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| 東眼山遊客中心 Visitor Center |
筆者は東眼山へ今まで数回訪れた。今回は、東眼山森林遊樂區の入口から入り、東眼山へ登り滿月圓へ下くだった。
前回の20㎞ほど歩いた時に比べると、ずっと楽なルートである。最近は、少し涼しくなっていることもあり、また稜線では風もあって快適な山行であった。7
月初旬の山行のあと、めまいを覚えることがあり、
8月中旬まで山行を控えていた。今回は、少し状況がよくなり、またいつまでも控えていては好きな山を歩けないこともあり、訓練のため登りは少なく下りが多いコースを選んだ。当座への山行は数回あるので、英語で記述する。
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With the elevation of 1218meters, Mt. Dongyan-shan (東眼山) stands on the boarder between New Taipei (新北市) and Taoyuan (桃園市) municipalities. Its literal meaning is a mountain of "east eye". A legend has it that it looks like an eye staring east when viewed from Daxi (大溪) of Taoyuan. Another story goes like that it has been derived from a name of an indigenous village "Dongang" in its vicinity and then translated into the two Japanese (Chinese) characters "東眼". Whatever the origin of the mountain name is, it is now a main part of
Dongyanshan Forest Recreational Area, which evolved from a logging site in the yesteryears.
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| Hike from west over the mountain to the east side |
The mountain is designated as one of Taiwan's 100 Small Mountains (小百岳) and indeed worth its title. It has a nice trail system at its foot as well as to its summit, and now has an easy access by public transportation. The author has visited several times since 2017. This hike is the latest one. One of the trails leading to the summit has recently been updated and a new viewing platform was built on its top from which you can have a nice view of Taipei metropolitan area and beyond on a clear day.
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| At the viewing platform of Dongyanshan summit |
Adjacent to the Dongyanshan Recreational Area lies Manyueanyan (滿月圓) Forest Recreational Area, which was also a logging site in the past. Our hike of the day was to climb the Dongyan-shan from the park's gate and then directly down to the side of the Manyueyuan. There is a trail to connect the two recreation areas
(Dongman trail 東滿步道), along which the author and his friends walked all the way last March. On this hike we just went down from the mountain, which was a long descent of about 900 meter in elevation and 4 kilometer, much shorter than going all the way along the Dongman trail.
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| Official guide map |
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Four of us met at Yongning bus terminus (永寧轉運站) around 7:10 and took a #710 bus leaving at 7:16. The bus soon got on the highway and left it at Daxi junction. Passing through a newly developed residential area, it reached Daxi bus stop at 7:54. The first service of
Taiwan tourist shuttle bus for Dongyan-shan on the day was about to leave Daxi bus terminus, which is a couple minute walk away from the bus stop we just alighted. We hurriedly headed to the bus terminus and got aboard the bus, which was pretty packed with passengers including several foreign tourists and left the terminus at 8:00. The bus ran for a little more than an hour and reached the gate of Dongyanshan Recreational Area at 9:06.
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| Inside the visitor center hall |
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| Volunteers exhibits insects by the visitor center |
There are two trails going up to the summit of Dongyan-shan, both of which are a part of the official trail system. Before taking on one of the trails, we first went up to the visitor center. It had been under renovation on our visit last year and now it is open for visitors again. It has a nice collection of related materials including historical and environmental exhibitions, which is quite educational.
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| One of the two rails to the summit forks left here |
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| The head of another trail to the summit |
We started our ascent to the peak at 9:33. Passing by a junction of one trail up to the summit, we continued along a paved level trail to a restaurant, where another trail starts. The altitude of the trail head is about 900meters, so the height gap to the summit is 300 meters and the distance is 1.5kilometers. Its most part is built with steps and a few level stretches all under beautiful tall far forests. We passed a fork of a connecting path to the 1st trail at 9:57 and kept going up for another ten minutes to a bench beside the trail for a short rest.
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| Climbing under beautiful far forest |
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| Junction of a connecting trail to the other trail |
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| Bench by the trail |
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| climbing steep section |
Our trail then went up zigzag to gain height and a short flat stretch. It turned to be stone paved and a final climb reached the summit with a triangular marker. We went up the raised viewing platform that stands next to the summit. The climb from the trail head by the restaurant took us 55 minutes. The view from the platform was splendid. I had been up here a couple of times but clouds hid distant views on every occasion. Today the Taipei metropolis revealed its all area under clouds.
Mt. Guanyin-shan (觀音山) and Yangming-shan (陽明山) peaks stood clearly at the edge of flat Taipei Basin, which is almost filled with houses and buildings. On the right side and over the peaks like
Mt. Shizitou-shan (獅子頭山) even Jilong-yu (基隆嶼) island off the Jilong coast was discernable!!
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| Stone paved trail |
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| Reaching the summit, right to the viewing platform |
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| Panorama view of Taipei, Mt. Guanyinshan on left and Yanmingshan peaks beyond the flat land |
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| Mt. Xiongkongshan (熊空山) in front, Mt. Shizitoushan at far end |
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| Going down the gap |
After enjoying the great view, we left for 1200 height (1200高地) where our trail to Manyueyuan diverges. The two summits are almost at the same elevation, yet there are deep gaps in between. From this point onwards, we were not on the official trails but the they were relatively well maintained. The trail goes mostly on the ridge among wild rhododendron groves. If you visit in April or May, you can probably enjoy beautiful flowers. The trail went down thirty or so meters with a steep slope and the up again. There came up another miner gap to go over. We reached the 1200 height at 11:40. A thermometer on a tree indicated 23 degree and it felt occasional breeze, really nice! We had a lunch there.
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| Going up under rhododendron groves |
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| 1200 Height |
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| Going down a steep section |
While we were enjoying food, a large hiking group arrived. The small circle of the flat space was quickly filled up with people. They were preparing for their food and disturbed the tranquility that we appreciated. So we left the place and commenced our long descent at 12:05. The trail here was also in a good state. It soon dropped with steep sections as a trail marker at the 1200 height warned. We kept going down to reach a junction (about 900 meters high) at 12:30 where a trail for
Mt. Shuangxi-shan (雙溪山) splits. On a small hump on the ridge next to the junction found a nice bench made up of thin tree trunks, on which we had a short rest. Nice breeze blew through woods, and it felt really so good! We could have a nice nap here.
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| a bench on the hump |
On the rest of the trail also came up with several steep sections. Around 13:30 we left the ridge and descended on the mountain side to find a house, which looked like a disused warehouse. In another couple of minutes we came down to a junction with a trail to
Mt. Laka-shan (拉卡山) and a steam crossing. On the other side of the creek lies a large flat square. By its side found a guide map that shows a route for Mt. Laka-shan. Today we have met many hikers all on our way. Compared with a few years ago, the whole area seems to have become more popular. No wander there is such a new guide map for hikers like this.
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| Bei 115 road |
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| Wild flowers by the trail to Manyueyuan |
The route that we took this time is an easy one. The total length of our hike up to the Manyueyuan bus stop is approximately 6kilometers, total ascent 450meters, descent 1000meters and 5 hours including breaks. You can of course hike in the reversed way, but you would face 550meters more of climb.
