Yushan(玉山)
Mt. Jade, an elevation of 3952, is the highest mountain in both Taiwan and Northeast Asia. It is situated around 8 peaks over 3000m and stands on the Centre of Taiwan( spans over Nantou County, Kaohsiung City and Chiayi Count). It is also considered as a holy mountain by Bunun and Tsou.Its trails are maintained well ,and Mt. Jade is one of Taiwan three international mountain hiking routes (the others are the line of Mt. Snow and Mt. Nanhua )
It is not necessary to carry all the gears to hike Mt. Jade. What you need to pack is the clothes and drinking water. Something like food and sleeping bags could be prepared by Paiyung Lodge(make sure to reserve those stuff in advance ).
The first day of hiking, the distance is 8.5K long ,and the ascend is 792m from the trailhead to Paiyun Lodge. Atmospheric pressure is low ,and air is less than ordinary above Paiyun Lodge. Therefore, to enhance physical exercise before hiking and to carry medicine against altitude sickness are very important.
Usually hikers take 2 days 2 nights trip for hiking Mt. Jade, but some would spend 12-14 hours for a trip in one day
[3-daystrip]:Mt. Jade + Alishan : ｔｈｅ ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ 台灣電通Taiwan Telecom ｈｉｋｉｎｇ ｇｒｏｕｐ
[Hiking Yushan in one day]:Usually hikers take 2 days 2 nights trip for hiking Yushan （Ｍｔ．Jade）, but some would spend 12-14 hours for a trip in one day.
Itinerary :
Hikers usually stay at Dongpu lodge(東埔山莊) for a night before the day of hiking(350NT/a night. It is not allowed to cook around there, but you can reserve meals in advance.), and they will walk to the checkpoint at the Tatajia Saddle to hand in the permits (check the Park permit at Paiyun Mountaineering Center(排雲管理站) and the Mountain Entry permit at Tataka Squad(塔塔加小隊). Details: Practical Information-Yushan trails) There is a shuttle bus at the checkpoint to the trailhead (shuttle bus :100NT/each person. It takes 1 hour for a walk of 2.4K.).
Day 1 Donfpu Lodge/ trailhead at Tataka saddle / Paiyun Lodge / (ascent 792m)
07:00 Starting from the Yushan(Mt. Jade) trailhead at Tataka Saddle (elevation: 2610m), hikers usually take pictures with monuments engraved the altitude for memories. The paths to Lu Lin Shan(鹿林山), Shi Shui Shan(石水山), Lu Lin Qian Shan(鹿林前山), Lin Tou Shan(麟趾山) are just across from the Yushan (玉山)trailhead .Travelers could also view the beauty of Mt. Jade on the top of those mountains. .
07:50 at 1.7 K, hikers usually take the first rest at Monroe Pavilion(孟祿亭) which stands on the an elevation of 2838m and is located at the border of temperate forest and cold forest.There is a dry-eco toilet on the right behind the pavilion.
08:30 at 2.7K, it is the trailhead of Yushan front Peak(玉山前峰).(elevation :2823m) Hikers sometimes go hiking to Yushan front Peak on the way back after finishing Yushan trip
09:35 At 5.1K, most hikers will take a rest at Yushan West Peak observation deck(西峰觀景台) (Báimù lín station(白木林站)/ 3096m). There are special birds only in Taiwan called Formosan Laughing Thrushes coming for food, but It’s not allowed to feed those animals in the wild. A toilet is near around at 5K. A steep climb comes from 5.1K to 5.5K.
10:50 At 6.7k,it is The Great Precipice(大峭壁) (3173m)
11:40 At 8.2K, Paiyun Lodge situated around fir forest is 300 meters away from here, a bridge.
12:00 At 8.5K, arrival at Paiyun Lodge (elevation 3402m): 480NT/a night, provided meals for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.(breakfast, brunch /150 NT dinner/300NT sleeping bag/300NT )
舊排雲山莊
排雲山莊觀玉山
排雲山莊觀夕陽
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Day 2 Mt.Jade/ back to Paiyun Lodge/ back to the trailhead of Tataka saddle/ back to Chiayi (ascent 550m, descent 1342m)
03:00 getting up for breakfast.
04:35 setting off for the top of Mt. Jade.
04:50 a sign<0.5K>. Standing on the 86th wooden bridge, you could see A waterfall which is located around 0.4K, (only in rainy season )
05:00 a sign<1.5K to Yuanfong Camp (圓峰營地) ; 1.7 to main peak>Going to the right is the route to Yuanfong Camp, which is the way to Yushan South Peak(玉山南峰)、South Yushan(南玉山)、Dongxiaonanshan(東小南山)、Lushan(鹿山).
Going to the left is the route to the peak of Mt.Jade.
05:25 a sign<0.9K>
05:40 a sign <scree(碎石坡)>.The main peak is 600 meters away from here.On the up left, you will see metal chains and posts which could help hikers ascent to the main peak, but it’s not allowed to go along this path except in snow season.Going to the main peak should take the way on the right. You could see little cat’eye stone reflected on the way. The ascent is mostly gradual with a few steep switchbacks.
05:55 a sign <0.4K>, there are metal chains on the wall for hikers’ safty.
06:05 the intersection of the main peak and the north peak “the wind hole （風口）”<2.2K to the north peak(北峰)、0.2K to the main peak.Some hikers would pick up their trekking poles and wait for the sunrise here. From here, the way to the main peak is 200 meters away, but the treacherous road is ahead toward the top. Thanks to Yushan National Park Rangers set metal chains along the trail for hikers’ safety.
06:25 Made it to Yushan Main Peak On the top, if the weather is perfect, you could see the east peak and the north pear near there,a view to the south peak and mountains on the the 2nd section of southern Central Mountain Range.
day 1
20:00 departed from Chiayi.
22:30 Stayed at 阿里山大峰hotel for the night.
day 2
02:00 Got up and had breakfast. Set off for Tataka.
03:10 One day trip to Yunshan main peak from Tataka parking lot. (shuttle bus runs from 06:30—1700)
04:20 The entrance of Mt.Jade.
05:10 At 7.1K ,Menglu Pavillion, elevation: 2838m. took a 15-mins break.
05:30 At 2.7J, the entrance of Mt.Jade front peak. Taiwan Alpine Rhododendron started blooming along the way from this month.
06:35 At 5.1K at Yushan West Peak observation deck(西峰觀景台), took a 25-mins break.
07:50 At 6.7K ,The Great Precipice(大峭壁).
09:00 At 8.5K, arrived at Paiyun Lodge. Elevation:3402m. took a 40-mins rest.
10:10 a sign<1.5K to Yuanfong Camp (圓峰營地) ; 1.7K to main peak> Going to the right is the route to Yuanfong Camp, which is the way to Yushan South Peak(玉山南峰)、South Yushan(南玉山)、Dongxiaonanshan(東小南山)、Lushan(鹿山).Going to the left is the route to the peak of Mt.Jade.
10:58 a sign <scree(碎石坡)>.The main peak is 600 meters away from here. On the up left, you will see metal chains and posts which could help hikers ascent to the main peak, but it’s not allowed to go along this path except in snow season.
Going to the main peak should take the way on the right. You could see little cat’s eye stone reflected on the way. The ascent is mostly gradual with a few steep switchbacks.
11:30 a sign <0.4K>, there are metal chains on the wall to hold on for hikers’ safty.(the trip went slowly since a member was running on empty. )
11:50 the intersection of the main peak and the north peak “the wind hole （風口）”<2.2K to the north peak(北峰)、0.2K to the main peak.Some hikers would pick up their trekking poles and wait for the sunrise here. From here, the way to the main peak is 200 meters away, but the treacherous road is ahead toward the top. Thanks to Yushan National Park Rangers set metal chains along the trail for hikers’ safety.
12:30 Made it to the top of Mt. Jade. This is the highest mountain in Taiwan. Everyone was excited, but the temperature was -2 Celsius and it was windy and rainy.
13:00 Journey back.
15:00 back to Paiyun Lodge to take a 30-mins rest
21:00 Back to Tataka parking lot, took the tour bus to the hotel at Alishan Forest Recreation Area.(The second group went back to Tataka parking lot at 23:10.)
day 3
Alishan
day -1
15:00 Departed from Chiayi.
17:30 Having dinner and stayed for a night at Dongpu Lodge.
day 1
03:10 Hikers took the shuttle bus to the entrance of Mt.Jade from Tataka parking lot.
03:50 At 7.1K ,Menglu Pavillion, elevation: 2838m.
04:30 at 2.7K, it is the trailhead of Yushan front Peak(玉山前峰).
05:35 At 5.1K at Yushan West Peak observation deck(西峰觀景台), took a 10-mins break.
06:30 At 6.7K ,The Great Precipice(大峭壁)
07:25 At 8.1K,you could see Paiyun Lodge from here.
07:30 At 5.1K at Yushan West Peak observation deck(西峰觀景台), took a 30-mins break.
08:15 a sign<0.5K>.
08:25 a sign<1.5K to Yuanfong Camp (圓峰營地) ; 1.7K to main peak> Going to the right is the route to Yuanfong Camp, which is the way to Yushan South Peak(玉山南峰)、South Yushan(南玉山)、Dongxiaonanshan(東小南山)、Lushan(鹿山).
08:35 a sign<0.9K>
08:40 a sign <scree(碎石坡)>.The main peak is 600 meters away from here.On the up left, there are metal chains and posts which could help hikers ascent to the main peak, but it’s not allowed to go along this path except in snow season.Going to the main peak should take the way on the right. You could see little cat’s eye stone reflected on the way.
08:55 a sign <0.4K>, there are metal chains on the wall to hold on for hikers’ safety.
09:05 the intersection of the main peak and the north peak “the wind hole （風口）”<2.2K to the north peak(北峰)、0.2K to the main peak.
09:25 Made it to the top of Mt.Jade.
10:00 Journey back.
11:20 Back to Paiyun Lodge to have lunch and take a 40-mins rest.
14:45 Back to the entrance of Mt.Jade. took the bus and went back to Chiayi.
Else Itinerary:
It takes 2.5 hours from Chiayi to Dongpu Lodge
It takes 20 mins by bus from Paiyun Mountaineering Center to the trailhead.Suttle bus runs from 6:00 to 17:00 everyday, and it costs 100 NT for a person.It takes 60-70mins for a walk of 2.4K
