Due to prolonged drought, water availability along hiking routes in Yushan National Park is critically low, with water shortages reported at various mountain huts. The Dashuiku area has even completely dried up. The park management reminds hikers to conserve water, and due to the dry conditions, they must also be extra cautious to prevent wildfires.
Lin Wenhe, deputy director of Yushan National Park Headquarters, noted that the Paiyun Lodge on the main peak trail of Yushan has two water sources. One of them, which relies on natural gravity-fed flow from an elevation difference, dried up in mid-November. Currently, water is being collected from a valley about 300 meters below the lodge, but the supply is just a trickle, making the resource extremely limited. Everyone is urged to use water sparingly.
Most of the refuge huts in Yushan Park collect and store rainwater through rooftop gutters, making them more susceptible to dry weather and prolonged lack of rainfall. As a result, huts such as Yuanshan, Dashuiku, and Lulugou currently have empty water tanks. Hikers planning to visit should make their own arrangements and plan for reasonable water usage. The current water status of all refuge huts in Yushan Park is posted on the park’s online entry application system and official Facebook page for hikers’ reference. The public is encouraged to make use of these resources and help report updates on water conditions to benefit fellow hikers.
The park management reminds hikers that due to the dry conditions, they should exercise extreme caution when cooking with fire to prevent sparks from causing wildfires or damage to facilities and forests.
(China Times)