YuShan (or Jade Mt), Taiwan

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2010 April: 2-day trip

YuShan, also called Jade Mountain
Taiwan


Prolog

At 3952 meters, YuShan (or Jade Mountain)
is Taiwan's highest mountain.

It is also the highest mountain in
East Asia and the Far East.

To find higher peaks you have to go:
- West to the Himalayan outliers in
  China's SiChuan Province
- North to Kamchatka in Siberia
- East to Mauna Kea in Hawaii
- South to Mt Kinabalu in Malaysia's Sabah State

The area where YuShan stands supreme includes
    Japan,
    Korea,
    Taiwan,
    Indo-China,
    and all of eastern China.

At one stage, the Japanese thought
their Mt Fuji was the highest in this area.

When they landed in Taiwan in the 1890s,
they discovered to their chagrin that
YuShan was even higher.

So they promptly annexed Taiwan in 1900
which solved the embarrassment that
the highest mountain was not in
Japanese territory.


Mountain guides

Supposedly there should be a few
English speaking climbing companies
to YuShan.

But I can only find one:
http://www.barking-deer.com/  (now defunct).
But they never replied to my enquiries.

So I signed up with a local Chinese speaking
company  http://www.yx.com.tw/ .

They are very professional.
The best organized mountain climbing outfit
I have experienced.

The draw back is they only speak/write in Chinese.

But still, if you wish to go with them
and is baffled by their Chinese website
and application forms, contact me.
I may provide limited help with the translation.

On the trip itself,
there bound to be someone in the group
who can speak English to help you out.


The 1st day

The trip is a 2-day climb - west face approach.

Only a day pack is required as a sleeping bag
is provided for the night at a halfway lodge
called Paiyun Lodge.

We only need to carry our own packed lunch,
water and warm clothes.

No need to carry the night's dinner.

The starting point of the climb is at
Paiyun Visitors' Center, 2600 meters,
(now called Paiyun Mountaineering Center)
at the west side of YuShan National Park.

We are there at 9:00am,
register ourselves with the park ranger,
look around and view a video about YuShan.

By the time we start walking, it is 10am.

The first day's track is not too steep.

It is 8.5 km to the halfway Paiyun Lodge
at 3402 meters.

We reach it 6 hours later at 4pm.

Dinner is surprisingly abundant considering
the spartan set up of the lodge.


The night in Paiyun Lodge

We are all in bed well before 8pm.

The beds in the lodge are similar to that
in Japan's Mt Fuji ...

In a small-ish room there are long
double-decker beds on both sides of the wall.

Each deck sleeps 12 people
in sardine-packed style.

Hence a total of 24 people on 2 decks
along one side of the wall;
and another 24 people on the other side
of the wall ...

Thus a total of 48 people in one room.

Naturally it is almost impossible to sleep
in this environment.

You can hear clearly people
    tossing and turning,
    coughing,
    getting in and out of bed.

Everyone is glad to be waken up
by the mountain guide at 2am
for a light breakfast

By 3am we are on our way to the peak in the dark.


Summit day

This part of the climb is steeper.
Thankfully, the park authorities have provided
poles and chains for us to hold on to.

By 5:30am, 2.5km later, we reach the top,
just in time to see the sun rise.

We are lucky, it is a clear day
with not much cloud,
and minimal wind.

As the sun gradually brightens
the surrounding landscape,
we can see the mountain ranges below,
twisting and folding onto each other
due to the collision of the Philippines
and Eurasian Tectonic plates.


Asian trilogy

Of the "Asian trilogy"
    - Malaysia Sabah's Mt Kinabalu, 4095 meters
    - Taiwan's YuShan, 3952 meters
    - Japan's Mt Fuji, 3776 meters
all are similar 2-day climbs.

I find YuShan easiest, because the starting point
of the walk is at 2600 meters.

Whereas the starting point is around 2000 meters
for the other 2 mountains.

Kinabalu has the most fascinating
wind-sculptured rock formations at the top.

YuShan doesn't have them.

But its 360 degree view
of the mountain ranges below
is still a sight to behold.


Pictures

The following photos throw more light
on the climb.


1)  Our group (21 hikers and 2 guides).
- At the trailhead called Tataka Saddle, 2600 m
- About 1.5 km east of Paiyun Visitor's Center
- Here, we start walking at 10 am.

2, 3)  On the trail to the halfway lodge.

4)  On the left is an Azelea.
- They happen to be flowering at this time.
- On the right is a typical tree in YuShan.

5)  Azalea.
- Plenty of them in YuShan.
- They brighten the hill side
  with their lovely flowers.

6)  YuShan is the little bump at centre of this pic.

7, 8, 9)  We reach the halfway lodge at 4 pm.
- It is called Paiyun Lodge (3402 meters).
- We stay here for the night.

10, 11)  Dinner is surprisingly abundant
             considering the spartan set up
             of the lodge.

12)  One of the rooms in the lodge.
- 48 people can be crammed into this little room.

13)  The frail old lady beside me
       must be over 65 years old.
- She made it to the summit the next day.
- Shame to all those who claim they are too old
  to tackle high mountains.

14)  Closer view of the summit.
- We get up at 2 am.
  Have a light breakfast.
  Then start walking towards the summit at 3 am.

15, 16)  Reach the peak, 3952 meters, at 5:30 am
              just in time to see the sun rise.

17, 18, 19, 20, 21)  Returning to Paiyun Lodge.
Glad we scrambled to the top in the dark
and didn't notice the steep slope
and the narrow trail !!!
One slip and you may not be alive.

22, 23)  A covered walkway ...
             to prevent hikers being hit by falling rocks.

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