2021年4月2日~4日 霞喀羅古道から檜山を登る Three-day trek to Xiakeluo historical trail and Mt. Kuaishan

霞喀羅古道石鹿登山口 Xiakelou trail Shilu head

霞喀羅古道は、全行程あるいは部分の歩きを含め今回で四回目の訪問となる。台湾の墓参り清明節の連休を利用して本来は別の予定をしたが、昨今の登山ブームで入園許可申請の段階で、すでにテント場が満杯で申請できなかった。そこで、入山許可もいらないこと、また２月末の境界山登山の際に諦めた檜山を登るということで、この行程を決めた。檜山は初めてだが、霞喀羅古道はすでに訪れまた実際に外国人登山者にも出会ったので、英語で記述します。

There are many so-called historical old trails in Taiwan. They all are trails that were built and used for sometime in the past, but later disused and left to decay for many years. As hiking became popular they were rediscovered and put back to use. Some of them were originally for local residents to commute or carry goods and some of them were for military or police use. Xiakeluo historical trail (霞喀羅古道) was built for the police force to watch over and control indigenous tribes in the mountains during the Japanese regime in Taiwan. 

map of there-day activity

As I referred to in my last article, camphor was an important product in the 19th through the early 20th century. In the course of camphor production countless conflicts occurred between low land people and indigenous people in mountains. The advance of the low land people into mountain areas for other purposes like tea production also fueled the conflicts. The Japanese regime first took a soft policy to persuade the indigenous people to accept. It proved unsuccessful and then the fifth governor-general Sakuma Samata (佐久間左馬太) brought out a hard policy to control the indigenous tribes with force. His 5-year policy was epitomized by the biggest military operation to Taroko tribes (太魯閣族) in 1914, which resulted in  a very high casualty on both sides (the known count of the government side was 364 while no record on the tribe side). All Taroko tribe villages surrendered and were placed under scrutiny and control. Police stations were set up along the newly opened Hehuan cross-mountain trail (合歡越道路) to maintain peace.

Map of the area: red area - our trek; orange - police trail system covered area

Atayal tribes (泰雅族) of the area where the current Xiakeluo trail goes through were also put under police control and demanded to surrender their guns. They rebelled twice 1917 and 1920. After the insurgence was quelled, the government decided to open a police trail and establish a network of security control. This is the origin of the Xiakelou trail.  The 53.6-kilometer Shakalo-Sakayachin trail (霞喀羅-薩克亞金警備道路) was completed in 1922 between Shipaji (十八兒, current Wufeng 五峰) and Koukei (控溪 present Xiuluan 秀巒)  with 19 police stations, which later increased to the maximum 25 at one time. After the Japanese regime left Taiwan, the trail was still in use and police force stationed at some original locations until 1989 when the last officer left Baishi police station (白石派出所). Sections of the original trail close to inhabitants were widened and paved for car passage. The forestry bureau renovated the abandoned trail between Shilu (石鹿) and Yanglao (養老) and opened it for public hiking in 2003. With a total length  of 22 kilometers the current historical trail comprises of the inner most part of the original trail. It goes among the deep and tranquil mountains as if there had been no history of blood and tears a century ago.

All member at Baishi police station house

Our three-day trip was with an itinerary like this: The frst day is to walk 11.5 kilometers of Xiakelou trail from Shilu trail head down to Baishi police station camp site. The second day is to hike to Mt. Kuaishan (檜山) and back and the thirday is to walk back to Shilu trail head. While we walked for 12 hours on the second day, the rest was a easy hike though carrying a rather heavy backpack.

Mt. Kuaishan is a peak where the mountain range running between Mt. Leshan (樂山 or Luchang Dashan 鹿場大山) and Mt. Jingjie shan (境界山) and the range from Mt. Xiakeluo Dashan (霞喀羅大山 or 石鹿大山) converge. When we went to Mt. Jingjie shan in the late February this year, we skipped Mt. Kuaishan as we were too tired on our way back to the camp. This is a reason why we aimed to go up there. The trek to this peak turned out be much harder than the other way from the abandoned Dalu forestry road (大鹿林道), which we failed to do two month ago. 

Unimpressive peak of Mt. Kuaishan viewed from Jialishan (加利山 Sept. 2017)

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1st day April 2 (Friday) : Taipei - Shilu trail head - Xiakelou trail - Baishi camp site 

From Shilu trail head west to Baishi

There is much space for cars to park

We have five members on this trek, one of whom has come all the way up from Gaoxiong (高雄) to join. The traffic on the highway #3 was expected to be heavy on the first day of the four-day holiday. It was so at some points but we did get through without much delay. The other car met ours on our way to the destination. At 9:50, after three-and-twenty minute ride from Taipei, we are at Shilu trail head (elevation approx. 1670 meters). The parking space around it is pretty limited but luckily there are only three cars already parked, which allows us to park without any problem. 

Heavy backpack but light in heart at the trail head

Going through Japanese cedar woods

The sky is blue and it is full of warm spring sunshine. We set off at 10:10 with a prospect of a nice trek ahead. The trail is marked for the distance at a half kilometer apart. The first kilometer is rather flat and go through Japanese cedar forest. Soon after seeing the 1K marker we come to a flat place with a toilet on our left. Another two three minutes of walk brings us to the ruin of Tamuradai (田村台, elev. 1740m) police station. Now remains only a flat elevated platform, where a large installation of police station once stood.

Platform of Tamuradai, trees have long grown large

Mt. Dabaojian (Sept. 2017)

Peace and security was established along the trail in the late 1920s, which in turn brought alpinism to the trail. The current route to Mt. Dabajian (大霸尖) is from Guanwu (觀霧) via Dalu forestry road while there was no such route in the early days of the Taiwan alpinism. Hikers came on foot over Xiakulo trail all the way from Shipaji to this Tamuradai police station. Then they continue on a branch trail to Hinokiyama police station (檜山駐在所) , from which they follow hunters' path to Mt. Dabajian via Mt. Jingjie. Local indigenous people along the trail, like ones from Tanton village (天同), helped hikers as  guides as well as porters. Some large police stations like Tamuradai offered accommodation service to hikers and a shop called Shuho (酒保) supplied daily necessities.

Some telephone poles still stand by the trail

Going up the detour section

Besides Xiakeluo trail, there were other police trails in this region of mountains, which constituted a most densely located police trail network under the Japanese regime. Now they are called Beikengxi old trail (北坑溪古道), Gaoling old trail (高嶺古道), Genben old trail (根本古道)  and a trail connecting Baishi police station to Genben trail. They were collectively called Shikaba Lenliu trail (鹿場連嶺道路). This reveals how difficult it once was for the authority to keep the Atayal tribes in this region under control. Telephone was the most important means of communication between stations and HQ. The telephone line was meticulously maintained. The trails are now all in a dilapidated state with varying degree after decades of no maintenance. More hikers are interested in those old trails and explore them nowadays.

View from the top of cliff

The "gate"

The trail gests steep after leaving the Tamuradai station. It goes higher and passes by a crumbling cliff. The original trail was eroded away by a series of land slides. Mountains of Taiwan are valuable to natural erosion due to their geological composition. The rocks under soil are mostly of sedimentary, which is more prone to erosion than igneous rocks like granite. This is one of the major reasons why the old trails or forestry road has become so damaged in a few decades once they were abandoned. We go over the highest point of the detour section and down a little. We pass a place called gate, which is actually a opening blasted away when the trail was built. We pass the 3K marker at 11:37 and soon see the head of a trail to Mt. Xiakulou Dashan on our right.

Trail leading to Mt. Xiakelou Dashan

Water supply point

The trail goes rather flat for another kilometer and a half passing by a water supply point where water seeps out of rocks above. We depended on this supply of water for two days when we made a trek going over Mt. Xiashan (霞山) last fall. At 12:10 we come to a point where a small Matsushita police station (松下駐在所) once stood. We have a lunch break at a small open space. This is the highest point (elev. 2050m) of the trail and we go a long way down from here. The trail is wide and smooth almost like when it was built a hundred years ago. Except occasional big fallen trunks, some cut out or hanging over, the walk is uneventful. We gain mileage with a little effort. 

One of those wooden bridges constructed under forestry bureau renovation

Small flat place of former Matsushita police station 

Same location above but different angle of view

Nice trail

Fallen trunk at 5.5K

At 13:05 we come to see a man-made structure on our right. Stones are piled up to form a wall and a narrow path leads up to a platform above. We continue to go around and know that this is the ruin of Narayama police station (楢山駐在所, elev. 1940m). With its wide base land, this station was a big one with a medical clinic. If you look around on the platform, you may find empty glass bottles of the time. Soon after passing 9K post at 14:00, a suspension bridge shows up in front. This bridge has a single big rope to step on, unlike bridges with a wooden boards. As you cross over it, the bridge swings quite a lot. We pass a spot where the original trail was completely washed away by floods. A detour goes down to the bottom of a valley and goes up again. A original broken wood bridge still remains at the bottom.

Ruin of Narayama police station

Some old bottles left at Narayama

At 14:20 we see two-level flat platform down on our left. A board explains this is a location of the former Asahi police station (朝日駐在所). This is in fact incorrect. This is a site where Shakunage station (石楠駐在所) once stood. Asahi station existed between Narayama and Shakunage, around 8.7K point. The original location of Asahi station is now covered with large trees and not conspicuous. Unless you are careful you may miss its low stone walls by the trail.

Platform of former Shakunage police station

Cross a water stream

Xaikelou suspenstion bridge

We come to a running stream at 14:25. We stop over and fill our water sack and bottles for there is no water supply at Baishi campsite. We cross Xiakeluo suspension bridge at 14:44, which is quite long, We see a small stream on our right. A rubber pipe runs from there along the trail, which ends at a point not so far away from Baishi with a blue plastic barrel. This is a water supply of the campsite, which I did not see on my last trip  As more hikers visit Xiakelou trail, the new water supply must have been made. Two men are just filling their water tanks. Passing another small wooden bridge we arrive at Baishi (elev. 1620m) a little after 15:00.

Water supply point near Baishi

Our tents and police house at left

Tents of other hikers

Baishi police station, formerly called Sakuyachin police station (薩克亞金駐在所) during the Japanese era, was a large installation with several buildings and a cannon platform nearby. The station was in use until 1989 when the last officer left and the whole place was left to decay. After a decade or so a renovation work commenced and the house was also renovated to the original shape. There are a lot of flat space around the house suitable for camping. Except several tents put up by the men we just met on our way here, the whole space is empty. We chose a location and put up our tents. As we enjoy a leisurely afternoon, more hikers arrive. By the time we have dinner around 17:30, more than 30 hikers are at the campsite, making the whole place busy.

Whisky on the rock

We walked for about 5 hours, covering 11 kilometers. With total ascent 239m and descent 525 the route physical index is 16, an easy activity. We arrived early and had a plenty time to spend, which is enjoyable. We had scotch whisky on the rock(!) by our tents, which added more fun. 

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2nd day April 3 (Saturday) : Baishi camp - old trail - ridge trail - Mt. Kuaishan - same route back to camp

Return trip from Baishi to Mt. Kuaishan

Old abandonded trail, in rather good shape

There were many campers last night. Because they are at some distance away, we did not get much disturbance though they stayed late. We got up at 5:00 and are ready for the hike by 6:00. Our trail starts at the back of the house. While many hikers go on Xiakelluo trail, very few hikers take this route. This trail is a connecting route to the former Satou police station (佐藤駐在所) where another trail between Tamuradai and Hinokiyama station meets. 

Sunrise over the skyline

Golden sunbeam penetrates woods

Hunters' camp

Continue on the trail

The trail is rather in good shape for the first few hundred meters. It climbs on the side of a sub-ridge running east down from the main ridge. At 6:22 the sun rises from the skyline across the valley, which must be Mt. Bunujiali (布奴加里山). Golden beam shines through the sparsely wooded forest and projects orange patches on the forest floor. We will have a fine day today too. Just like the other police old trails go, this one also follow the mountain side and winds at each corner. At a large land slide the trail goes down, passing the bottom of the slide and goes up again.  We pass by a hunters' camp at 6:40 and then a tiny stream of water, which is the reason for the camp location. We have a rest at 7:10 (elev. 1910m).

Passing a land slide section

A view from the land slide

Bottom of a dried stream

As we keep our walk on the old trail, we come across more broken spots with greater degree. A wide area on the slope slid away and shows a bare surface where we need to cross. Luckily the bare slope is not that steep. At 7:50 a big gap shows in front and we have to go down to the bottom where a blue sheet for camp is left. Some sections of the trail are very narrow with a deep cliff on your side. We have another rest at 8:40. Large red cypress trees show up one after another by the trail. Obviously this location is too much inside the mountain for logging, which is one of the reasons for them to survive. At 9:20 we at last come into a narrow valley and the trail levels out. This is the highest point (elev. 2240m) of the trail.

A large cypress tree

Highest point of the old trail, near the trail head of Mt. Kuaishan

Looking for the trail in woods

We look for a head of trail leading to Mt. Kauishan, but find no marker ribbon to indicate it just like other hiking trails of this kind. We get into woods where the off-line map of GPS shows and search for a trail in waist-high sea of thin canes. Our effort yields a very obscure passage amid the canes and we soon find a very old marker ribbon. We seem to be on the right truck. The trail becomes very indistinctive at some points, but we follow the correct direction and somehow come back onto the obscure trail a couple of times. 

Trail in a such sea of canes

Rest at the bottom of two peaks

Keep going on obscure trail

After going over two low humps we run into a three-person group coming from the opposite direction. They tell us that they have come from Dalu forestry road and had a tough time finding the trail too. Because they need to go back after visiting their destination, the ruin of Satou police station, they have left many markers on their way here. We continue our way to the summit. The ridge gets narrower. At 11:40 we have a rest at a bottom between the two peaks.

Rhododendron flowers in bloom

Mt. Mentouyou and Mt. Egongji behind

Climbing a bare slope

We go over two more small peaks on the ridge. Pinkish white flowers of rhododendron are in bloom at some spots, which comfort us swimming the sea of canes. At 11:30 we pass a point of low shrubs (elev.2310m), which allows us to have a glimpse of Mt. Mentouyou (面托油山) in the foreground and Mt. Ergongji (鵝公髻山) with its distinctive shape of the summit and Mt. Wuzhi shan (五指山)  in the background. Upon climbing a bare and precarious slope, a very steep ascend in woods continue for some time. When the steep climb ends, we see a summit of Mt. Kuaishan in a short distance over a little drop in between. A large body of Mt. Jingjie san is visible on our left between trees. At 12:37 after a long struggle we finally reach the summit (elev. 2525m). Surrounded by shrubs and canes like other mid-range mountains of Taiwan, there is no view from the summit but we are all happy to have made it!

The summit is not far

Mt. Jingjie shan

At summit of Mt. Kuaishan

Leaving the summit behind on the way back

We leave the summit at 13:00 and start our way back. The trail is still not easy to follow as it makes you feel different when you go in the reversed direction. We still have to find our way though the marker ribbons indeed help. We make a short rest at 14:30 on the same spot where we had a rest on our way to the summit.  When we go over the second small peak from the last, we run into the group of three again. We get back onto the old trail at 15:10, which gives me a big comfort because the rest is just to follow the old but clear trail back to the camp.

Back on the old trail

Passing a spot of broken trail

The trail to cover is 5 kilometers and we need to hurry. We must be back to the camp before the sunset. At 16:35 we have a rest at the point of blue sheet. Those spots of broken trails are really a pain in the neck. By the time we come close to the camp, it gets dark in woods. We return to the camp at 18:20 and feel very exhausted. Soon the darkness arrives and we have dinner with a satisfaction for completing a long and streneous hike. It was indeed not easy at all. We walked 17 kilometers in total,  with the aggregated ascent 1411 meters, descent 1430m, and hours spent 12:20, pushing the route physical index as high as 42.

Back to the camp

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Final day April 4 (Sunday): Baishi camp - Xiakeluo trail - Shilu trail head - Taipei

Take the same route back to Shilu trail head

Leaving Baishi behind

All we have to do today is just to go back to the trail head, When we get up, there are only two other groups of campers besides us. The whole space of Baishi is very roomy and feels empty. We have a late breakfast and set off at 7:45. The hike today needs to go up about 450 meters to pass the highest point of the Xiakeluo trail.

Going a flat section for a while

We fill our empty bottles with water at the nearby supply point and continue our walk. The first one or two kilometers are flat and it is effortless to go along. Things of interest appear in the reversed way to two days ago, like in the order of Xiakelou suspension bridge, the water stream and Asahi (Shagkunage) police station foundation, We pass by the 9.5K post at 9:33 and soon go down to the bottom of the gap. As soon as we get up again, another suspension bridge shows up. The moderate incline of the trail does not make you so tired. We make a short rest near the 8K post at 9:00.

Passing by 8K post

Rhododendron flowers on the trail

We pass by Narayama police station at 9:44 and keep on going up. We arrive at Matsushita police station, the highest point at 10:08 and have a rest. We follow a rather flat section for a kilometer or so and come to the head of trail to Mt. Xiakeluo Dashan. All but myself go to the summit while I am at the trail head for them to return. After one hour of wait, they are back and we head for the last leg of our hike.

Final ascent of the detour section

Going the final leg of the trek

Going up the detour section and seeing the almost vertical land slide on our left, we start the final decent of 2.5 kilometers. We pass by Tamuradai police station at 12:44 and back to the Shilu trail head at 13:10 to complete our 3-day trek. It is pretty warm now under the sun. With more ascent than on the first day, the route physical index is a little higher but only 17, revealing it is still very easy. We drive off at 12:35, making a stop-over at Zhudong (竹東) for lunch and beer, and back home.

View of Mt. Xiakeluo and Mt. Satoh

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Zhang xue liang (張學良) memorial hut at Qingquan(清泉)

The second day hike to Mt. Kauishan proved very strenuous, in fact  more so than my original expectation due to its poor trail while the way to Baishi campsite and back was very easy. The weather was very lovely throughout the three days and we had a lot of easy time. This was indeed an enjoyable and memorable trek.

The trail is full of dramatic history of the Japanese era, with both sad events of blood and tears and happy ones of early alpinism of Taiwan. This was my forth visit to Xiakeluo trail including the entire and partial route. As a Japanese national and hiker myself, this attracts me very much and makes me to appreciate not only the beauty of wildness but history along the trail where my fellow Japanese people once lived by and traveled.

We met a group of foreign hikers on the trail, which is very welcome. Explanation boards at each place of interest carry English as well as Chinese, which give English speaking hikers good insight of the place and help understand its history. Xiakelou historical trail is very worth visiting.