A 61-year-old man surnamed Hsieh and four hiking companions went to hike the Four Beauties of Wuling in Heping District yesterday. Unexpectedly, Mr. Hsieh went missing this evening on Peach Mountain. The Second Brigade of the Taichung City Fire Department dispatched four members to conduct a mountain rescue. Due to heavy rain on the mountain, it is expected to take over six hours to reach the Peach Mountain hut.
Five hikers from Taoyuan and New Taipei applied for entry into the mountain area under the name of a hiking group through the Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, planning a three-day itinerary for the Four Beauties of Wuling, including Pintian Mountain, Chiyu Mountain, Peach Mountain, and Kalayeh Mountain. Yesterday morning, they entered via the Chiyu Mountain trailhead near the Peach Mountain Waterfall and arrived at the Xinda Hut. This morning, they proceeded from Xinda Hut to Peach Mountain Hut for a short rest. Later, they split into two groups to attempt the summit of Kalayeh Mountain, planning to descend tomorrow.
Due to intermittent rain on the mountain today, shortly after setting off, Mr. Hsieh told the first group that the weather was poor and he wanted to return to Peach Mountain Hut to rest. When the second group set off from the hut, they encountered Mr. Hsieh at the 0.7 km mark. However, when they returned to Peach Mountain Hut in the evening, they could not find Mr. Hsieh or his light gear—only his heavy equipment remained inside the hut. Concerned for his safety, the team immediately reported the situation to the fire department.
Wu Chin-tsung, head of the Second Disaster Response Brigade, stated that four rescuers were sent up the mountain last night. Due to the torrential rain and poor trail conditions, it is expected to take over six hours to reach Peach Mountain Hut.
(China Times)