2021年7月17日 暖暖東勢大崙 - 西勢坑古道 Hiking over a small peak and a trail by a stream of NuanNuan, Keelung

Passing a slippery gorge down

前回の半日ハイクに続いて、今回も半日の比較的楽なルートである。ただ、暑いので水の近くを歩くルートを選んだ。5年前に歩いた場所の再訪である。ルート中の一部を除いて、以前より多くの登山者が訪れているようで、道の状態は良くなっている。5年前は、それまで草で埋もれていたところが、きれいにされた後であった。この5年間、登山者が確実に増えていることの表れだろう。

今はトンネルが貫通し基福公路が平溪十分へ通じている。10年近く前に初めて訪れたときに比べ、随分とにぎやかになった暖東峽谷から出発した。谷間の消墾嶺古道を進み、途中分岐を右にとって中窯尖から北へと延びる尾根へ登り、東勢大崙を往復した。その後反対側の谷へ下り、西勢坑古道を沢沿いに西勢水庫(觀音湖)へとくだり、右に峠を越えて暖暖の寫意山莊へと歩いた。まだ警戒レベル３の本格解除ではないので、基本は行動中もマスク着用である。

今回歩いたルートは、過去3回にわたり訪れたところである。今回は英語で記述します。

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Start from east, passing over a peak and then north along the stream

Next to the hiking a few days earlier, this hike was also of a kind taking place after the relaxation of the pandemic alert level three, which was short and close to Taipei with an intention of regaining physical fitness for hiking. A study conducted by Professor Yamamoto Masayoshi (山本正嘉) of National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya of Japan (日本國立鹿屋體育大學) indicates that a some length of absence from hiking may cause a rapid deterioration of hiking capability. One of his case studies is derived from hikers of a region in Japan where a great amount of snowfall makes hiking difficult during winter. By the time snow melts and hiking is available, hikers find it hard to do the same hiking that was easy in the preceding autumn. As they keep on  hiking, their strength has come back and feel it easy once again. The absence of hiking caused by pandemic lockdown also makes similar effects on hikers. I myself feel it harder to hike though I have kept some forms of exercise in the past two months.

Members at the summit of Mt. Dongshi-dalun

The location of the hike is in NuanNuan district (暖暖區) of Jilong-shi (基隆市). We just climbed one peak Mr. Dongshi-dalun (東勢大崙). On our way down, we followed an old trail along a stream which empties into Xishi reservoir (西勢水庫 also called Guanyin lake 觀音湖), the very first reservoir for the modern water supply system ever built in Taiwan. It gets very hot on low mountains in Taiwan in summer. We made a couple of lengthy breaks on the summit where nice breeze blew through and by the water stream. The route itself was familiar with me because I walked all the length five years ago. The trails was not so good at the time, but to my surprise they were all in good shape except on section. It should be because more hikers visit this area now.

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Aboard #603 bus at NuanNuan station

Nine of us gather at NuanNuan train station (暖暖火車站) by 7:30. Except one member having come by car, the members took a train to the unmanned station. The population of the district has grown very much as a bed town to the metropolitan Taipei, yet the station has been without regular staff. Most of the commuters to Taipei seem to take more convenient bus services. Jilong #603 bus bound for Nuandong Xiagu (暖東峽谷), our starting point, comes around a little past 8:00. The small bus goes through narrow streets of NuanNuan old town and then ascends along Jifu highway (基福公路). A little more than ten-minute ride brings us to the gate of Nuandong Xxiagu park (elevation 150 meters).

Crossing a bridge, members keeping social distance each other (!)

End of the park trail

There are several cars parked in the parking space beside the gate, revealing some visitors are already here. Nuandong Xiagu park is a natural reserve created around a merging point of two streams and strolling pathways are built along them. Since my first visit ten years ago, the whole area has been upgraded with new good bridges and trails. We start off at 8:25 and cross a bridge, and then take right to cross another new arched bridge. In a few minutes we are on a trail leading to Xiaokenling (消墾嶺古道). At 8:50 we come to the end of trail of the park with a sign of caution telling that the point beyond is out of the park area and you would be better equipped for it.

Junction with signage and free of weeds, take right here

Crossing a stream with little running water

The path goes on the left side of the stream. A ten-minute walk on a good trail brings us to a junction. Compared with several years ago, the whole trail has been made very clear and nice to walk. The junction was buried in thick grasses then and now it is with very good signage and free of grasses. A sign board attached by a local rescue authority implies that many hikers now go by. We take right at the junction and soon cross a stream. By a flat walk not far from the steam lie two empty man-made rectangular holes. They were remains of sink pond (菁礐池遺址) for indigo dye production in the past days.

A remain of indigo dye processing pond

Going up a steep path to the ridge

Indigo dye was an important product of Taiwan in the days before synthetic chemical dye took over around 1900. It contributed to Taiwan's export in the 19th century. There once were many sites of indigo production in such low mountains as this. You can see same kind of abandoned processing ponds at many other locations in the mountains surrounding Taipei, like Yangmingshan.

Junction on the ridge

Author at the summit

The trail soon turns very steep and we gain height as we go up. We reach the highest point over the ridge by 9:40. This is a four-way junction. We take right and go up a steep ridge path, passing two of rope-aided sections. A few minutes ascent finds the summit of Mt. Dongshi-dalun (elevation 455m). There are two hikers already resting on the summit. A nice breeze flows through woods around the summit, which is very welcome and comforting after a hot and hard climb.

Going down a dried stream bed

Infrequently travelled weed=covered trail

After nearly a half hour rest we leave the summit and return to the junction. The trail going down to Xishikeng old trail (西勢坑古道) is apparently less traveled. The track is covered with undergrowth and more fallen tree branches are on the ground. It soon goes along a dried stream bed. As we come down for about a half hour a little stream of water is seeping through rocks. A slippery looking big rock hangs before us. Luckily a rope is fixed by the rock and one by one we go carefully down to the bottom. A few more minutes brings us a main stream. Crossing the stream the trail joins Xishikeng old trail.

A crossing point for a long break

A group of hikers, rather novice kind, are just going by the junction. I did not expect to see such hikers on this trail which was an obscure route a few years ago. Obviously this trail has since become popular and more accessible. It is partly due to an increase of hikers in the recent years and also due to a more regular maintenance of the trail by volunteer hikers. We follow the old trail and pass a natural tunnel of rocks to come out to a stream crossing at 11:20 where we have a rest.

Coming out from the woods to stream bed

Keep on the old trail overlooking a stream on right

It is nice to have a rest by the stream where there is a gentle breeze coming over water. Completing a forty-minute break we resume our hike down along the stream. In a few minutes we pass by a point of anther branch stream meets. In about thirty minutes from the rest we see remains of an abandoned coal mine. Rusted rails are left on the ground. The trail goes up on the valley slope to detour a gap caused by flood stream sometime in the recent years. The trail comes down to the stream side where we have another rest of twenty-five minutes.

Ruin of an abandoned coal mine

Another rest by the stream

We set off for the last leg of our hike at 13:05. We soon find a small stone shrine of Tudigong (土地公). Tudigong is a deity of Taoism, ranking at the bottom of the hierarchical system of the religion. He is closely related to the place and worshiped for well-being of the local people. You find countless Tudigong shrines in places of Han people (漢人) , of which the majority of Taiwan population is. This one stands by the old trail and is supposed to take care of safe passage of the people. This particular shrine is more than one hundred years old.

Tudigong stone shrine: worshippers still come and burn incense

Trail turns wider and clean

The trail gets wide and clean of grasses. This section of the trail was recently cleared by the local volunteer hikers, which we appreciate very much. We pass by a junction at 13:16 and take right. In a few minutes we see a large water surface, which is Xishi reservoir. We go by the lake shore and come to the end at 13:27 where a bamboo bench is elected. The reservoir is full of water under the summer afternoon sky. We feel a nice gentle breeze. The reservoir was constructed in 1923 through 1926. It has since been supplying water to Keelung city as well as its international sea port, while the latter was once a major reason for the construction but has became less of significance nowadays.

Xishi reservoir

Final ascent

The trail leaves the water behind and goes up on the slope on our right. As we go up, the grade gets steeper. This is the last ascent of the day and luckily lasts only ten minutes. The top is a three-way junction and the right trail leads to the summit of Mt. Guanyinhu-shan (觀音湖山). Our final descent on the old trail ends in ten minutes and we come out onto a narrow paved road. The road goes by two houses and finds Laifugong shrine (來福宮). Passing a construction site of housing project we come out to a street where Xieyi-shanzhuang bus stop (寫意山莊站) stands at 14:13 Some members take #1088 bus and the rest #602 for home from the bus stop after some time of wait.

Construction site, Mt. Wufen-shan (五分山) far behind

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Bus stop of Xieyi-shanzhuang

This hike was supposed to be an easy one. If it had taken place in other season than summer, it would surely have been so. We had a long rest at each break point to compensate the heat. The total time of our hike was 5 hours and 50 minutes including rests. We walked approximately 6.5 kilometers, with a total ascent of 471 meters and descent 576 meters, the route physical index being 18.

The whole route except a section from Mt. Dongshi-dalun junction down to Xishikeng old trail is pretty in good condition. The upper section of Xishikeng old trail up to the main ridge of Mt. Jiangziliao-shan (姜子寮山) is supposedly good now too. So you may enjoy a whole day hike if you go up Mt. Jiangzilao-shan, like the one we did five years ago.