Classic Itineraries
The high-altitude trails of Shei-Pa National Park will fully reopen starting tomorrow.
Several well-known high-altitude hiking trails in Shei-Pa National Park were affected by Typhoons Nesat and Haitang. After restoration efforts by volunteers and staff, the park will resume accepting entry applications from the 4th. However, some sections may require wading, so hikers are advised to take detours or higher routes. Shei-Pa National Park Administration noted that fallen trees and rocks on the popular Daba Ridge East Trail of Mt. Dabajian have been cleared recently by personnel at the Guanwu Station. Inspections of other mountain trails are also nearing completion. As a result, the high-altitude trails of Shei-Pa — including the Daba Line, Sacred Ridge Line, Xiuba Line, and Daba North Ridge Line — will reopen at 5 a.m. on the 4th. The administration also reminds hikers that certain sections of the Daba Ridge East Trail remain prone to water crossings at the 8.4K, 8.9K, 9.5K, 10.8K, 12K, 12.2K, 12.9K...
Descending the mountain to avoid the typhoon: A hiker in Hualien dies after falling into a valley
Typhoon Nesat is currently making a direct hit on eastern and southeastern Taiwan. A group of 22 hikers from Hualien had entered the mountains on the 22nd of this month to trek the Qilai East Ridge route. They were originally scheduled to exit at Shuiyuan Shabangdang today. This morning, after passing Zhanian Mountain, heavy rain in the mountains and slippery roads led to the unfortunate fall of a 33-year-old hiker surnamed Huang into a valley. Team members urgently reported the incident and called for rescue personnel. Fellow hikers told police that around 7 a.m. near the Shuiyuan Forest Road Work Station in Xiulin Township, the hiker surnamed Huang accidentally fell into a 200-meter-deep stream gulley. Seven team members stayed behind to search for him. Although they managed to locate the hiker, he had fallen into a deep valley and suffered severe injuries. He was found to have no signs of life. The Hualien County Fire Bureau stated that after receiving the report, police immediately contacted the fire department and mountain rescue teams to proceed with the rescue. The man was found to have no breathing or heartbeat at the scene.
Snow Mountain National Park: Multiple hiking trails, nearly all hikers have evacuated
Typhoon Nesat is heading straight for Taiwan. After the Central Weather Bureau issued a maritime typhoon warning at 8:30 a.m. on the 28th, the Shei-Pa National Park Administration and the Fifth Brigade of the Fifth Special Police Corps promptly initiated an early dissuasion mechanism for the popular Daba Jianfeng hiking route. Before the maritime warning was issued, they had already persuaded all 85 hikers from 17 teams staying at Jiujue Mountain Hut to descend the mountain early to avoid being stranded in the mountains due to the approaching typhoon. The Fifth Brigade of the Fifth Special Police Corps stated that during the heavy rainfall on June 2, the main trail to Daba Jianfeng, known as the "Peak of the Century," the East Section of the Dayuling Forest Road, was blocked by landslides caused by the downpour. This trapped 52 hikers in the Daba Mountain area for three days. The brigade and the Shei-Pa administration then developed plans to initiate the early dissuasion mechanism. This morning at 6 a.m., officers from the brigade’s Guanwu sub-station and personnel from the Guanwu Management Station set up
61 police and firefighters dispatched for 24-hour search — 4 hikers were already home asleep
Yesterday afternoon at around 2 p.m., the Taipei City Fire Department received a report that four hikers had gone missing near Qintian Gang. Volunteers and emergency responders were immediately notified to conduct a search. After 24 hours, it turned out the original caller had already returned home to rest by yesterday evening. The entire false alarm saw a total of 61 rescuers mobilized. Authorities urged the public that once a rescue is requested, if they have safely descended, they should call to cancel the report to avoid wasting emergency resources. The Fire Department stated that at 2:34 p.m. yesterday, two female hikers and two children lost their way on the Pingding Ancient Canal Hiking Trail in Qintian Gang of Yangmingshan National Park and called for help. However, the call was cut off midway, and when authorities tried to call back, no one answered, leading them to believe the group was lost and in need of rescue. Emergency responders initially thought it was due to poor local mobile phone reception...
Hiker missing for over 5 months; police officer Li Yingxun’s remains airlifted down the mountain
Taipei City Fire Department officer Li Yingxun went missing while hiking Mount Nan’erzi in Hualien during the 228 holiday weekend this year, along with two other officers. Despite a large-scale search effort by emergency personnel that lasted 20 days, he was not found, and the official search was called off on March 21. While the official search ended, civilian efforts continued, and on the 20th, his remains were discovered in the mountains. An air force helicopter airlifted the remains at 9 a.m. today and transported them to a funeral home for examination by police and prosecutors. Rescue personnel determined from the scene that he likely died after taking a wrong turn while fetching water in the dark and fell into a valley.
Success is like climbing a mountain. A dialogue between two generations highlights the gap in the broader environment.
Taiwanese director Hsu Chia-kai and several partners founded the Selfpick video production company, launching original Taiwanese series on YouTube. Each short film explores different themes, such as the commonly experienced "heartbreak due to military service," the definition of success, challenges in education, music, and the difficulties faced by the film and television industry. This short film is an excerpt from the second episode of the second season of the series *Mr. Bartender*. Through the compelling dialogue between veteran Taiwanese actor Hsieh Tsu-wu and the young actors and director in the show, the theme of this episode is revealed. Hsieh Tsu-wu describes that for his generation, success is like climbing a mountain—when an opportunity arises, you must bravely and swiftly seize it, even if it’s on a barren hill. But just keep climbing upward. In contrast, modern young people are well-equipped with GPS, hiking backpacks, and more, yet they lack the courage to charge forward and hesitate.
The Dakeng Hiking Trail is booming, with the Taichung City Government continuing to invest funds in its renovation
The Dakeng Scenic Area currently has 12 hiking trails, making it a highly popular hiking destination. To ensure hiker safety, the Taichung City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau secured NT$46 million in funding this year for trail maintenance. Among these, Trail No. 5 has been completed, while Trails No. 2, 4, 6, and 10 will be successively renovated, with completion expected by the end of the year. The Taichung Tourism and Travel Bureau stated that the city government is promoting the "Hundred Kilometers Hiking Trail Plan," prioritizing the improvement of aging facilities along the Dakeng hiking trails. Trail No. 5 was recently renovated, with the Hero’s Slope—originally just 1 meter wide—widened to 1.5 meters, earning praise from hikers. Dakeng Trail No. 10 can connect with Trails No. 9 and 9-1 to form a looped hiking route and leads to the Guanyin Pavilion rest area. It also links with Trail No. 6, forming a one-day hiking network and is the most popular route in the Dakeng Scenic Area.
Explore Taichung in Summer: Cycling and Hiking Are Both Great Options
To attract domestic tourists for in-depth travel experiences, the Taichung City Government has specially promoted two major projects: the Four-Ring Bicycle Route and the Hundred-Kilometer Hiking Trail. These initiatives establish four major cycling networks: the Small Ring, Medium Ring, River Loop, and Mega Ring, while also adding 13 new hiking trails. The Mountain Route, Coastal Route, and Phase 1 of the Fengyuan Boulevard have been completed, with the remaining cycling and hiking trails expected to be fully finished by 2020. Chen Yu-cheng, Deputy Director of the Tourism and Travel Bureau, gave a special presentation on the Two Major Projects—the Four-Ring Bicycle Route and the Hundred-Kilometer Hiking Trail—during the municipal government meeting on the 17th. Chen Yu-cheng said that the city government is building a four-ring bicycle route network, including the Fengyuan Boulevard Bicycle Path (Small Ring, 12 km), Tanyashen Bicycle Path (Medium Ring, 45 km), River Loop Bicycle Path (Large Ring, 76 km), and the Mountain, Coastal, and Jiahou Line Bicycle Paths (Mega Ring, 141.4 km), catering to cyclists of all levels from beginners to enthusiasts.
The Central Taiwan Ring Road bicycle trail and the Hundred-Mile Mountain Hiking Trail were completed in 2020.
To attract domestic tourists for in-depth travel experiences, the Taichung City Government has launched two major initiatives: the Four-Ring Bicycle Trail Network and the Hundred-Mile Mountain Hiking Trail. These projects establish four major cycling networks — the Small Ring, Medium Ring, River Loop, and Mega Ring — and add 13 new hiking trails. Among them, the Mountain Line, Coastal Line, and Phase I of the Fengyuan Boulevard have been completed, with the remaining cycling and hiking trails expected to be finished by 2020. Chen Yu-cheng, Deputy Director of the Tourism and Travel Bureau, gave a special presentation on the Two Major Projects — the Four-Ring Bicycle Trail Network and the Hundred-Mile Mountain Hiking Trail — during the municipal government meeting on the 17th. Chen Yu-cheng said the city government is building a four-ring bicycle trail network, including the Fengyuan Boulevard Bicycle Trail (Small Ring, 12 km), the Tan-Ya-Shen Bicycle Trail (Medium Ring, 45 km), the River Loop Bicycle Trail (Large Ring, 76 km),
Netizens’ Top 10 Hiking Trails Debated: #1 Mountain Once Saw NTU Students Raise NT$500,000 for a Fundraiser
In recent years, the trend of outdoor activities has swept in from abroad to Taiwan, giving people more options on holidays beyond visiting scenic spots—such as camping, hiking, and mountaineering. Many hiking clubs have also sensed a business opportunity, launching easier and more beginner-friendly hiking trips, making mountain climbing no longer seem so daunting or out of reach. The Online Temperature Meter, through the “KEYPO Big Data Key Engine,” surveyed netizens’ discussions. Let’s take a look at the most talked-about hiking trails. There’s the Shimen Mountain Hiking Trail, which takes just 40 minutes round trip, and the Caming Lake Hiking Trail, located above 3,000 meters in altitude and known as the “Angel’s Tear.” Topping the list is the Nanhu Mountain Hiking Trail. Located on the northern section of the Central Mountain Range’s main ridge, Nanhu Mountain is the third highest peak of the Central Mountain Range and is known as one of Taiwan’s “Five Great Mountains” due to its majestic presence. Interestingly, two years ago, students from National Taiwan University’s Leadership Program launched a sponsorship campaign online, hoping to raise NT$500,000 for their climb up this mountain.
Weekend climb on low-altitude Qiezilai Mountain: Two lightly equipped hikers get lost
Weekend hiking has become a popular leisure activity, but two hikers who planned to climb the 530-meter low-altitude Qiezilai Mountain underestimated safety precautions and got lost before reaching the summit. They called 119 for help, and firefighters used mobile phone positioning to conduct a nighttime rescue, eventually guiding the lost hikers down the mountain safely. Recently, two hikers from Kaohsiung took advantage of a holiday to climb Qiezilai Mountain, located in Pingtung’s Mudan Township. It took them about two hours from the trailhead to reach the summit area. However, the pair had done little advance planning and chose to climb the mountain lightly equipped, carrying only water and some snacks. Although the trail was marked with ribbons left by other hikers, the route is usually quiet, overgrown with weeds and fallen trees, making the climb more difficult. Additionally, the path was intertwined with hunting and animal trails, further reducing visibility. Although there were markings along the way,
The UTOUR Trace-Free Mountain Hiking Event opens registration starting July 19
Calling on everyone to hike responsibly and protect the beauty of our mountains, the UTOUR Trace-Free Mountain Hiking Event has entered its 10th year this year. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, in conjunction with the National Mountain Day hiking event on November 19, from now until July 27, all UTOUR retail stores nationwide are offering an 15% discount on selected pairs of lightweight, breathable mountain hiking shoes for small hills, plus a free pair of cooling socks during the promotion period. There are also many recommended must-have items for summer hill hiking.
The Mountain-Facing School Teaches Mountain Safety
With mountain accidents occurring frequently, Taitung County Government revitalized an unused school building and applied for Huadong Fund subsidies to transform the now-closed Haiduan Township’s Xiaobaihsi Branch of Heiding Elementary School into the nation’s first “Mountain-Facing School.” Officially opened on the 28th, it serves as a training center for mountain education across the county and allows students to experience the culture of coexisting with nature in the mountains. The main advocate behind mountain-facing education is Du Lifang, mother of Zhang Bowei who died in a 2011 mountain accident on Hehuanshan in Nantou. Thanks to her active efforts, Taitung County Government repurposed the unused former Xiaobaihsi Branch to establish the country’s first Mountain-Facing School, which was officially inaugurated yesterday. Du Lifang commended Magistrate Huang Jiann-teng and the Taitung County Government for their long-term vision. She noted that the Mountain-Facing School will not only offer mountaineering courses but also focus on safety in mountain environments and at the increasing number of mountain entry points. Huang Jiann-teng stated that the goal of the Mountain-Facing School is
A Little Summer Getaway: Hike in Pinglin to Beat the Heat & DIY Tea the Traditional Way
A Little Summer Getaway: Head to the mountains to cool off and sip fragrant tea. New Taipei City’s Pinglin District boasts a century-long tea-making heritage. During the tea harvest season, the fragrance of tea wafts across the hills, telling the story of this unique landscape and local culture. The New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau has organized four “Pinglin Low-Impact Travel” experience tours from June to December. The first session is scheduled to depart on Saturday, July 8. Online registration opens at 8:00 AM on June 29, with a participation fee of NT$250 per person and a limit of 25 people per session. Gather your friends and family and sign up together!
Over 100 university students attend mountain training; Minister of Education presides over opening ceremony
The Ministry of Education held a national college student mountain climbing safety training workshop in the mountainous area near Gale Lake in Yilan County from June 26 to 30, with a total of 101 participants. Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung specially went to Yilan Elementary School today to preside over the opening ceremony. He expressed his hope that the trainees would pass on and share the practical skills they learned in self-protection, survival, and disaster avoidance with other members of their school’s mountaineering clubs. Summer is the peak season for college students to go mountain climbing, but without proper knowledge, accidents can easily happen. Therefore, the Ministry of Education invites instructors, students, and student support personnel from college mountaineering clubs across the country to participate in the mountain climbing safety training workshop every year, aiming to enhance students’ mountaineering safety skills and reduce the occurrence of mountain accidents. This year’s college student mountain training course is divided into specialized lectures
Ignoring warnings leads to mountain rescue risks — Yilan to introduce charges for rescue fees
Every year during typhoons or flood seasons, there are frequent reports of people ignoring official warnings and forcibly going hiking or engaging in sea fishing activities. When they encounter danger, local governments have to urgently deploy large amounts of manpower and resources for disaster relief and rescue, wasting public resources. Following Taichung, Nantou, and Hualien, Yilan County will also enact an autonomous ordinance stipulating that rescue-related expenses incurred due to dangerous incidents caused by ignoring warnings during alert periods will be borne by the individuals responsible. Yilan Acting Magistrate Wu Zecheng stated that general rescue operations are the government’s responsibility. If someone goes hiking or engages in other activities during normal times and needs government assistance due to an accident, it is something the government should rightfully do — there is no issue with that.
The Peak Cloud Ten-Year Mountaineering Team arrives in Chengdu
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Peak Cloud Society at China Agricultural University, alumni formed the "Peak Cloud Ten-Year" mountaineering team, while current students applied individually and underwent rigorous selection and training. Veterans and newcomers came together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Peak Cloud with a double-route ascent of Xuebao Ding. This Peak Cloud Ten-Year mountaineering team consists of 15 ...
Austrian NORTHLAND Walking Ambassador Teams Up with Chen Kun
Walking, once started, never ends. On July 24, the internationally renowned outdoor brand NORTHLAND from Austria proudly announced that Susanne Borufka, a well-known Austrian traveler and co-founder of NORTHLAND, will serve as the brand’s “Walking” Ambassador and join forces with Chen Kun’s “Walking the Power” initiative to embark on...
The North Face? Makes Its Debut at the 2013 Asia Outdoor Exhibition
As a world-renowned professional outdoor sports brand, The North Face? will participate in the 8th Asia Outdoor Exhibition, held from July 24 to 27, 2013, at the Nanjing International Expo Center. This marks The North Face?'s first appearance at the Asia Outdoor Exhibition. As a debut event, The North Face? will bring its strongest ...
60-year-old hiker injured in fall on trail in Wulai, sent to hospital with minor injuries
At around 2 p.m. today (24th), five hikers were descending from the 1.5 km point of the Hapen Ancient Trail in Wulai District when a 60-year-old man surnamed Huang accidentally slipped and fell 15 meters down a slope. The New Taipei City Fire Department was alerted and immediately dispatched personnel for a rescue operation. The injured man was lifted to safety using a hoisting method. Huang was conscious but sustained head lacerations, as well as cuts and abrasions on his feet. After being carried to the trailhead, he was transported by ambulance to Ciji Hospital in Xindian. Another hiker who was with the group was also sent to the hospital due to exhaustion.