Ⓟ proposed going to Chiaming Lake on 2025-01-16.

Plan

Previously, all trips longer than three days were solo. This allowed for flexible timing, submitting national park and mountain entry applications after checking the weather forecast, and moving at a leisurely pace. This time, the plan was to join a team for a four-day, three-night trip, starting from Jiamusi to Chiaming Lake, and then returning to Chishang via Xiangyang. Initially, it was a seven-person team, but people gradually dropped out until the day before departure, leaving just two. Ⓨ had a last-minute issue, Ⓩ didn't want to return to Taipei too late (others preferred a late descent), Ⓠ was worried about snow hazards, and Ⓢ had a knife injury (reportedly from cutting a heart-broken avocado, splitting the pit in half, and the knife slicing the palm). In the end, Ⓔ joined, preventing an involuntary solo climb.

It was winter, and the Chiaming Lake trail had already seen snow. Having never hiked in snow, I watched some snow hiking videos beforehand. Ⓔ said simple crampons would suffice, and after reading Zhang Yuanzhi's "Guide to Choosing and Using Crampons," I bought a pair of Neturehike simple crampons. Based on updates from Chiaming Lake Matters and weather forecasts, with rising temperatures and three consecutive days of good weather, the chance of encountering snow was low. However, I silently resolved that if it became impassable, I would retreat back to the Jiamusi trailhead.

Nangang Station

The first task today was to catch the train to Chishang. Due to my anxious nature, worried about the limited morning train schedule at Nangang Exhibition Center, I left early by bus. After arriving at Kunyang Station, I considered walking to Nangang Train Station (as it was a guaranteed way to arrive on time), but ultimately chose to take the MRT to Nangang Train Station. Once on the train, I fell asleep, waking up near Chishang, only to find Ⓔ/Ⓟ/Ⓢ in the previous carriage.

Chishang Station

After a simple lunch in Chishang, we boarded the shuttle to the Jiamusi trailhead. The shuttle driver mentioned a trail maintenance activity at Chiaming Lake and showed a photo of himself bringing a "suitcase" to the trail.

Jiamusi Trailhead

The shuttle driver took a group photo before departure. Initially, there was a plan to build an eco-toilet on the mountain, so a pavilion was built at the trailhead, and there was an activity to carry wood chips up the mountain, but the eco-toilet was never completed. On the Xiangyang trailhead side, there was an activity to carry soil up the mountain in exchange for souvenirs.

It was very humid at the start, but we were near the cloud top. As we approached the cloud layer's edge, the mist would gather and disperse, creating ever-changing scenery. Being near the cloud top, when the clouds parted, sunlight would immediately pour down, forming light beams, and the mist would quickly evaporate. So, I kept my phone ready to capture the light beams as soon as they appeared.

Jiamusi Mountain

Xinwulu River Camp

Upon reaching Xinwulu River, there were already some tents, and someone was hiding under a large rock, with the headlamp's light scanning the darkness. I took off my shoes and socks to cross the stream barefoot. The water was icy cold, but fortunately, the current wasn't strong, and the water was about forty centimeters deep, so I crossed quickly. After drying my feet and putting on shoes by the stream, we walked a few dozen meters and set up camp. The next day, we realized we had to walk a bit further to reach the actual Xinwulu River Camp. There was no signal at the streamside camp, but walking a bit further up occasionally connected to the internet. After dark, a pair of eyes appeared at the camp's edge, quickly circling the camp before stopping in front of me, revealing a weasel. After its inspection, I hoped the food bag in the waterproof bag was hidden well enough!

Xinwulu River Camp

Camping by the stream indeed made it prone to dampness. I woke up early and used a compressed towel to wipe the tent inside and out.

The departure time is a bit hazy in my memory.

Volleyball Court Camp

Soccer Field Camp

The Soccer Field Camp looked spacious and comfortable, but unfortunately, there was no water source nearby. We dried our tent and had lunch here.

Golf Course Camp

Chiaming Sister Lake

Hunter's Camp

Before reaching the camp, Ⓔ mentioned wanting to go to Chiaming Lake with a light pack after setting up camp. After setting up, I initially wanted to relax, but then asked, "What time should we leave?" Ⓔ later said that at that moment, she didn't want to move, but my question made her feel that if we didn't leave immediately, we wouldn't go at all, so... we left immediately. Initially, we couldn't find the path, wandering through the bamboo grass, eventually returning to the stream. Following the stream upwards, we finally found the trail markers. It was fortunate we scouted the route today; otherwise, finding the path in the dark the next morning would have been frustrating. After shedding her heavy pack, Ⓔ moved swiftly, while I struggled due to leaving my trekking poles at camp and being physically exhausted.

Chiaming Lake

On the plateau, we met a hiker we had seen in the morning. He had done a light pack round trip from Xinwulu River Camp to Chiaming Lake and was now heading down, likely in the dark. We took photos around the lake and on the meadow, even finding our shadows on the meadow by the lake. Not wanting to descend in the dark, we quickly left after admiring the magnificent sea of clouds. Since we planned to return the next day, we didn't go down to the lake, so this trip only "brushed past" Chiaming Lake.

Hunter's Camp

It was very cold when it got dark, and filtering water made my hands hurt. We encountered a weasel again, but fortunately, my dinner wasn't appealing. After an early dinner, I retreated into the tent. After dark, one or two more teams arrived at the camp. Around nine, I got up to use the bathroom, and the sky was filled with stars, with a surprise meteor. It wasn't as cold as expected, and the wind wasn't as strong.

Hunter's Camp

Originally planned to ascend in the dark to watch the sunrise by Chiaming Lake, so we woke up early to pack. The temperature was quite low at night, freezing the sandy soil by the tent and the water bag in the vestibule. The worst was frost inside the tent, which I wiped with a compressed towel, causing my fingers to hurt from the cold. After packing, I quickly finished breakfast, and the sky was still clear. However, mist began to gather on the way up, and by the time we reached Chiaming Lake, it was shrouded in thick fog. Due to poor weather, we didn't move closer to the lake, nor did we ascend Sanchashan, secretly relieved we had scouted the route the day before. After passing the base of Sanchashan, the trail became increasingly rocky and slippery due to ice. At the other trailhead, we finally decided to put on crampons, which made walking much easier. There was no residual snow along the trail, just a few scattered patches on the roadside. The trail was a mix of soil and rocks, making it clear why simple crampons were recommended for this section.

Chiaming Lake Cabin

It took over three hours to reach Chiaming Lake Cabin. After checking in, I started lazing around, waiting for nightfall (even though it wasn't even noon). Eventually, boredom led me to lie down and daydream, envying hikers who brought books. In the afternoon, we heard that the trail up was icy, and a hiking group couldn't make it up. As a result, the Taiwan.black.bear987 shared dinner with the hikers, which was a five-star feast compared to my own preparations. After eating, I went to bed early. After discussing the weather forecast with Ⓔ, we decided to reach the Xiangyangshan triangulation point before noon the next day. The cabin was left with only two teams, totaling four people, a rare quietness.

Chiaming Lake Cabin

Leisurely finished breakfast, packed up, put on crampons, and set off after greeting the manager. Less than a hundred meters in, we decided to remove the crampons as the trail was just muddy.

Xiangyangshan

The weather forecast the previous night indicated that Xiangyangshan would clear up after noon, but since we needed to hurry down, we planned to stay at the summit between 12:00 and 12:30 to try our luck. On the way up, the ice hadn't melted, and the bizarre ice columns seemed to be the work of moisture and strong winds. At the summit, surrounded by white walls, we waited for the clouds to part, capturing a few photos with a small patch of blue sky. Although it didn't completely clear up, thanks to the Central Weather Administration's forecast, we still caught glimpses of the sun.

Xiangyang Famous Tree

Xiangyang Cabin

We traveled through the mist, preparing to rest leisurely at Xiangyang Cabin. Shortly after sitting down, the manager reminded us to watch the time, as there had been rockfalls on the road the previous night, and vehicle traffic would be restricted in the evening. We quickly packed up all our gear and hurried down the mountain.

Xiangyang Trailhead

Warm Home