A 61-year-old man surnamed Hsieh and his friends were climbing the Four Beauties of Wuling when he decided to turn back alone to Taoshan Mountain Hut during their attempt on Mount Kalayeh on the 11th. He has been missing ever since, with search efforts now in their 19th day yielding no results. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters urged that mountain activities are best done in groups.
The park management noted that Hsieh, an avid photographer, along with four friends, applied to enter the mountains under the name of the Taoyuan Hiking Team to climb the Four Beauties of Wuling. On the morning of the 11th, the group set off in two smaller parties — one of three and one of two — to tackle Mount Kalayeh. Along the way, Hsieh told his teammates in the first party that he was feeling tired and didn’t want to reach the summit, deciding instead to return to Taoshan Mountain Hut on his own.
Around noon that day, the second party, which had set off later, reportedly saw Hsieh about 0.7 kilometers away from the hut. However, by evening, when the four team members had all returned to the hut, Hsieh was nowhere to be found, prompting them to launch a search before quickly reporting him missing.
Search efforts involving fire departments from Taichung, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu, the Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, the Seventh Special Police Corps, and civilian rescue groups such as Taiwan’s Rock Rescue Team have continued, but Hsieh remains missing after 19 days.
Deputy Director Zhong Mingshan of the Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters stated that on the second day of the search, suspected signs of Hsieh’s excrement were found, and on the 16th, possible new footprints and a slip point were also discovered. However, after rescue personnel rappelled about 500 meters down into the valley to search, they still found nothing.
Zhong Mingshan said that the Four Beauties of Wuling are classified as a Grade B hiking route, which is not particularly difficult or challenging, with relatively gentle elevation changes and clear paths. In recent years, there have been few incidents of hikers getting lost. However, mountain activities are unpredictable — aside from slippery grassy slopes, overgrown vegetation can sometimes obscure trails, and one misstep could lead to a fall into a ravine or taking a wrong turn.
The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters stated that past mountain accident cases have shown that solo climbing is extremely dangerous. Although this disappearance was not caused by solo climbing, being alone after separating from a group still carries risks. The park especially urges the public to “avoid hiking alone” in mountainous areas and to travel in groups whenever possible, as this increases the chances of rescue. If lost, it is best to stay put and wait for help while taking measures to stay warm. 1050429
(CNA)