Post by dionysius on Jan 12, 2013 23:11:49 GMT
It seems amazing that on an island the size of Munster with a population of 23 million people that in the mountains we saw no one else for three days; this shows how successful the restrictive policies of the government of the Republic of China are effective in keeping people out of the mountainous regions. We needed two permits: a National park Entry Permit obtained at least a week in advance, and got through an agent and a Mountain Permit given by the Police on production of the required paperwork.
We had permission to climb the Holy Ridge of the Snow Mountain in Sheipa National Park of northern Taiwan.
Snow had fallen above 3000m and this had consolidated and frozen so that some section we needed to put on crampons and use the ice axe, awkward when there was climbing involved, which there was in several sections, some quite exposed and made more difficult by the altitude. The altitude completely drained the energy from the Club Chairman reducing our pace to less than a kilometre an hour on the high ridge and at times we struggled to go at that speed.
Temperatures at night were at least -7C and most probably lower but the huts were fine and we had them to ourselves except for the lower ones where sleep was interrupted by the pattering of small furry feet.
We were fortunate with having good weather on the high section of our trek, sunny every day and above the clouds, which kept the eastern coastal lands in a constant mist; the views of mountain ridges above mist wreathed valleys and gnarled trees on ridge lines were something from a classical Chinese painting, inspiring.
We arrived in Hong Kong on Christmas Day. In a outdoor equipment shop on producing my MI card I was given 50% discount on a guidebook to the Macelhose Trail. We started on the 100km trail on St Stephen's Day and completed it four days later. By far the best part of it was on the first day when it brought us to beautiful sandy coves and tiny fishing villages accessible only on foot or by boat. One other noteworthy part of the trail was cresting a ridge and seeing the high rise towers of Kowloon rising up from the plain far below.
Then it was back to Taiwan to continue our travels down the thinly populated east coast. In Taroko and Yushan national Parks we followed mountain paths built by the Japanese during their occupation of the island; in places the paths were cut out of cliff faces giving an airy walk.
Taiwan is a wonderful land!
We had permission to climb the Holy Ridge of the Snow Mountain in Sheipa National Park of northern Taiwan.
Snow had fallen above 3000m and this had consolidated and frozen so that some section we needed to put on crampons and use the ice axe, awkward when there was climbing involved, which there was in several sections, some quite exposed and made more difficult by the altitude. The altitude completely drained the energy from the Club Chairman reducing our pace to less than a kilometre an hour on the high ridge and at times we struggled to go at that speed.
Temperatures at night were at least -7C and most probably lower but the huts were fine and we had them to ourselves except for the lower ones where sleep was interrupted by the pattering of small furry feet.
We were fortunate with having good weather on the high section of our trek, sunny every day and above the clouds, which kept the eastern coastal lands in a constant mist; the views of mountain ridges above mist wreathed valleys and gnarled trees on ridge lines were something from a classical Chinese painting, inspiring.
We arrived in Hong Kong on Christmas Day. In a outdoor equipment shop on producing my MI card I was given 50% discount on a guidebook to the Macelhose Trail. We started on the 100km trail on St Stephen's Day and completed it four days later. By far the best part of it was on the first day when it brought us to beautiful sandy coves and tiny fishing villages accessible only on foot or by boat. One other noteworthy part of the trail was cresting a ridge and seeing the high rise towers of Kowloon rising up from the plain far below.
Then it was back to Taiwan to continue our travels down the thinly populated east coast. In Taroko and Yushan national Parks we followed mountain paths built by the Japanese during their occupation of the island; in places the paths were cut out of cliff faces giving an airy walk.
Taiwan is a wonderful land!
