the summit of Mount Harvey in northern Vancouver, Canada, collapsed yesterday, affecting five hikers. Local police have now recovered their bodies, and reports indicate that all were experienced South Korean climbers. According to the UK's Independent, a hiker on Mount Harvey informed local police on Saturday afternoon that a massive, overhanging block of snow had collapsed at the summit. Noticing footprints on the ground, he realized others had already reached the top and grew concerned for their safety. However, unstable snow conditions throughout the night slowed down rescue efforts, and it was later confirmed that five hikers were missing in the avalanche zone. Canadian disaster relief personnel...
Typhoon Soudelor alters terrain; 12 hikers lost in Wulai Red River Valley
The Red River Valley in Wulai District, New Taipei City, suffered severe landslides during Typhoon Soudelor two years ago and has yet to fully recover. At around 8 a.m. on the 8th of this month, 12 hikers with an average age of 55 set out from Xiangshan’s Xiongkong to hike to Wulai’s Red River Valley. Due to changes in the landscape, they became lost. The fire department was alerted and dispatched a large number of police, firefighters, and volunteers to search the mountains. At around 9 a.m. on the 9th, all 12 were finally found and successfully rescued and brought down the mountain. The police and fire departments received reports from the hikers’ families on the evening of the 8th, stating that the 12 had left early in the morning for the hike and were expected to return home around 5 p.m., but they had not been seen and could not be reached by phone. Authorities immediately deployed a large team to search for them, approaching from both Xiangshan and Wulai. Because the hiking trails along the Red River Valley had been severely damaged by Typhoon Soudelor two years ago, the rescue mission faced numerous challenges. The police and fire departments asked local volunteers familiar with the terrain
The Shoushan Ancient Trail will recreate historical scenes
A military trail is set to see the light of day again. Three Armstrong breech-loading cannons from the Qing Dynasty were transported up Shoushan from the Shaochuantou Customs along the ancient trail at Dengshan Street Lane 60. Now, the Kaohsiung City Urban Development Bureau plans to restore the historical scene through the Xingbin Project, examining environmental changes across different periods and reconstructing features such as stone walls, ancient trails, machine gun bunkers, and air-raid shelters. Completion and opening are expected by the end of this year. The Urban Development Bureau’s historical account notes that Liu Mingchuan, Taiwan’s first governor, built the Dapingding Fort on Shoushan in 1886 to strengthen the defenses of Takao Port. In 1889, he purchased 31 Armstrong breech-loading cannons from Britain, three of which were manually hauled up the stone stairway ancient trail at Dengshan Street Lane 60 for installation. During the Japanese colonial period, Japanese residents of Hamasen would hike this trail for sightseeing, and Crown Prince Hirohito also walked the path to take in the beautiful views of the harbor.
The historic Shoushan Hiking Trail is being revived as the Kaohsiung City Urban Development Bureau restores a historical site.
A military trail is set to see the light of day again. Three Armstrong breech-loading cannons from the Qing Dynasty were transported up Shoushan from the Shaochuantou Customs along the ancient trail at Hiking Street Lane 60. Now, the Kaohsiung City Urban Development Bureau plans to restore this historical scene through its “Revitalizing Coastal Culture and Tourism” (興濱計畫) initiative. By examining environmental changes across different eras, they aim to restore features such as cyclopean stone walls, ancient trails, machine gun bunkers, and air-raid shelters, with completion and public opening expected by the end of this year. The bureau also shared historical insights: Taiwan’s first governor, Liu Ming-chuan, built the Dapingding Fort on Shoushan in 1886 to strengthen the defenses of Takao Port. In 1889, he purchased 31 Armstrong breech-loading cannons from Britain, three of which were manually hauled up the stone stairway of Hiking Street Lane 60 and installed on the mountain. During the Japanese colonial period, residents of Hamasen would hike this trail to enjoy the scenery, and even Japan’s Crown Prince Hirohito once walked the path to take in the beautiful views of the harbor.
A woman fell about 30 meters down a ravine but was saved by a tree trunk
A 66-year-old woman surnamed Kuo and 11 friends went hiking on Crocodile Island in Shiding District, New Taipei City, around 10 a.m. today (21st). She accidentally fell into a valley about 30 meters deep. Fortunately, she got stuck on a tree trunk, and police and firefighters immediately lowered themselves down the ravine to rescue her. She only suffered a fracture in her hand and is not in life-threatening condition after being sent to the hospital for treatment. Xiao Likai, captain of the Fourth Disaster Relief and Rescue Brigade of the New Taipei City Fire Department, urged people engaging in hiking activities to carry basic hiking gear such as whistles, dry food, water, and warm clothing. Do not hike alone. If you get lost in the mountains, provide firefighters with a detailed description of your location and any prominent landmarks to help speed up rescue efforts.
The Nantou Mountain Climbing Self-Government Ordinance to be Reviewed and Amended
Nantou County is home to numerous high mountains, but it also sees frequent mountain accidents. The fire department has been ordered to pay state compensation due to rescue-related lawsuits, prompting the county government to establish the "Mountain Climbing Self-Government Ordinance." Councilor Luo Meiling believes some of its contents conflict with regulations on applying for entry into mountains and parks, and has suggested amendments. The fire department stated it will discuss solutions with neighboring counties and cities. Nantou County Councilor Luo Meiling said during a council session that the Financial Supervisory Commission has so far not approved insurance for groups of fewer than five people, leaving hikers at a loss. She acknowledged the ordinance's good intentions but argued that certain parts should be revised. Fire Bureau Director Lin Congji noted that the ordinance was reviewed and passed by the council and submitted to the Ministry of the Interior for record-keeping, with the aim of protecting hiker safety. Details will be discussed with neighboring counties and cities such as Hualien, Chiayi, Taichung, and Kaohsiung to build consensus.
During the plum rain season, Snow Mountain National Park urges caution when climbing high mountains
The plum rain season in Taiwan typically occurs in May and June each year. Due to frontal systems, unstable air currents combined with abundant moisture, the Snow Mountain National Park Administration reminds outdoor enthusiasts to pay special attention to weather forecasts. If there is a possibility of heavy rain or thunderstorms, it is best to avoid venturing into the mountains — or “clashing with the plum rains” — to ensure personal safety. The mountain climate between spring and summer is especially unpredictable, resembling fog, rain, and wind all at once. Continuous rainfall brought by the plum rains can cause the soil and rocks in the mountains to become loose, increasing the risk of landslides and falling rocks. Trails also tend to be muddy and slippery, and reduced visibility due to rain and fog adds to the difficulty and danger of hiking activities. Without proper waterproofing measures during windy and rainy conditions, even in summer, hypothermia can occur. If any team member shows signs of hypothermia, immediate action must be taken, such as finding shelter to rest or set up camp,