2023年9月9日 平溪峰頭尖白石後仙洞 Visit to a huge cave of Mt. Fengtoujian

仙洞 the cave

平溪の峰頭尖は、10年前に初めて訪れて以来何度も訪れている。2カ月前にも新たに手入れされた忘憂古道から峰頭尖主峰を訪れた。8月に、峰頭尖の南側にある、大きな仙洞が見つけられ、そこに至る山道もつけられた。今回の登山は、その仙洞を訪れるのが、主要目的であった。平溪國中（中学校）脇から東勢格古道をへて、峰頭尖の南側に回り込み、新しい山道をへて仙洞を訪ねた。その後、二日前に貫通した新しい道で峰頭尖の主稜線に上がり、先に峰頭尖東峰を往復、その後初めて峰頭尖を訪れた際に登った九龍山と石燭尖をへて平溪國中へと戻った。

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Clock-wise circular walk

Pingxi district (平溪區) of New Taipei municipality (新北市) holds many attractive peaks for hikers. Of all their peaks three of distinctive shapes are called Pinxi-sanjian (平溪三尖 three pinnacles of Pingxi) stand around Jingtong (菁桐) village: They are Shulangjian (薯榔尖), Shisunjian 石筍尖 and Fengtoujian (峰頭尖). While the first two are single peaks on the left bank of Jilong river valley (基隆河), Mt. Fengtoujian is composed of several summits and stand on the right bank. Since my first visit to Mt. Fengtoujian more than ten years ago, I have been to it from different routes. Recently Lantian-tui (藍天隊) and Allied volunteer hikers (聯合艦隊) entered the south side of Fengtoujian and uncovered a legendary huge cave called Baishihou Xiandong (白石後仙洞).

At the cave

According to Mr. Jiang (江隊長), the group leader, they tried for couple of times before they uncovered the spot. There were no trails to get to the cave, so they naturally opened trails to and from it to connect the existing trails nearby, one of which is a very steep trail to reach the ridge line of Mt. Fengtoujian. It needs not only strong legs but also strong arms!! The cave is a huge overhang rock wall with a cavernous depression. A very small stream flowing from the top to sprinkle down on the base. There is a small flat platform with a piled rock retaining wall, which indicates a man-made structure.

Viewing Fengtojian east peak (left), Wuming peak and Mt. Jiulong-shan over Shizhujian candle rock

Our route of the day was like this: We started at Pingxi Junior high school bus depot (平溪國中站), followed Dongshige cross-ridge historic trail (東勢格越嶺古道) to the point near its summit, visited the summit of Weifeng-ling (威豐嶺) and back to a junction for the cave. A new trail commenced at the junction, going over a ridge and passing over Sanbaozhu summit (三抱竹鞍), and then led to the cave. A brand new trail had been just completed to the main ridge a day before our visit. We climbed this precipitous trail from the cave up to the ridge, went down to the East peak of Mt. Fengtoujian and back to the junction for Mt. Jiulong-shan (九龍山), over which we returned to Pingxi Junior high bus stop.

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Change to the replacement bus on our way

Most of the members including myself have come by #795 bus to the meeting point, Pingxi Junior High school, while one member who has come by train was already there waiting when we reached there. The #795 bus that we took at Muzha (木柵) had a mechanical trouble on the way and we had to change to a replacement bus, which resulted in some delay. By 8:40 we all at the trail head (elevation 224 meters) of the Dongshige historic trail by #106 highway.

At the trail head by #106 highway

Reaching the Dongshige trail

Junction for Mt. Cimuling

The ruin of abandoned mine facilities

We go up stone steps to meet a junction for Mt. Jiulong-shan, by which we will come back in the afternoon. The long step way up ends at a level track of Dongshige trail. The trail goes very mildly up, hardly noticeable its incline. It was originally a railway track for wagons carrying coal from a mine up in the valley. At 9:08 we see a trail diverging to our left up to Mt. Cumuling (慈母嶺). In another two or three minutes we come across moss-covered broken stone walls of an abandoned house. This is one of the old facility of Jianyuan mine (建源煤礦) , which operated from 1947 through 1961.

Main portal

Tudigong shrine by the stream

We keep going along the trail seeing another house ruin and come to a mine portal, which is filled with water. The easy-going track ends here. Crossing a creek over a bridge up we go on a rough rock grade up to a point where two Tudigong (土地公) shines stand each on the either side of the stream. We have a break by the shrine at 9:08.

going on the stream bed

Junction for Zhongyangjian

The flat track along which we have come so far is of course a part of the Dongshige trail, but it is more of original feature of the trail from up here. In a few minutes, we meet a junction which diverges a trail to Mt. Zhongyangjian (中央尖) on our left. Besides a newly elected direction sign, white letters on the red board say in essence "You are warned not to enter this precarious trail". Well, this is an "official" statement and you judge yourself whether or not to observe.

Junction for the east peak (left)

Keep going on the Dongshige trail

Junction for the cave

The trail goes along the stream, or on the stream bed to proceed. It gains some height with a steep incline at a point. At 9:23 we pass by a junction for the east peak of Mt. Fengtoujian and at 9:32 another junction for Mt. Choutou-shan (臭頭山). Advancing for two or three minutes finds a flat open space where a new trail to the cave opens its mouth on our right.

At Mt. Weifengling

A sign of Fenghuotai

We keep on the trail for another minute or two and come to a junction for Mt. Weifengling. We take left and head for it. This is another old trail and was cleared by volunteers two years ago. A few minutes of gentle climb brings us to the summit (elev. 436m). There is a sign showing a location of a vanished cabin (更寮遺址)  and another sign says a ruin of smoke signal cabin (烽火台遺址). These are all reminiscences of the war effort for Qing-France Conflict (清法戰爭 1883-1885), which in fact did not spread to this faraway point and the battle remained only near Jiling (基隆).

A newly opened track

Going back to the junction for the cave, we enter the new trail at 9:57. The trail is obviously freshly opened and soon comes to a junction. A sign says that either way leads to Sabaozhu summit and we take the left path, which goes rather mildly for sometime and up a steep incline to the ridge where the other path meets. Passing a couple of gaps on the ridge we reach the bottom of a huge bare rock face (大岩壁). There are two paths to go to the Sanbaozhu summit. We take the left one and reach the summit (elev. 474m)  at 10:26 and have a rest.

Huge rock face

Break at Sanbaozhu summit

Trail to the cave

The cave

The track to the cave is rather rough as it was recently opened. We reach the bottom of the huge cave (elev. 500m) at 10:55 after passing two junctions. The cave must have twenty or thirty meters high as well as forty or so wide. You can go up just under the cave top, though you need to watch your step as you go. We stay around for a half hour as this is our main purpose of this hike.

Top of the cave

Traversing the mountain side

We resume our walk at 11:24 along a new trail, which was opened just a day before by volunteers. It traverses the mountain side for a while and gets onto a very steep ridge. In fifteen minutes or so, we come down to a bottom of another precipitous slope. Ropes are fixed without break all the way up to the top. You need to rely on your arms as well as feet. It is darn steep!! It is good that this climb has lasted only ten minutes or so.

Very steep climb on the ridge

Another steep section

Reaching the top

Ridge trail

All members have come up to the ridge by 11:58 and we head for the east peak of Mt. Fengoutjan. Our original plan was to come up to the ridge by another route, which is much longer than the way we have just come up. This new short-cut has saved us a lot of time, so I decide to visit the east peak before going down by Mt. Jilong-shan. We pass Wumingjian peak (無名尖, elev. 605m) and the junction for Mt. Jiulong-shan, and further down to a rather flat place for lunch break at 12:22, which we take for a half hour. 

Wuming-jian

Looking over Pingxi Junior High shcool

Going down for the east peak

It feels good on the ridge as wind blows through. It is still very warm at this time of year. The trail goes further down for a half hour to the bottom and up a little to the summit of the east peak (elev. 550m)  The summit is so narrow that only two or three people can stay, so we alternately stand. The way back to the junction is a weary job! We step over a bare rock ridge, climb steep roped gaps and finally back to the junction at 14:15.

Passing over the rock

View from the east peak for Wumingjian (left) and Mt. Jiulong-shan (center)

Junction for Mt. Jiulong-shan

The way down to Mt. Jilong-shan is also very steep. "Precipitous" is indeed the word for Mt. Fengtoujian! It is very good and grateful for volunteers having fixed so many ropes lately. After a half hour decent a gentle incline leads to the summit of Mt. Jiouling-shan (elev. 470m), which  we reach at 14:48 and have a rest. 

Steep way down to Mt. Jiulong-shan

Mt. Jiulong-shan

Going down by the tall rock

The trail from Mt. Jioulongshan goes down gently only for a few minutes and gets steep along a high rock wall on our left. We reach the bottom of Shizhujian (石燭尖) at 15:20. Shizhujian is a tall massive rock pillar which resembles a candle thus gained its name. A little path leads to its base and further up to a adjacent peak where we go up and have a look over the stone candle. Over the pillar spreads a side view of Mt. Fengtoujian, which includes Mt. Wumingjian and the east peak.

Top of the adjacent peak

Down on the curbed steps of rock

The rest section of our way down is also steep. It lasts for twenty minutes or so and down to a open space in front of the rock wall on which several large caves were chiseled out. The caves are all empty but must have had its use in the past. A long and slippery looking steps lead down to the side of a creek. The trail goes along the steam for a couple of minutes and cross the steam over a dam. The top of the dam is under water and it would become hard to cross after heavy rain.

The final leg of the steep descent

Big empty caves

Long steps down

Going along the stream

Crossing stream over the dam

The trail further goes down along the right side of the stream for another ten or so minutes to see old houses. It soon joins the path which we passed this morning. We come down to the trail head near the junior high at 16:08. In about 10 minutes our bus back to Muzha has come. To our surprise it is of many empty seats, which usually fully occupied on weekends.  An eventless 45-minute ride took us back to Muzha by 17:05.

Almost back to the our startingpoint

The junction we passed this moring

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Rare species of lilly 鹿子百合 seen near the east peak

My GPS records show that we only walked less than 9 kilometers and about 400 meters of ascent and descent each, for which we spent seven and a half hours! It was yet a strenuous hike probably because so many ups and downs with ropes. The heat of the sunny day also should have contributed to this. Nonetheless Fengtoujian is a challenging hike destination. It would be very worth going up and taking a look at the cave, which has been obscure and forgotten for decades.