Cozy Home

Before departure, I took out the trash and checked my backpack again, revealing my obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

Nangang Transfer Station

Boarded the bus at Nangang Transfer Station heading to Yilan Transfer Station.

Yilan Transfer Station

Arrived at Yilan Transfer Station. Bought soy milk, inarizushi, and lime chicken hand roll for lunch at FamilyMart. The chicken hand roll was not tasty. Also bought two vegetarian meat floss rice balls for dinner. Boarded the bus at 12:40, not many people, so I carried my backpack onto the bus. Two long-haired girls seemed to be going hiking too, carrying high-end hiking backpacks (HMG?), they got off later than me. Arrived at Nanshan Village at 15:05, considered buying a hot steamed bun, but decided against it due to the hassle of counting change.

Wuling Station

Got off at Wuling Station (next stop after Mushroom Bridge), Wuling Inn is right next to it. After Mr. Huang (?) introduced the environment and the shuttle details for the next day, I retreated to my room to relax. There were some Slam Dunk comics in the hallway, which I used to pass the time until around 8:30 PM. Finally ate the two rice balls around 5:00 PM, considered adding some instant noodles from the inn, but the weight of the change discouraged me. I had a two-person small space to myself, so I had two blankets and two pillows. Although the temperature was low, I didn't feel cold, but my left eye started to hurt as usual, seems like I need to find a way to deal with it (the foreign body sensation occurred occasionally during overnight stays in the mountains, but it no longer hurt).

Wuling Inn

After some intermittent sleep, I got up to pack my things, then went outside to steam two buns with soy milk. Two kittens, one black and one tabby, came along, following my... meat buns. They only gave up after I finished eating, the black kitten turned to grab the side pocket of my backpack. As planned, I filled five liters of water (750ml bottle + two 1500ml Evernew water bags + 1250ml Seeker)... heavy, finally finished it at Xinda Mountain Campsite (as planned: two liters each for two days, half a liter each for dinner and breakfast).

Wuling Inn

Boarded the shuttle, a five-seater truck. Chatted casually with Mr. Huang on the way, he said he plans to climb Dabajian Mountain next year. There was indeed someone on duty collecting tickets at the farm gate.

Tao Mountain Hut

After getting off at Tao Mountain Hut, Mr. Huang took a photo of me for future reference. Then I went inside to use the restroom. After a brief leg stretch, I signed in and started the journey in the dark. Met a light-equipped hiker at the Tao Mountain fork, saw his headlamp on the zigzag steep section, but didn't encounter him again. Didn't take photos at the worker's lodge due to darkness, decided to detour on the way down to take some shots. Continued ascending, occasional scenery, occasional flat ground, but no dangerous terrain.

Tao Mountain

Reached the Tao Mountain triangulation point. Met a couple staying at Wuling Inn, they were heading to Kalahei, took them over four hours round trip. I glanced at the steep slope leading to Kalahei, thinking it would be safer to start walking the next day after dawn.

Tao Mountain Campsite

After taking photos, walked to the mountain hut, met a conservation volunteer and a collaborator. Arranged the campsite for tonight with the collaborator, just outside the mountain hut in the arrow bamboo forest, although there was a path leading further in, the volunteer said no one would go there. The strongest signal at Tao Mountain hut is in front of the toilet, need to endure the smell to send messages.

After returning to the campsite, heard the collaborator calling one of the teams to confirm their arrival time at the mountain hut (need to calculate the time to start preparing their dinner), the volunteer and collaborator were figuring out which team it was, as the collaborator only received an order for two people, but the volunteer's list showed there was still a five-person team not yet arrived. Let's call them the Big Brother Team, as there were two big brothers. The Big Brother Team originally had five people, but three had to cancel last minute, so they only ordered meals for two.

Dinner

Started preparing dinner, today I had a pack of Montbell's bibimbap dry rice, the taste was ordinary, but this aluminum foil bag would also serve as a container for instant noodles for the next two nights. After eating the rice, I followed the plan to make Milo with whey protein, this was the first attempt, unfortunately, using one container to boil water and then pour in the powder was not ideal, as the protein powder clumped when it touched water, in the end, I could only send it into my mouth piece by piece, couldn't drink it as originally planned. However, since there was no oil, cleaning was easy, as expected.

Before sleeping, the volunteer came to check the sleeping bag's temperature rating, was a bit worried that I wasn't using a sleeping bag and couldn't specify the temperature rating, finally said although the mountain hut was full, if it got too cold at night, they could help find a spot. There was some wind at night but not strong, didn't feel cold while sleeping, the moon was very bright, shining through the debuting X-Mid Pro 1 DCF tent.

Tao Mountain Campsite

Woke up and had honey cake and a cup of coffee. Also had intermittent sleep at night, but compared to before, I fall asleep more easily now. Finally, as planned, left only the overnight gear, helmet, and some water. Carried over a liter of water, all the food, raincoat, etc. Although not heavy gear, it couldn't be called light gear either.

Tao Mountain

At Tao Mountain, some people were waiting to take sunrise photos, I joined them until the sun rose, then moved towards Kalahei. Met the Big Brother Team on the way, they were curious why I didn't set off with light gear, I said I didn't bring much, just the essentials.

Kalahei Mountain

Met six people on the way to Kalahei (two from the Big Brother Team, one Big Sister, two chatting about World Gym, one who set off at 06:00), I walked slower with the Big Brother Team, they took a photo of me at Shilun Mountain, later we also chatted a bit at Kalahei.

Tao Mountain Campsite

Returned to Tao Mountain Campsite a bit later than the Big Brother Team, started lunch and packing. Found MUJI's dragon fruit dried fruit troublesome to eat, as the whole pack was clumped together, hard to separate without using hands, but I didn't want to wash my hands (would need to use wet wipes), ended up eating only two or three pieces, the rest fell to the ground as trash. Struggled whether to wash it with water and continue eating, but gave up and threw it all in the trash bag (if I got a stomach ache, it would be hard to walk).

At 13:24, when the Big Brother Team set off, we said we’d see each other again at Xinda Mountain Hut, I set off a few minutes later. After the first downhill section, I started feeling tired, there were many sections with ropes for climbing, not visible on the contour map, but one after another, eventually entered a state of physical exhaustion: panting for a long time after a bit of climbing, also lost appetite (resulting in some leftover peanut chocolate being brought home, seems like peanut chocolate, although high in calories, is too disgusting for one pack a day).

Sancha Campsite

Finally reached the Sancha intersection, about the estimated time, but felt very tired, so rested for twenty-five minutes, had no appetite during the break, only drank some water. After passing the Chiyou Mountain trailhead, heard some noise above, looked up to see three yellow-throated martens speeding along the cliff edge, unfortunately, couldn't capture them quickly enough.

The difficulty between Sancha intersection and Xinda Mountain Hut slightly reduced, but due to declining physical strength, felt very tired walking, only casually took one or two photos at the famous tree at Chiyou, then continued forward, finally breathed a sigh of relief when I vaguely saw the reflection of the pond at the last downhill.

Xinda Mountain Campsite

Finally arrived at Xinda Mountain Hut. Chatted briefly with mountain friends inside, I said it was tough going to Kalahei and then coming over, the Big Brother Team said, "You finally found it tough!". Tonight, including me, there were five people at Xinda Mountain Hut (plus one collaborator, but the collaborator slept in a tent outside), the Big Brother Team said I could sleep in the mountain hut, but I said I wanted to test the equipment outside, if it got too cold, I would go inside to warm up.

The best signal at Xinda Mountain Hut is in the open area, more than ten meters away from the hut, at the collaborator's tent. Camped on the open ground directly in front of the mountain hut, surrounded by arrow bamboo on three sides, the ground covered with dry arrow bamboo. After setting up the tent, started dinner, due to physical exhaustion, had no appetite, but for the next day's Pintian Mountain, still ate the minced meat instant noodles. Instant noodles are indeed something that can be eaten even when not hungry. After eating, worried about not having enough calories at night and getting too cold, prepared to eat the day's pineapple cake ration if hungry at midnight (didn't eat it in the end).

While sleeping, felt my heart rate was over a hundred (subjectively), worried about symptoms of altitude sickness. The moon still shone through the tent, I still slept intermittently, not much wind, didn't feel too cold. After midnight, felt my heart rate started to slow down, body wasn't as tired.

Today was the toughest day in the plan, the next day's journey is shorter, so decided to sleep until dawn. Also, due to physical exhaustion in the afternoon, felt it was dangerous to walk back to the Sancha intersection in the dark early on D4, considered changing the plan to camp directly at Sancha Campsite the next day.

Xinda Mountain Campsite

Today's schedule wasn't rushed, so stayed in bed until dawn, felt much more recovered. Decided to go directly to Sancha Campsite after returning from Pintian Mountain, so after breakfast, started packing, and stored the overnight gear and some food in the mountain hut. Two yellow-throated martens darted out from behind the mountain hut, but I was too slow to capture them. Breakfast was the leftover protein powder and Milo from the night before, plus today's coffee and cake, seemed like I could eat again.

07:53 Only me and a collaborator left at the campsite. Set off for Pintian. Felt a bit strained at first, but after walking a while, seemed to return to normal. Met the Big Brother Team returning from Pintian Mountain on the grassland section.

Pintian Mountain Front Peak

Preparing to start the big challenge of this trip. Left the trekking poles by the roadside, put on the helmet, and started moving down. The most difficult section was the nearly vertical rope descent, but since the cliff was composed of slab rock faces, it wasn't too difficult to step on if it didn't rain. After passing the V-notch... didn't expect there were still hundreds of meters to the triangulation point.

Pintian Mountain

Due to occasional strong winds, took some photos and cheered a few times "Awesome!" before starting to head back.

Xinda Mountain Campsite

Returned to Xinda Mountain Hut, not too tired and had plenty of time, so slowly ate the trail food and then slowly packed, also refilled water to 2.5 liters. It started to fog up, but although there were occasional clouds on the way to Sancha Campsite, visibility wasn't affected. After a night's rest, the route to the Chiyou Mountain trailhead didn't seem as difficult.

Chiyou Mountain

Chose to summit from the western trailhead and return to the trail via the eastern stone waterfall. After summiting, thought it was surrounded by white walls, but a strong wind blew the clouds away, revealing Dabajian Mountain opposite. The triangulation point had full signal, also reported safety to Nina here.

Sancha Campsite

There was a nice pine needle campsite next to the Sancha intersection, in hindsight, it should have been more sheltered from the wind, but for my tent, the space was slightly insufficient, so moved to Sancha Campsite. A man and a woman were resting here, and more people passed by later. Although Sancha Campsite could fit three tents, only part of it was relatively flat.

After setting up the tent, started eating trail food, until the original couple waited for another couple, and finally, all four left. Later encountered a two-person university student team, said they skipped class to hike, they immediately recognized my tent, and the slower one took out a camera to take a photo. Another two-person light gear team passed by, said one of their members started having altitude sickness and vomiting at Wuling Farm, so stayed at Wuling Mountain Villa.

Except for the edge near the arrow bamboo, the ground at the campsite was hard, finally thought the tent pegs couldn't go in, so used stones to weigh them down. After dark, the wind picked up, and soon one corner of the tent was lifted. Put on shoes and went out to fix it, found it wasn't too cold (around 8:00 PM). Originally afraid of breaking the pegs, had a backup plan (holding the tent with hands, staying awake all night), but used stones to drive the pegs into the ground, then pressed stones onto the pegs, later this corner continued to withstand strong winds, didn't collapse all night. Another peg was driven into hard soil, but the wind wasn't strong in that direction.

After midnight, although the wind was still strong, the wind direction changed, the strong wind at the campsite decreased, and I started to sleep more.

Sancha Campsite

Decided to get up and start packing after dawn, still needed to rush out to catch the bus (actually, based on D3's progress, staying another night was really just to catch the bus). Teams started passing by, but I was still packing inside the tent, only saw shadows. After packing, started eating breakfast, this time too lazy to make coffee, just ate the cake, then poured out the excess water.

07:32 Started descending the mountain with a happy heart. There wasn't much scenery on the way, mainly because clouds and fog started to form. Every time I met a team climbing up, I thought, "I've seen the perfect scenery, I'm going home~". At the trailhead, met a one-person team, jacket draped over the backpack, said they were going to do a loop and descend from Qika Mountain Villa, seemed like a route worth trying, but the cliff after Pintian Mountain needs careful evaluation. Hesitated for a while, then decided to detour to see Taoshan Waterfall... indeed not much to see, although I had the place to myself. Saw a male Swinhoe's Pheasant, later saw a male with two females, didn't seem very afraid of people.

Wuling Mountain Villa

Wuling Farm Station

Arrived at the bus station, started chatting casually with another pair of mountain friends, they went to Tao Mountain for two days and one night, later also took the bus to Nangang Transfer Station.