2016年2月27日 慢集團@大屯山南峰 Strenuous hiking in a rainy day

At the summit of Mt. Datunshan south peak (Mr. Wang picture)

昨年12月に歩いたコースを、今回は慢集團のメンバーを連れて歩いた。あいにくの雨で、大屯山南峰を登頂した後は、予定の下山コースを変えて二子坪経由で下った。悪天候で参加者が少ないかと思ったが、それでも筆者自身をいれて19名、雨の中を歩き終えた。青楓步道の後の山道は、急坂でもともと歩きにくい道だが、それが雨で土はとても滑りやすく、ぬれた矢竹をくぐって進むのは、とても大変だった。ルートとしては、後半12月のものとは違うが、その部分も以前すでに記述があるので今回は、英語で記述する。

======================================================

Start from Yangming park (south) to Erziping parking area

Mt. Datunshan west peak momentarily shows its peak

Mt. Datunshan (大屯山) of Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園) is a popular destination of hiking and has well maintained trails to its peaks by the park authority. Most hikers follow the official trails to reach the summits, while there are "unofficial" trails opened by hikers themselves. These trails are very primitive compared to the official ones with big money to be taken care of. The footpaths are narrow and without any aiding facilities, even no simple ropes at some new ones. They are basically for those who have some experiences to follow the trails with maps. At the cost of hardship you can get more contact with nature and less people. That it the point that attracts me.

Erzping (二子坪)

I have hiked many such trails on Yangmingshan peaks as well as in other areas when I came across information of such trails. A new trail leading up to Mt. Datunshan south peak was posted in Fasebook by one of my friends. I was very curious and decided to walk on it with other two adjacent ones that I had since been interested in. That was the hike I made with several friends in December last year. Under an exceptionally warm weather in December we enjoyed "unofficial" trails and even cool bear on the summit of Mt. Datunshan south peak.

That was then and we had a cold rainy day for this hiking under Manjituan (慢集團 Andante) group of hikers. We followed the same course of last December, going along Houkan historical trail (猴崁古道) to Zhuzihu (竹子湖) and then onto the steep climb route to the south peak. After many days of rain, the dirt trail turned out be a slippery demon, while rain drops on tall thin bamboos made clothes wet. All members struggled such bad trails and reached the peak. I discovered that some members showed fatigue and time was rather late for the original route down. Rain made the original decent route, also an unofficial Datunggu (大屯谷) valley trail, more difficult to go down. So I made a change in the course and walked on an official trail to Erziping (二子坪) to complete the hike.

All geared up for rain at the starting point

Entering Yanmingshan Park (by Mt. Wu)

We had many rainy days this winter. We had only a few fine days in February. It rained day after day and our hike was on such a day. I knew that it would rain on our hiking day but told people that we would go even if it rained. It turned out be really another rainy day. I wondered how many hikers would show up. To my surprise as many as 18 hikers showed up at the starting point, Yanmingshan National Park rear entrance (陽明山公園後門). Most members, including myself, have taken a ride on S8 bus (小8公車) to get there. When we have reached there a little afeter 8:00 a few members are already there waiting. It still rains albeit not so hard. Everybody put on rain wear in a small eating house by the road.

Going up Qinchunling steep steps (by Mr. Wu)

We take off at 8:30 and enter the park through a gate which was under repair last December. We walked on the stone steps and come to a pool under Datun water fall (大屯瀑布). Water in the pool is full and rushing down to the stream below. This is where the first hard ascent starts. This place is called Qingchunling (青春嶺, meaning Youth Peak), probably because you need to be young enough to go up. Steeply it ascends, luckily it does not last long. In about a half hour from the staring point, we reach a pavilion on the top of steep steps. We have a short break for members to adjust clothes.

Pavilion shelter at the top of steep steps (by Mr. Wu)

Walking on a car road (by Mr. Wu)

We start on the paved trail and then onto a short section of the car road to the Houkan historical trail (猴崁古道) head. It is so called because it goes along the water canal called Houkan (猴崁水圳) canal. The narrow footpath besides the canal is of dirt and of course it is muddy today. I wear rain boots today and I am very happy about that. We follow the trail and go through a camellia tree garden. There are some camellia flowers here and there. The canal goes like snake on the side of a hill and we pass a junction which leads to the car road up on the hill. We keep on the trail.

The trail goes along a canal

Crossing the branch stream (by Mr. Wu)

We pass a newly restored canal section, which apparently has been washed away by a typhoon last summer. The cliff on your left is deep and everybody carefully pass it. We go along the easy trail, though some section needs special care to pass by, and come to a water fall by 9:40. This is where the branch stream meets the main one running from Zhuzihu area. Water in the branch stream is plenty and covers stepping stones. I again am happy that today I wear rain boots because I can step in water. In a matter of a few minutes after the branch stream we come to an end of this trail and jump onto a paved road by a bridge at 9:50.

Peaks of  Mr. Datung is in mist

If the weather is fine, you can see the peaks of Mt. Datunshan over your right. They are covered with thick mist today. After a short rest we resume our hike onto Qingpeng trail (青楓步道). This is a good trail and some parts are made up with solid wood plates. We walk a little along the main steam down and go up on the hillside. We enter a narrow valley with many maple trees and up to the car road on the top. This is the end of this short trail. If you come here in late autumn you can see yellow maple leaves.

On Qingfeng train (by Mr. Wang)

Have a break on the way up

So far it is OK though rain does not stop. Now we come to a hard part of the hike. When we came here two months ago, the rail was dry albeit its steep incline. As soon as we start on it, we realize that how slippery it gets after days of rain. We have to climb this steep grade with  slippery surface, which give us hard time. The troop of 19 members extends very long as we go up. Members at the tail of the troop are really struggling as they have to go up on the extremely slippery grade which have been made worse by the foregoing members. We make a break at 10:50 and wait for the rest of members to catch up.

Go level by the hillside

We continue our ascent of which we have already passed the hardest part. The grade gets moderate and the trail goes along the hillside. It has some ups and downs and we can finally see the south peak in a distance. We walk for another half hour or so and I receive a call from Mr. W walking at the troop tail saying that a few members are far behind. It is indeed a hard work for some members to come up on this trail. We wait for some time for them to catch up. In more twenty minutes we reach the official trail to the south peak. Now we have completed the hardest part of our hike and are on a good trail. It is already past 12:00 and time for lunch but it is not a good point to have it while drizzle is still falling on us. We then decide to go over to a pavilion at Datunping (大屯坪).

Lunch at Datunping pavilion shelter (by Mr. Wu)

Going up to the south peak in mist (by Mr. Wu)

At the junction under the south peak

We take right, go down the trail and come to a junction where a stone paved trail leads from Datunping to the main peak of Mt. Datunshan. We make left turn and go further down. Soon we arrive at a pavilion. The pavilion shelter is now in rather sad shape as its pillar is half rotten and roofs got holes. It obviously needs fix and a yellow tape goes around it to keep  hikes off. We do not mind that and get in for rest anyhow. Most of us have lunch standing.

I make an announcement that we will change a course and not go down by the original Datungu trail, which is also an unofficial trail. Two of the members leave us and go down by themselves. The rest of us, 17 in total, first go back on the trail that we have come down. When we pass the junction to the south peak, a thermometer shows 10 degree. No wonder I felt cold when we had a lunch a while ago. We keep on the good trail and come up onto a grass field. Wind blows through, which makes a little chilly. The scenery around is all in thick fog. We reach the summit at 13:05. It is a pity that friends from Tainan (台南) cannot have a good view from the summit, which they could have a good command over all Taipei area if the sky were clear.

At the junction of main trail left to Erziping

After a short rest on the summit, we start decent. The grade on this side of the summit is very steep, Aiding ropes are fixed and we can use them for going down. In a matter of a few minutes we come down to a junction. My original plan is to take left here and go down along Datungu valley. We take right here instead and go on to another junction to the west peak. We meet another hiking party on the way. There are indeed hikers on such a bad weather day besides us. We take right on the junction and go further down to the stone paved trail leading Erziping.  We reach the trail at 13:45 where it is actually not far from the pavilion where we had a lunch.

Erziping

We walk on the good trail to Erziping. The trail goes up a little first and all the way down to Erziping at 14:04 where a pond is located in the center. We have a short rest. My rain boots and rain pants are all muddy. I wash off mud and my foot is still dry. Rain boots are really great for hiking on such a dirt trail like today. The rest of the hike is just a peace of cake.  We reach Erziping parking area at 14:50 where we take a #108 shuttle bus to Yangmingshan bus terminal and complete our 6 hour-and-a-half hike.

It was a strenuous hike though the total distance was just less than 10 km. It was so because the very slippery steep trail was tough and rain kept falling during the entire activity. It was a kind of training, namely hiking on a tough trail in a rainy day. If you think that way, this kind of hiking is not without its value.

2016年2月20日 谷關七雄馬崙山 日本時代からの林業遺跡を歩く

＠馬崙山山頂（左から二番目が筆者）

台中の谷關は温泉で有名だ。濁水溪の谷間の両側にそびえる峰々は、谷關七雄として人気のある山々である。去年このうちの屋我尾山，東卯山，八仙山，唐麻丹山そして白毛山の五座を訪問し、今回は第六座となる馬崙山を訪れた。あいにく天気は良くなかったが、もともとあまり展望のある山ではなく、景色は期待していなかったので、それ自体はかまわない。馬崙山のすぐ下には、林業が盛んな頃林業運営の基地として新山集落があり、小学校まで設けられていた。そうした遺跡を見ることができたのは、よかった。

白姑大山の支稜に位置する馬崙山を往復

標高差1300mを往復

馬崙山は、本来さらに上部にある白姑大山（標高3341m）の支稜にある標高2305mの小ピークに過ぎない。山単独でみれば特徴は大したことがないが、五葉松の葉が敷き詰められた山道や、約100年前日本時代に始まった林業の遺跡が残り、林業時代の歩道が整備され歩きやすい道がある、トータルでは非常に魅力のある山歩きだ。今回は、新山歩道から歩き始め、片道7㎞を馬崙山頂上へ登り、下りは往路を約2kmキロポスト付近の分岐で斯可巴步道に入り出発点に戻った。

馬崙山は一番奥に位置する

新山歩道入口

馬崙山は、谷關七雄のうち一番奥に位置する。なおかつ、往復十数キロの道のりなので、できるだけ早く出発するため、台北を朝6時に出発する。途中の三峽鶯歌インターチェンジでメンバー一人をピックアップし、メンバー六名一路南へ向かう。第四高速道路から通いなれた感じのある東勢を経て中横公路に入る。谷關の温泉地区を通り過ぎ、台電巷の細い道を登る。8時50分、登山口に到着する。台北から2時間50分、スムースにやって来れた。付近にはすでに登山者のものと思われる車が数台駐車している。

ジグザグ道を進む

急坂を登る

黒犬クロが一緒にあるく

雲が低く垂れこめ小雨がぱらついている。雨支度をして、9時に歩き始める。門をくぐって入り、0㎞のキロポストと道案内板を見る。ほかの七雄と同じように、ここの登山道はしっかりと整備されているので、安心だ。緩やかな登りを行く。そのうちどこからか黒犬が現れ、一緒に歩き始める。首輪をしているので、飼い犬のようだ。今まで何回か、犬が一緒に歩くことがあったが、愉快だ。0.5kキロポストを過ぎ、道はジグザグになる。そのうち、道は一本調子の急坂を行く。まだ旧暦正月の体重増加と運動不足が解消していない体には、ちょっと辛い。9時35分、休憩をとる。

展望台から東卯山を望む、左に薄く白毛山も見える

ジグザグ道を登る

急坂は続く。道が良いので傘をさして登ることができる。周りは濃い霧だ。9時50分、服装調整も含めて、ベンチのある場所で二度目の休憩をとる。黒犬クロは、あと先になりながらついてくる。雨があがり、木々を通して周囲の景色が見え始める。10時、左から斯可巴步道を合わせる。馬崙山へはあと6.2㎞となっている。道は、山腹を緩やかな坂で上っていく。10時15分、展望台に到着する。樹木が切れて、前方には雨雲が上がって姿を現した白毛山や、対岸の東卯山が望める。東卯山からさらに稜線が続くが、屋我尾山のあたりは雲の中だ。

階段部分を登る

杉美林を行く

ジグザグ道を登っていく。道は落ちた五葉松の絨毯だ。ところによっては、踏み込むと、足が沈む。一部、木板の階段も現れる。途中で休憩をとり、確実に高度を上げていく。11時20分、約4㎞地点の涼亭に到着する。前を歩いていたグループが休んでいる。雲林県の斗六からやってきたそうだ。彼らより先に出発する。道は、杉の人工林の中を進む。4.5kを過ぎてまもなく、木炭窯遺跡の脇を過ぎる。草藪の中を登り切り、11時54分新山集落の下端と思われる場所を過ぎる。段々状に平地があり、以前は家屋などがあったのだろう。周囲は濃い霧だ。雲の中に入ってきた。12時、5㎞地点の涼亭が現れる。右に新山国民小学校などの遺跡があるが、これは下山時に訪れることにしよう。

5K涼亭

鳥居の台座がのこる

10分ほどの休憩後、頂上を目指し進む。道はおおむね平らな道が続く。少し登ったところに、道の左右に土台のような石がそれぞれある。おそらく、新山神社の鳥居があった場所だろう。その少し先には、小高い所へ石段がつくら、その前には鳥居土台石がある。下山時に石段を登ってみると、果たして神社の土台と思われるものが小高いところにあった。戦後は、もちろん取り壊されたのだろうが、日本時代の遺跡である。

小さな谷間を超えていく

頂上前の涼亭、Tシャツ半ズボンのハイカーと対照的

5.5㎞キロポストを過ぎ、稜線を進む。笹の間を行く。6㎞を過ぎ、道は一度下り、小さな谷間を超えて登り返す。12時45分、涼亭が現れる。登山口で先に出発していた若い二人のハイカーがちょうどお湯を沸かしている。そのうちの一人はTシャツ半ズボンだ。気温はおそらく一桁台で、休みをとると寒いが、大したものだ。我々はジャケットと取り出して着るが、彼は寒くないそうだ。我々もここで昼食をとり、最後の急登に備える。温かいコーヒーがうれしい。

急坂を頂上へ目指す

馬崙山山頂

十数分の休憩後、登りを開始する。13時4分6.5kを過ぎる。最後の0.5㎞は急登だ。階段や梯子も現れる。途中、上から二人の登山者と一緒にクロが下ってきた。我々が途中で休んでいるとき、追い越していった二人についていったようだ。筆者を見かけると、人懐っこく近づいてくる。13時23分、馬崙山頂上（標高2305m）に到着する。濃い霧の中、風景はない。周囲は樹木もあり、もともとあまり展望がない。寒暖計は2度を示している。寒波がやってきているので、やはり寒い。3000m超の高山は雪になっているところもあるだろう。馬崙山から白姑大山へ行くことも可能だが、普通は反対側から登攀するのが公式登山道なので、こちらはほとんど歩かれていないようだ。

前方石段の奥に神社の土台が残る

新山小学校跡

日本時代の小学校教科書

10分足らずの滞在後、下山を開始する。慎重に急坂を下り、13時46分昼食ととった涼亭を過ぎる。途中、のぼってくる登山者数名とすれ違う。平らな道を新山遺跡へむかう。途中神社の石段を登って神社土台を確認する。新山集落後に近づくと、道に鉄パイプがある。以前は、これを使用して沢から水を引いていたものだ。14時18分、5㎞涼亭に戻る。脇の階段を登り、新山小学校跡を見る。説明パネルには、日本時代の教科書が載せられている。いちごつみというお話である。説明には昭和30年となっているが、併記されている西暦も1954年と正しくないので、おそらく民国30年（1941年）の間違いだろう。昭和30年は、すでに戦後である。小学校ができるぐらいだから、ここはかなり大規模な林業が営まれていたはずだ。

新山遺跡近くの道に残る水道管パイプ

林業が盛んなころは、現在の八仙山森林遊楽区からケーブルがここまで作らており、自分の足で登ることなく15分ぐらいでやって来れたそうだ。集落の主要な通りは300mもあり、その脇には住宅や商店が造られ、さながら小さな街があったとのこと。今はすべて消えさり、濃霧に包まれた森林のなかにたたずんでいる。遺跡見学を終え、14時30分ひき続き、山を下っていく。

斯可巴步道の桟道から谷間が見える

五葉松媽媽

歩きやすい道は、下山は軽快だ。ずんずん下っていく。木の根が現れているところは、滑らないように注意が必要だ。雨でぬれた木階段も同様に滑りやすい。14時49分、4kの涼亭にやってくる。しばし休憩する。15時24分、展望台の脇を通過。15時35分、新山歩道と斯可巴步道との分岐に来る。小休憩後、右に斯可巴步道を進む。ほぼ平らに道は進み、桟道と橋が現れる。ここからは、谷を挟んで対岸の東卯山が望める。すこし登りかえし下り始めると、16時五葉松媽媽と称される松の大木が現れる。ここからは、白毛山も望める。

民家脇から対岸の山を望む

満開の山桜

登山口までまだ標高差400mぐらいあり、これから先はずっと下りだ。16時19分、作業小屋のようは場所を通り過ぎる。その先分岐がある。左が通常の道のようだが、同じく下方で産業道路につながるので、右をとり進む。送電鉄塔の下を通り、16時27分、民家に出る。脇からは谷の対岸に山々が広がっている。そこから進むと、門が閉まっている。脇を乗り越えさらに下る。下っていくと、ツツジや山桜が見事に満開だ。赤い桜は、日本のピンクのソメイヨシノとは違う別の美しさだ。キャンプ地などの脇を行き、16時45分車をとめた登山口へ到着した。

行動時間7時間45分、距離は約15㎞である。標高差が1300mほどあるので、それなりに時間がかかる。道はとても良いので、助かる。困難度は山道クラス1.5、体力要求度3.5といったところだ。普段運動していない人だと、往復するのはつらいだろう。次回は、残っている谷關七雄の波津加山だ。下りに通り過ぎた民家脇から谷を挟んで見えていた。

2016年2月13日 慢集團@坪林三星 Second hike on Pinglin three-star peaks

Pinglin Three-Star peaks looking from a peak across Nanshixi river (from left Mt. Guizilai, Mt. Yuanmao and Heshanji)

お茶のふるさと坪林の街のすぐ後ろに控える三座をつないで縦走する坪林三星縦走は、手軽にアクセスできるので、そこそこ歩かれている。三年前の夏、台風が過ぎてまもなく訪れ、倒木に悩まされて歩いた。今回は、慢集團の旧暦正月後初めての活動があり、参加した。筆者は参加者としてであるが、後半は三十数名の隊伍のしんがり役で歩いた。先頭の道案内は、このグループのリーダーWさんである。

前回とほぼ同じルートなので、この記事は英語で記述します。

==========================================

We made a round trip clock-wise

Elevation profile

Pinglin district (坪林區) of New Taipei City is well know for its tea. With a long history of tea production for over a century, yet it is now easy to access thanks to the highway No. 5, many hikers and vacationers come and visit Pinglin. If you look across the river Nanshixi (南勢溪) from the highway No. 5 descending from  Pangshan tunnel (彭山隧道), you see a peak commanding over you. That is Mt. Guizlaishan (鬼子瀨山), one of the Pinglin Three-Star peaks. On its right you see Mt. Heshangjishan (和尚髻山) and behind these two peaks lies Mt. Yuanmaoshan (源茂山) though it is not visible form the town of Pinglin. The Xueshan tunnel (雪山隧道) goes just under these peaks.

At the trail head (by Mt. Wang)

Camellia flowers

I once visited the three-star peaks three years ago. I was alone for that hike and I remember that it was very tiring because the paths were here and there covered with fallen trees and bamboos caused by a typhoon only a few days earlier. I visited again this time under a hiking activity of Manjituan (慢集團 Andante Group). Unlike days of this year's February when it constantly rains, the sky was clear and blue. It turned very warm and just a short sleeve shirt was enough for all day. It was a fun hiking after all.

Going up steep wooden steps

We gathered at MRT Xingdian station to take a 7:30 #923 bus via the highway to Pinglin. The bus arrives at Pinglin Guozhong (Junior high school) bus stop a little after 8:00. We walk cross the Nanshixi river over a bridge to the gate of  a garden where more members are waiting for us. After briefing and a warm-up exercise we take off for a hike at 8:30. We have forty members today. We go up along stone statures and camellia of pink and white flowers. Taiwan native cherry trees have reddish pink blossom already. We go around the top of a hill commanding over the garden and a steep incline starts. This is one of the hardest parts in today's hike, which covers 400 meters difference in altitude.

We are above clouds now

Sunny trail, the summit is visible in a distance

Wooden steps are built on steep inclines. It is tiresome to go up steps but it surely gains height. We get out of fog after a half hour climb and the bright sun shines over us. We now see the peaks across the valley filled with clouds. The incline is still very steep and takes a toll on us all. Some members are struggling with the grade. A female member walking just a few members ahead looks very weak. She says that she does not feel well. It turns that her stomach is aching. One of core members of the group accompanies her down the trail all the way to the trail head.

Mt. Guizilai summit

Continue on the ridge route

We continue our ascend over a shiny ridge where sun rays come through bare branches with no leaves. It is most delightful to walk on such dry trails under warm winter sun. We come to the final steep ascend to the peak. As we go up, we can hear cheerful voices from the top where the rest of our members are already there. The final part of the troop arrives the summit of Mt. Guizilaishan (636m elevation) at 10:00. The highway No. 5 is visible in the valley from the summit.

Mt. Yuanmaoshan (left) and Mt. Heshanjishan (far right round peak)

Going by a tee garden

We start for our next point, a farmer house for rest. The top of Mt. Guizklaishan is long. The trail goes rather flat for some distance and then starts descend. From the slope down we can see Mt. Yuanmaoshan and Mt. Heshanjishan, the other two peaks of the three-star under clear blue sky. We pass alone tea gardens and keep our trail in the woods all the way. We come down to a paved road and take left to a another dirt trail to the farm house. We arrive there at 10:38, above a half hour walk from the summit. We have a rather long rest here while we have fresh tea. Some members leave the troop here and we now have 34 members in total.

A farm house where we had a log rest

We go up by a tee garden

At 11:08 we resume our hike and head for the second peak, Mt. Yuanmaoshan. The trail starts just behind the farmer house. It goes up along tee garden and into woods. At the upper edge of the tee garden I look back for wide open view. Mt. Datunshan (大屯山) of Taipei City is showing its peak over the ridge of Mt. Lielijian (獵貍尖) and Mt. Shigongjiweishan (獅公髻尾山).  At 11:27 we pass a junction where a shortcut trail diverges right to a junction where we will pass later after Mt. Yuanmaoshan.

Mt. Dadunshan is showing its peak over the ridge in front

Ascend in cedar woods

We go left at the junction and along the hillside of Mt. Yuanmaoshan in cedar woods. A big cedar tree is fallen down with its roots in air. This one must have been blown down by the strong typhoon last summer. We pass another junction where a frail trail diverges left on our way up. We turn around a bend and see our target peak on our left. At 12:14 we join a trail and go further up a little to each the summit of Mt. Yuanmaoshan (elevation 811m).

Mt. Yuanmaoshan summit

Going through fallen cedar trees

We can see the peak of Mt. Yingziling (鶯子嶺) in a far distance through bare branches. After a half hour lunch break on the summit we start for our next target Mt. Heshanjishan at 12:50.  We take a long descent and come across a junction where a short cut meets. The trail gets more moderate and pass through cedar woods with a few big trees are fallen down and blocks our passage. The trail follows the ridge and goes up and down. At 13:56 we pass a junction leading to South peak of Mt. Heshangjishan. Passing over a small peak and we finally see the peak of Mt. Heshanjishan ahead of us. We pass a junction to meet a trail from right. When I visited three years ago, I took this right trail to come up here, which goes on a hillside instead of the ridge that we just have come along. We make a steep but short ascend and reach the summit (725m elevation)  at 14:15. This is the final peak to cover today.

Summit of Mt. Heshanjishan

We start our final leg of the hike at 14:30. The decent is pretty steep but luckily id does not last long. In a matter of ten minutes or so, we reach a paved road. Cherry trees are in bloom along the road as we go down. We pass by a house where a black dog is pretty nasty and barks against us. We reach a four way junction at 14:56. I took a dirt footpath which goes straight down along the ridge. We take right to a paved road and walk down all the way today. It is safer but rather boring. We have a good command of view from the paved road. We can see Mt. Guizlaijian that we hiked over this morning and Mt. Heshanjishan that we just come down from.

Going down steep slope

Viewing Mt. Guzilaijian from the paved road down

At 15:20 we make a short break on the road and resume our decent further. We come down to a junction at 15:44 and take a footpath that goes along a stream instead of the paved road. This Shuisongqikeng hiking trail (水聳淒坑登山步道) seems to have been built for some years but obviously very few hikers walk on this. We join the paved road at the trail end and walk again on the paved road all the way down. We reach the main road at 15:58 where all members are dismissed.

Approaching the trail end

We walked for seven and a half hours including all rests to cover approximately 13 kilometers. The trail is generally OK except short sections of narrow and not so clear paths. The route itself is popular and well hiked over, particularly Mt. Guizilaijian. This is a recommendable hiking route. The level of difficulty is class 3 for the route and also class 3 for the physical strength.