Advertisement: This is the highest peak in Taiwan, topping out at 12,966 feet. Frequently above the clouds, weather permitting you will be able to see the clouds shift shape and evolve as the day goes on. The approach to the summit follows the edge of a mountain and affords the hiker deep views into the surrounding valley. Spur trails to the four compass directions allow hikers with energy and time further views.
More photographs.
Difficulty: 14 mile out-and-back hike with 4560 feet of elevation change. Summit block is class 2. Options include a long day hike (starting at midnight), pitching a tent somewhere along the way, or staying at Hut (meals and sleeping bag can be provided).
Preparation:
Permits
By far the most annoying part of the prep. Foreigners (non-Taiwanese) have a better chance to get the permit than locals. Here is a guide for English speakers. You have to apply for a permit to hike Yushan (can apply for Paiyun Hut in the same permit – google 玉山國家公園 if the link is broken). It will ask for, amongst other things, a scan of your passport and photo proof that you’ve summited a mountain over 10,000 ft (how they can possibly verify this is beyond me). The draw happens a month before your planned start date. Check the website a month before, because they might not e-mail you (or it might get sent to spam); currently, they publicly announce the winning teams. If you get drawn, you have to pay them by wire transfer before you get the permit (I don’t have advice for how to do this – I asked local relatives to send the money). Once this is done, you have to apply for (yet another) a police mountain permit, which can be done online in advance (see the guide for detailed step-by-step walkthrough – there is no English website), or in person at the trailhead police station when they open at 6am (bring your passport). A week before your start date, you can print out the permit.
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| Views of the valley along the approach |
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| A sea of clouds as the sun rises |
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| The plaque on the summit |
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| Clouds fill a valley east of the north ridge |
More photographs.
Difficulty: 14 mile out-and-back hike with 4560 feet of elevation change. Summit block is class 2. Options include a long day hike (starting at midnight), pitching a tent somewhere along the way, or staying at Hut (meals and sleeping bag can be provided).
Preparation:
Permits
By far the most annoying part of the prep. Foreigners (non-Taiwanese) have a better chance to get the permit than locals. Here is a guide for English speakers. You have to apply for a permit to hike Yushan (can apply for Paiyun Hut in the same permit – google 玉山國家公園 if the link is broken). It will ask for, amongst other things, a scan of your passport and photo proof that you’ve summited a mountain over 10,000 ft (how they can possibly verify this is beyond me). The draw happens a month before your planned start date. Check the website a month before, because they might not e-mail you (or it might get sent to spam); currently, they publicly announce the winning teams. If you get drawn, you have to pay them by wire transfer before you get the permit (I don’t have advice for how to do this – I asked local relatives to send the money). Once this is done, you have to apply for (yet another) a police mountain permit, which can be done online in advance (see the guide for detailed step-by-step walkthrough – there is no English website), or in person at the trailhead police station when they open at 6am (bring your passport). A week before your start date, you can print out the permit.
One benefit to doing an overnight hike is that you'll have a better shot of having views at the summit. Taiwan is a rainy country, and rains come most often in the afternoon.
Paiyun Hut
If you stay at Paiyun hut, you can reserve a sleeping bag and meals, cutting down on your pack weight. These must be reserved. See website. Note that aside from food and human waste, you are responsible for packing out all other waste.
Transportation
One can stay at Dongpu Hostel the night before, which is very rudimentary (they provide beds, kitchen, and instant ramen). To get to trailhead, walk to the highway, take a left and a short right to head to the Tatajia [塔塔加] police station and national park station. At 6:30am a shuttle runs from here to the trailhead – if you want to start earlier it’s a mile hike. The shuttle runs back and forth until around 5pm. See this page for shuttle information.
To get to the hostel, one can hire a shuttle from Chiayi or Taitung, take public transit (very very slow, will use an entire day up and down), or rent a car/motorcycle. There is also a shuttle from Alishan. Note this information only current as of 6/18/2016.
Other
It will rain, so bring appropriate gear. It may be windy and cold (especially if trying to catch sunrise), so bring clothing. You might experience some altitude sickness, so bring painkillers. You should read about acute mountain sickness so you know when to abort an ascent. I did not need gloves for the summit block but some people may like to have them. Also, don’t touch the purple flowers, since they are poisonous (best not to touch random flora in general).
This is a very popular hike, being the tallest summit in Taiwan. There will be a lot of people, and a lot of large groups. Most groups will want to summit before sunrise to see the sunrise over a sea of clouds, so the summit block will be very crowded. If you'd rather avoid the crowds, start later and you will have the summit all to yourself (and you may even see the sea of clouds in the morning as you go up). The other perk of rising late (other than rising late) is that these guided groups are often slow, so you won't have to worry about passing them.
Summary: As you move through the mountains the clouds will constantly be shifting shifting shape as they move over and around mountains; they fill the valleys next to you while you remain in sunlight; the engulf you in a fog; they form a sea below you. 5/5
Paiyun Hut
If you stay at Paiyun hut, you can reserve a sleeping bag and meals, cutting down on your pack weight. These must be reserved. See website. Note that aside from food and human waste, you are responsible for packing out all other waste.
Transportation
One can stay at Dongpu Hostel the night before, which is very rudimentary (they provide beds, kitchen, and instant ramen). To get to trailhead, walk to the highway, take a left and a short right to head to the Tatajia [塔塔加] police station and national park station. At 6:30am a shuttle runs from here to the trailhead – if you want to start earlier it’s a mile hike. The shuttle runs back and forth until around 5pm. See this page for shuttle information.
To get to the hostel, one can hire a shuttle from Chiayi or Taitung, take public transit (very very slow, will use an entire day up and down), or rent a car/motorcycle. There is also a shuttle from Alishan. Note this information only current as of 6/18/2016.
Other
It will rain, so bring appropriate gear. It may be windy and cold (especially if trying to catch sunrise), so bring clothing. You might experience some altitude sickness, so bring painkillers. You should read about acute mountain sickness so you know when to abort an ascent. I did not need gloves for the summit block but some people may like to have them. Also, don’t touch the purple flowers, since they are poisonous (best not to touch random flora in general).
This is a very popular hike, being the tallest summit in Taiwan. There will be a lot of people, and a lot of large groups. Most groups will want to summit before sunrise to see the sunrise over a sea of clouds, so the summit block will be very crowded. If you'd rather avoid the crowds, start later and you will have the summit all to yourself (and you may even see the sea of clouds in the morning as you go up). The other perk of rising late (other than rising late) is that these guided groups are often slow, so you won't have to worry about passing them.
Summary: As you move through the mountains the clouds will constantly be shifting shifting shape as they move over and around mountains; they fill the valleys next to you while you remain in sunlight; the engulf you in a fog; they form a sea below you. 5/5
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