Nanhu Mountain~ Flower Season（南湖大山）2013/5/24 (Fri.) ~ 5/28 (Tue.)

★ Nanhu Mountain~ Flower Season（南湖大山）2013/5/24 (Fri.) ~ 5/28 (Tue.)

By YiRu Li

Nanhu Mountain is 3,742 meters high and the highest peak in the Central Mountain Range. It is also one of the Five Mountains of Taiwan.
Its most well-known characteristic is the cirque, which is circled by two ridges, one reaching from the north peak to the northeast peak and the other from the east peak to the summit. It is generally believed to be a cirque left over from the last ice age. 

In Nanhu, flora mainly includes alpine tundra ecosystems and coniferous forest ecosystems. Unique plants commonly seen here are Juniperus squamata, alpine azalea, and hemlock. Old growth forests cover most of this area, making an ideal living environment for mammals. As a result, a wide variety of mammals live in the area between Nanhu Mountain and Central Range Point, including Formosan rock monkeys, muntjacs, white-headed flying squirrels, alpine accentors, and Formosan laughing thrushes.

In late May, flowers bloom everywhere in Nanhu Mountain. Let’s go to enjoy the most beautiful flower season in Taiwan’s High Mountains!

'Top Hundred' mountains:

1.      Shenmazhen Mountain 審馬陣山 3141m

2.      Nanhu Mountain North Peak 南湖北峰 3536m

3.      Nanhu Mountain 南湖大山 3742m

4.      Nanhu Mountain East Peak 南湖大山東峰 3632m

★ Itinerary：
D0 5/24 (Friday) 19:30 Depart 出發 → 22:30 The hostel in YuLan Village 玉蘭村(茶鄉園民宿-四人套房)

D1 5/25 (Saturday) 07:00 Start hiking 出發 → 11:00 Entrance of 6.8K Trail 710 → 13:30 Tuochiatun Cabin 多加屯山 → 15:00 Mukan Saddle 木杆鞍部 → 16:00 New Yunleng Cabin 雲稜山莊C1 (Water)

D2 5/26 (Sunday) 06:00 Start hiking 出發 → 08:45 Shenmazhen Mountain 審馬陣山→12:00 North Peak Cross Road 南湖北峰登山口→ Nanhu Mountain North Peak 南湖北峰→ Wuyanfeng 五岩峰→15:00 Nanhu Shelter 南胡山屋C2 (Water)

D3 5/27 (Monday) 04:00 Start hiking 出發 → 06:00 Nanhu Mountain East Peak 南湖大山東峰 → 08:30 Nanhu Mountain 南湖大山→ 09:30 Nanhu Mountain Cabin 南湖山屋 → 11:00 Nanhu Mountain North Peak crossing 南湖大山北峰登山口→Shenmazhen Cross Road 審馬陣山登山口 → 16:30 New Yunleng Cabin 雲稜山莊C3 (Water)

D4 5/28 (Tuesday) 04:00 Start hiking 出發 → 04:30 Mukan Saddle 木杆鞍部 → 08:30 6.8K Mountain entrance 登山口 → 09:45 Trailhead 思源啞口登山口 →11:45 JiaoXi Hot Spring 礁溪春和溫泉 → 13:00 Lunch at restaurant 慶功宴→ 17:00 Arrive Taipei 返回台北

Map: http://www.sunriver.com.tw/takayama/nanhu.htm

http://www.sunriver.com.tw/images/takayama/yama_024b.jpg

National Park Admission Permit application website:

http://permits2.taroko.gov.tw/welcome/index.aspx

Only need to apply Park Admission Permit. The system will automatically apply mountain admission permit for you. After get the permits successfully, please print the permits and bring them to the trip.

Public Transportation to trailhead -- Shengguang 勝光 (張良橋)

1.Traffic Information Bus 1751 from Yilan 宜蘭 to Wuling Farm 武陵農場
   Take Kuo-Kauang bus in Yilan Transfer Center (See on Google map)
   Yilan to Wuling Farm: 07:30 /12:40
   Wuling Farm to Yilan: 08:30 / 13:30
   Timetable may change. Please check Kuo-Kauang bus國光巴士 Website:
   http://www.kingbus.com.tw/down2.php?li_code=4U030327

   http://www.kingbus.com.tw/down2.php?li_code=4F140305

2.Traffic Information Bus 1764 from Luodong 羅東 to Wuling Farm武陵農  場
   Take Kuo-Kauang bus in Luodong Station (See on Google map)
   Luodong to Wuling Farm: 07:00
   Wuling Farm to Luodong: 13:00

   Timetable may change. Please check Kuo-Kauang bus國光巴士 Website:

   http://www.kingbus.com.tw/down2.php?li_code=4U040107

   http://www.kingbus.com.tw/down2.php?li_code=4F140426

B&B Breakfast

B&B garden

Watermelon field

Waiting for road passing, because it was a landslide last night and the road is under construction.

Waiting for road passing

Start hiking~ walking through a big fruit and vegetable farm~

Firebreak alley in forest. We came from left side and follow this alley connecting to Entrance of 6.8K Trail 710. Holy Ridge view is behind.

Connected to Entrance of 6.8K Trail 710

Fulong 20 kilometers circle Biking Way

Fulong 20 kilometers circle Biking Way

By YiRu Li 2013/6/6               

Where is a biking way that is close to Taipei, has great scenery and isn’t too short? Fulong’s 20-kilometer round-trip bike path is the best choice!

Along this path, you can visit the most amazing beaches on northeast coast. The northeast coast is famous for wave-cut benches. Many creatures live on the benches. You can even see many fish living in the rock holes of the bench. In spring, seaweed grows everywhere and makes the benches totally green.

Besides rock beaches, Fulong also has a famous white sand beach. Many activities are arranged here: swimming, surfing, diving, boating, music concert and sand sculptures.

Fulong is the hometown of delicious food. The most famous Fulong lunch box shop is the first shop on the left as you exit the train station. You can also try cool and delicious seaweed jelly.

Biking around Fulong is the best way to enjoy so many great things at the same time!

Transportation:

Take train to Fulong. There are several bike-rental shops in front of the train station.

Map:

http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/bicycle_web/page01.html

http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/

★ Itinerary: 
09:05 Meet everyone at Taipei Railway Station Lobby South 1 Entrance and take train 4162.(AM. 9:35 NTD 83)→ 10:58 Arrive Fulong, have lunch and rent Bike. → 11:50 Start Biking around Northeast Coast.→ 13:30. Arrive Maoao, look around fish village and check out traditional stone houses.→ 14:00 Keep Biking and enjoy the beautiful beach.→ 16:30 Back to Fulong and take train to Taipei. (Train 4193 PM 16:51) → 18:16 Arrive Taipei.

Biking Way from Fulong Train Station

Shicheng 石城

Bike path along the coast

Wave-cut bench

Seaweed

Sandiaojiao 三貂角

Fishermen’s Historic Trail + BA-IAN Hot Spring (魚路古道+八煙溫泉)

Fishermen’s Historic Trail + BA-IAN Hot Spring (魚路古道+八煙溫泉)

By YiRu Li 2013.4.7

Yangmingshan National Park is famous for its volcanic terrain. Volcanic Mountains, fumaroles, and hot springs are the most special scenery in Yanmingshan National Park.

In this trip we’ll visit Da-You fumarole and Ba-Ian Hot Spring through Fishermen’s Historic Trail. It’s a trip we can enjoy the treasures of volcanos and also understand ancestors’ historical activities in this area. After such a great day, let’s enjoy the best wild vegetables and chicken with a dinner at Bamboo Lake!

Dayou fumarole (大油坑) — A former sulfur mining place. Ancient mining equipment and roads are still left around the fumarole.

Ba-ian Hot Spring (八煙溫泉) — Probably the best hot spring in Taiwan! It’s easily reached via public transportation and located at a riverside where hot springs mix with a cold stream. The water is full of minerals which have an excellent healing effect.

Fishermen’s Historic Trail (魚路古道/ 金包里大路) — 100 years ago, this trail was used by fishermen who carried their fish from North coast to sell in Taipei. Today, we still can see many historical remains on this trail: a fishermen’s water-drinking place, villages, terrace fields, stone workshops, bridges and stoves.

Bamboo Lake (竹子湖) — Bamboo Lake vegetable and free range chicken — Volcano is not only for watching, it also can be eaten!!! The vegetable in Bamboo Lake is irrigated by hot spring water from Xaio-You Femoral (小油坑). Full of minerals, the vegetables have rich flavors! Free range chickens are raised on the volcanic soil and become super delicious!

★Itinerary: 
10:10 Meet everyone at MRT Jiantan Station Exit1 and take bus. (Small 15, NTD15)→ 11:10 Arrive Cingtiangang (擎天崗) and start hiking. → 12:30 Arrive Dayou fumarole (大油坑).  → 14:30 Ba-ian Hot Spring trailhead (Royal Bus station: 八煙 (綠峰山莊)) → 15:00 Arrive Ba-ian Hot Spring. → 17:00 Take Royal Bus (1717) back to MRT Jiantan Station. (NTD107, http://www.royalbus.com.tw/) or go to bamboo Lake for dinner → 19:00 Back to MRT Jiantan Station.

★Transportation:

Cingtiangang (擎天崗): Take bus Small 15 from MRT Jiantan Station Exit1 http://bcbusstop.myweb.hinet.net/r1/r1_small/zs015.htm

Ba-ian Hot Spring:

Up trailhead: Royal Bus(1717) station: 八煙 (綠峰山莊)

Down trailhead: Royal Bus(1717) station: 強薪 (陽明山水、八煙溫泉) or Ba-ian hot spring resort

http://www.royalbus.com.tw/

★Map:

Cingtiangang Trailhead

Dayou fumarole (大油坑)

Xu-Yan Bridge (許顏橋): Richman Xu-Yan built this bridge in 1896.

A cliff on Fishermen’s Historical Trail

Ba-ian Hot Spring

Pass stream on the way to Down-Trailhead of Ba-ian Hot Spring

Dinner at Bamboo Lake

A-Yu Stream River Tracing 阿玉溪溯溪

A-Yu Stream River Tracing 阿玉溪溯溪

By YiRu Li for 2012/9/22 river tracing trip       Photo by Ching-hung Liu

Hot summer has lasted for a long time. We have to find a river to cool down! Where is a good river which is easy to reach, beautiful, wild and suitable for swimming? A-Yu Stream in Wulai area is the best choice.

There was a typhoon one week before our trip. We may expect a lot of water for fun! Judging by the trash along the river side, the water in A-Yu Stream could be at least 3m high during the typhoon days.

There were two places of the river we set up ropes to pass the strong currents. It was dangerous, so we didn’t have time to take pictures. We also needed to climb rocks and cross the river at many deep spots. Our leader has really good skills to ensure our safety and overcome the strenuous challenges of the river!

Let’s start our happy river tracing right now!

Itinerary:

AM9:00 Taipei MRT Xindian (新店) Station and take bus 849 out of the station (NT45). à AM10:00 Arrive Wulai and take taxi to A-Yu (阿玉) Stream (NT400). à AM10:30 Arrive Xiaoyi (孝義) Police Office and apply permits. à AM 10:50 Arrive A-Yu Stream and start river tracing. à PM 15:30 Arrive confluence and climb to Xikeng (西坑) Forest Road. à PM 17:30 Arrive main road and call taxi. à PM 18:30 Arrive Wulai.

In this trip we have 4 people. Our leader is Ching-hung Liu (middle). He is a former captain of the Mountaineering Club of National Chengchi University. He is good at rock climbing and river tracing. During the trip he carefully took care of us by setting ropes and belaying. It’s a great joy and safe to go river tracing with him!

The water flow of the rivet is gentle and good for beginners.

It’s like hiking in the river~

Climb higher to avoid strong currents.

Keep hiking comfortably in the river~

A calm river~

Arrive at the famous swimming pool of A-Yu Stream~

Many deep ponds of A-Yu Stream had lots of white foam on the day of our trip.

Rock Climbing

The deep pond we can’t swim in.

Our lunch time was on an open riverbank.

The rotang seemed washed by at least 3m high water and floated to an unusually high place.

Strong current~

Climbing high again~

Cross river~

Arrived at an amazing smelling super great waterfall and there was a fisherman fishing in front of the waterfall. It seems the water is broken by the cliff’s stones into very little particles and it makes the atmosphere smell so great! What a joy to fish here! I didn’t want to leave here, either!

Happy fisherman~

Hope to swim in this deep pond, but we can’t…lots of white foam means it’s very dangerous for swimming.

A stone that looks like a shell.

Arrived at the confluence and there is a trail on the left side connected to XiKeng Forest Road西坑林道.

XiKeng Forest Road西坑林道. We followed it to the main road and back to Wulai.