2021年2月14日 三峽六福縱走 六寮崙山-白雞山-添福山 Sanxia Liufu (Six fortunes) trekking

Very steep rocky section of Mt. Tianfu trail

台湾は今年2月12日が旧暦正月だ。台湾北部は大晦日2月11日から天気が良くない。幸い旧正三日目は天気が少し回復し、予定の六福縦走をした。六福縦走は、新北市三峽區の白雞付近にある六寮崙山から白雞山と鹿窟山を経て添福山までの縦走だ。先月に熊鹿縦走を行ったが、午後から天気が下り坂で本来予定の添福山への部分を中止したので、今回はその補充的な意味もある。2013年に六寮崙山近くを紫微天后宮方向へ下った。今回はその反対方向の歩きで、また白雞山へは稜線を追っていった。したがって、今回の山行ルートは、半分が違うものだ。旧正なので、ちょっとこじ付け的なニュアンスもあるが六福はおめでたい意味で、ちょうど時期にあったルートでもある。

On our trekking in this region last month due to the quick deterioration of weather we canceled to walk to Mt. Tianfu (添福山) which was on the original list of our visit. The name of the mountain, Tianfu, meaning fortune give-out, is nice sounding and stayed on my mind. So I selected this one for the first hike upon the lunar new year, as it associates with happy feeling of the new year celebration. Mr. Liuliaolun (六寮崙山 Sixth camp hill), on the other hand, stands at the farthest east of the Mt. Baiji (白雞山) range of peaks running east - west direction. On my hike to Mt. Baiji 8 years ago I did come close but not visit Mt. Liuliaolun and it has come up to my mind for this hike. So this made up the Six Fortunes (Liufu, "Liu"liaolun - Tian"fu") trekking.

From Xinxiugong hike clock-wise to TIanfu

Elevation profile

Mt. Baiji has a big Taoist temple Xingxiugong (行修宮) at its feet. This is one of the two auxiliary temples of Xingtiangong (行天宮) of Taipei with a large group of followers. There is another large Taoist temple at the foot of Mt. Liuliaolun, Ziweitianhougong (紫微天后宮). A trail called Baojialu (保甲路) connects the two temples. We started from Xingxiuigong and walked to Ziweitianhougong. It is a custom of Taiwan that people visit temples and pray for their well-being during the new year days. So this route gives our fellow hikers a chance to visit the temples on our way if they wish so.

Members at Mt. Tianfu

The route from Mt. Lukujian (鹿窟尖) to Mt. Tianfu has long been neglected and it was almost unpassable until late last year when Mr. Chen (陳基裕先生), a local hiker, made the route cleared of weeds and other obstacles and added ropes at dangerous spots. The route has a very steep and slippery sections. Without ropes and safety nets provided by him, it would be very hard to go through these sections. Mt. Wuliaojian (五寮尖) standing just across Dabaoxi river (大豹溪) to Mt. Lukujian is well known for its rocky terrain and has "pseudo" rock-climbing sections. Those dangerous rocky sections have since been provided with ropes and other safety measures so the scary sections are no longer so frightening. The route to Mt. Tianfus offers you such thrilling spots equally or even more so than Mt. Wuliaojian.

 

Sanxia Yi zhan bus terminus

I set a meeting point to be at Sanxia yi zhan (三峽一站) bus terminus as we take a #778 bus  leaving at 8:10 for Baiji. I was worried about traffic jam on the highway from Taipei to Sanxia because of the new year holidays and took a ride of #809 bus leaving Jingan (景安) at 7:15. It turned out be no congestion at all and I arrived at Sanxia early. Some participating members arrived there even much earlier and told me that they would go to Baiji by an early #778 bus. Seven of us take the scheduled bus and arrive at Baiju bus stop a little after 8:30. Six of the members who took an early bus join us and the total 13 of us start our hike.

Xingxiugong Taoist temple at Baiji

Cherry in full bloom

Xingxiugong temple is crowded with people for praying just like my expectation. We all put a mask to enter the temple area because it is required by the authority as a counter measure of Wu-han pandemic (Covid 19). Cherry blossoms and other flowers in the garden add the feeling of spring happiness. We get through the large courtyard of the temple and get out onto the baojia trail (保甲路) on its back. Baojia trails are a kind of old trails built for local guards as well as civilians under the Baojia system, smallest administrative units for the rural Taiwan in the Japanese Era. This baojia trail has been kept in good condition due to maintenance of the local authority. It goes flat along the side of hillside with some small ups and downs. The signpost shows 2.4km for Ziweitianhougong temple.

Flat Baojia trail going by betel nut trees

Tianhougong temple at Ziwei

The Baojia trail passes by betel nut trees, tee tree fields as well as grave yards and small woods and grass fields in between. At 9:45 we enter the yard of Ziweitianhougong temple. This temple occupies a large area of the gentle slope and has a big parking space below it. Cherry trees nearby are in full bloom. From the wide front courtyard you have a nice broad view. The nearest peaks are ones of Mt. Xinan and its adjacent peaks, of which ridge trail is designated as a part of around Taipei hiking route. We have a 15-minute rest and some of the members enter the temple and pray for the new year good fortune.

A view from the front court of Tianhougong temple

Going by tee tree field

Sign post and stepped path

The route for Mt. Liuliaolun starts from the other side of the temple. It goes on a steep paved road passing by a few houses and make a left turn to go along a tee tree field. At 10:16 the pavement ends and a dirt trail leads into woods. It meets a trail from left and goes along the side of slope. It then climbs a steep slope and passes by vegetable and bamboo shoots fields. A wooden post shows the direction for Mt. Liuliaolun and the distance. Through woods we go up and final ascent with wooden steps leads us to the summit at 10:35. One side of the summit (elev. 473m) is surrounded by a open tee tree field. The valley of Ankeng (安坑) and the range of Mt. Tianshang (天上山) peaks is visible under a hazy cloudy sky.

Summit of Mt. Liuliaolun

A view towards Ankeng and Mt. Tianshang (left)

Mt. Liuliaolun southwest peak

The trails leads on the broad hill to the southwest peak of Mt. Liulialun (elev. 482m 六寮崙山西南峰) in a matter of few minutes. The narrow peak is crowded with two benches and a triangulation marker.  We keep on the trail, which passes by a fenced garden and connects to a paved road. A wooden pavilion with benches stand by the road. Taking a right turn we enter a dilapidated paved road. It soon turns into a dirt trail and pass by a moss-covered map board of the trail. A trail diverges to left and we take it up to another junction leading down to an observation deck of Huangshan trail (環山步道) , which I took on my last visit here 8 years ago.

Going by fenced garden

Pavilion by a paved road

Huanshan (around mountain) trail

Weeds are widely cut out

Very steep grade with rope

We take a left trail up to the ridge. This section of the trail is newly cleared by the volunteer. It is much easier to follow than my last visit. At 11:33 we come to a junction where a ridge trail to Mt. Baiji and an old trail to Mt. Jizhao (雞罩山) front peak. We take the right ridge trail. This trail has not been cleared and weeds cover it. Passing through thin bamboo woods a steep ascent begins. Someone recently removed branches of thorny Huangteng (黃藤 yellow rotang palm) as they are still fresh in dark green.  As old as it looks, the ropes at the steep rocky sections are yet helpful. After a steep climb for sometime the trail levels out on the ridge and descends to a junction where a trail coming up from the abandoned Yufeng coal mine (裕峰煤礦) at 12:28. There used to be an active coal mine down at the feet of Mt. Baiji. Like other coal mines of Taiwan, It went out of business after a devastating accident in 1984 resulting in death of ninety some mine workers.

Junction with a path from Yufeng coal mine

Bare rock section

The trail from this point on is maintained by the local government. Very steep it goes up, the trail is in good shape and very thick ropes are fixed to rocky sections. We climb three vertical rocky section and reach the summit of Mt. Baiji (elev. 740m) at 12:50. Fog has become thicker and there is no view from the summit. We go on the trail for a couple of minutes and get to a junction where three benches are provided. We have a lunch break here.

Summit of Mt. Baiji

Junction near the summit of Mt. Baiji

hand drawn map of the new routes

At 13:45 we resume our hike and head for Mt. Lukujian (鹿窟尖). We hiked this section to Mt. Lukujian only four weeks ago and the memory is still very fresh. Just like that time, thick mist prevents any view from some open point by the trail. After getting down to the junction several ascents from there to the Mt. Lukujian make us feel tiresome.  Reaching the remains of cannon base pit at 14:25 and soon we see the junction to Mt. Tianfu. We further go down for a minute or two and reach the triangulation marker of Mt. Lukuujian. 

At Mt. Lukujian

Remain of the cannon base mound

More than a century ago, cannons were placed here on Mt. Lukujian aiming at villages of indigenous Taiya tribes (泰雅族) down by Dabaoxi reiver (大豹溪). It was a measure of the police force after Dabaoshe insurgence (大豹社事件) occurred. The rebellious activity lasted a several years in the very early 1900s. It was finally quelled and the canons were removed. Now only the cannon mound remains.

Very recently cleared trail

Standing atop the cliff

We return to the junction and follow the trail to Mt. Tianfu. This trail has long been almost unpassable. Now it is very clear and easy to follow thanks to the volunteer hiker, to whom we appreciate very much. The trail goes steeply down on the sub-dirge from Mt. Lukujian. In about ten minutes we come to the top of very steep, almost vertical rocky wall. The right side is a deep cliff with no trees or bushes. If you fall off, you would probably not survive. The net on that side for safety is really big help. It gives you at least ease of mind. We carefully go down one by one, which has taken 12 minutes to complete.

Very steep incline continues

Though no rocky cliff, steep descent still continues with very slippery mud surface. Quite a few members slip and fall on their butt.  After twenty some minutes of struggle down the incline turns gradual. We take a rest at a flat place at 15:45. We then pass by tee tree field, go under high voltage cables and comes to the top of another long steep descent at 16:07. Ropes are fixed for the almost all the length of steep slope of slippery surface. Once the rope is over, you have to be very careful not to slip and fall down. A several minutes of descent brings to the summit of Mt. Tianfu (elev. 240m) at 16:22. This summit is not a top of a peak but a flat place with a triangulation marker stone at its center.

Long descent on slippery mud

Mt. Tianfu

Trail head

We are happy to see our last summit. The last section of slippery trail ends in a few minutes and we come out to a large cemetery. We wash clean mud covered boots at a road side water bucket and follow the road down through the cemetery. We come down to Bei #110 road (北110鄉道) at 16:52. The Bei #110 road goes by a Taoist monastery and houses and meets Bei #111 road. As we proceed the road, we see a bus stop of F628 community (free of charge) bus service. The next service is an hour away. We continue on the #111 for another two kilometers and cross Zhengyi suspension bridge (正義吊橋). At 17:45 a #778 bus comes to the bus stop near the bridge. Changing over to other bus services like 908 at Sanxia, we head home under a darkening sky.

Going down in the cemetery

Looking up Mt. Wuliaojian(五寮尖)

The route of the day was, to be honest, tougher than my anticipation. Steep ups and downs are the reason for it. Mr. Chen, the volunteer, has made a great job. The clearing work on trails of the mountains across Dabaixi river where we made several hikes last year was also done by him, which I would like to express my gratitude again. The total distance of this trekking was 14.7km with a total ascent of 1073m, descent 1224m, which took us 9 hours including rest. The route physical index is 32.