Mount Great King

　　   Mount Great King is part of Taiwan’s Snow Mountain Range. Among the famous Taiwan Hundred Peaks, Mount Great King, along with Central Peak and Dafen Peak, is collectively known as the “Three Peaks.” Currently, Mount Great King and Snow Mountain are within Shei-Pa National Park. Taiwan’s Atayal and Saisiyat indigenous peoples firmly believe that Mount Great King is the sacred birthplace of their ancestors and have always regarded it as a holy mountain.

　　   The cylindrical shape of Mount Great King, its sheer cliffs on all sides, and the absence of vegetation give it a unique form, earning it the reputation of Taiwan’s “Wonder Peak of the Century.”

　　   As Mount Great King is considered a sacred ancestral birthplace by the Atayal and Saisiyat peoples, climbing to the summit was traditionally prohibited until Japanese mountaineers made the first successful ascent in 1927.

　　   One of the reasons Mount Great King attracts climbers is its stunning geological landscape. Upon reaching the summit, one can see the massive rock spires formed by the weathering of hard sandstone on both Great King Peak and Little King Peak. This landscape, where solid formations rise above horizontal strata, is a rare sight among Taiwan’s high mountains.

　　   Moreover, along the climbing route, varying elevations offer views of broadleaf forests, mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests, and coniferous forest zones. You can also see Taiwan’s native cypress forests, known as the “Mist Forest,” where Taiwan red cypress and Taiwan incense cedar intertwine to form vast, mesmerizing woodland — the most enchanting scenery of Mount Great King. The area’s rich animal ecology further makes Mount Great King a cherished destination for hikers.

　　   Shei-Pa National Park centers around Snow Mountain and Mount Great King. The park stretches from Luoyewei Mountain in the east to Dongxishui Mountain in the west, from Yuluwei Mountain in the south to Jingjie Mountain in the north, covering a total area of approximately 76,850 hectares. It includes the Guanwu Recreation Area

　　   (Wufeng Township and Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County), Xueshan Recreation Area (Tai’an Township, Miaoli County), and Wuling Recreation Area (Heping Township, Taichung County).