The Hupao Pond Ancient Trail is located in Daping, Shuangxi District, New Taipei City. It was historically a mountain pass connecting Daping in Shuangxi with Neidaxi in Yilan. Around 7:00 p.m. on the 9th, two hikers got lost in the area. Upon receiving the report, the Ruifang Precinct of the New Taipei City Police Department immediately formed a search and rescue team with police, volunteer firefighters, and paramedics to carry out the rescue mission.
Police stated that the two male hikers, who worked for the same company, had set off at 8:00 a.m. on the 9th from an ancient trail near Jilin Elementary School in Gongliao, accompanied by a colleague, heading toward Tai Ping’s Hupao Pond. By the time they climbed to Zhuzishan at the border of Jilin and Taiping, it was almost 8:00 p.m. They discovered that the path to the Hupao Pond Ancient Trail had been nearly unrecognizable due to the impact of two recent typhoons. Coupled with the dark, quiet surroundings and lack of lighting equipment, as well as a sudden drop in mountain temperatures, the two had no choice but to call the police for help when they found themselves in a hopeless situation.
Officers Li Qichang and Wan Zhixiong from the Taiping Station of the Ruifang Precinct immediately set out with 12 members from the Shuangxi and Gongliao Fire Departments from Hupao Pond upon receiving the distress call. The rescue team spent five hours navigating the rugged, broken road of the ancient trail through thick fog to reach Zhuzishan. After searching the vicinity for nearly an hour, they finally located the two hikers around 4:00 a.m. on the 10th. After confirming that both were in good health, they were safely escorted back to the Taiping Police Station by 7:00 a.m. on the 10th, where they rested before being picked up by their colleague.
When asked why they chose to hike such a rarely used trail, they explained that there is a group of avid hiking colleagues at their company, and they were scouting the route for their next group hiking trip. They simply didn’t know that the ancient trail in Tai Ping had become nearly impossible to navigate due to the recent typhoons. They expressed deep gratitude for the rescue team’s efforts, saying they were lucky to escape the ordeal unharmed. “We really don’t know if we could have survived the night without their help,” they said.
Police once again urge hikers to venture into the mountains with companions, ensure all hiking gear is adequately prepared in advance, and avoid hiking after natural disasters or heavy rainfall to prevent danger.
(China Times)