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| 畝畝山山頂 Summit of Mumu-shan |
新北市平溪區は、基隆河の源流流域であり、多くの山を抱える。筆者は十数年前からたびたび訪れている。ここしばらくは遠ざかっていたが、以前訪れた平溪子山や畝畝山の山並みを行く登山道がボランティア（聯合艦隊) に整備されたことを知って、再び訪れた。歩いたルートは以前と同じ部分が多いが、一部は今回初めてのセクションもある。数年前の訪問時と比べると、道は広く草が刈られ、多くの急坂などでロープが取り付けられて、よい道が出現していた。休みことなく続くボランティア活動に感謝する。
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| 反時計回り回遊 Counter-clockwise circular hiking |
3月も下旬に入り、しばらく続いた寒波がさって良い天気が数日続いた。気温も上がり、当日は30度を超えるような陽気であった。そのため、体が慣れていないため、疲労も増した。高温は、たしかに運動に影響を与える。そのため、休みを多くとった。昼食時の長い休憩、畝畝山山頂ではちょっと昼寝もした。下って石硿子瀑布でも長めの休憩をした。萬寶洞バス停から歩き始めた最初のセクションは、まだ手入れがされておらずその道をあきらめ、106号国道を歩いて別の登山口から入山した。結果的に、その部分は午後に登り返して歩くつもりであったが、その必要もなくなったので、そのまま萬寶洞バス停へ戻った。今回は、過去に3，4回記述しているので、英語で記述する。
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| ＠畝畝山山頂 |
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A major river of the Northern Taiwan, Jilong River (基隆河), originates from mountains in Pingxi District (平溪區) of New Taipei Manucipality (新北市). A long range of mountains rises on its left (north) bank, comprising of peaks like Mt. Wufen-shan (五分山), Mt. Jiangzilao-shan (姜子寮山) and Mt. Sifenwei-shan (四分尾山). On its right (south) bank, in contrast, large tributaries flow in and divide mountains into a few blocks. Our destination of this hike is one of such mountain blocks, having Mt. Pingxizi-shan (平溪子山) and Mt. Mumu-shan (畝畝山). I have been to these peaks several times in the past. I came to know that in the recent months a group of volunteers entered this area and made nice maintenance jobs on several trails there. This motivated me to visit the two peaks again.
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| Blue line indicates the unbroken ridge on the left (north) bank of the Jilong river |
Compared with
my last visit a few years ago, the trails were indeed in good shape. Grasses and bushes were cut clean and wide, fallen tree trunks were hacked apart for easy passage and ropes have been fixed at many locations for safety. This makes me feel very grateful for their work. I believe that going there and walking along the trails is one of the ways to express our appreciation for them. I encourage more hikers to do the same.
Good weather lasted for a few days after the unseasonal cold spell had left. Good weather brought high temperature as well. On the day of our hike the temperature reached 30 degree, which made us more tired. Our body has not yet been prepared for such a high temperature environment. So we had long rests to recuperate, even a short nap on the summit of Mumu-shan, which in fact was very comfortable.
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| Alight at Wanbaodong bus stop |
We took an early #795 bus from Muzha (木柵), Taipei for our starting point Wanbaodong (萬寶洞) and arrived there 8:20. The travel took us about an hour. You can come here by train, but this bus service is more convenient. My original plan was to enter the mountain via a trail near this bus stop. As the map indicates, we went up to a place where a new religious building called Shifen Guandicheng (十分關帝城) stood. I remember that a construction project was under way and this is the one finally completed.
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| Shifenguandicheng building |
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| unmaintained trail |
A little search yielded a narrow trail going up, with some old ropes and direction markers. But its condition was very poor. Obviously this trail has not been maintained for many years. It would take too much efforts and time to keep on this trail, so we decided to go back to Wanbaodong bus stop for another trail.
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| Waling down #106 highway |
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| trail head by bridge |
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| Baiyingshi trail |
Another trail is a couple of kilometers away along the highway #106. We walked down the road to get to its head. At 9:25 we reached the trail head by Baiyingshi bridge (白鶯石橋). This trail is called Baiyingshi Baojia trail (白鶯石保甲路) and is one of many so-called historical trails that were disused after motor ways took over their original role and lately revived for hiking. This particular trail was supposedly used for coal industries back then. There are abandoned coal mines near this trail.
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| Hacked-off trunk |
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| passing through narrow gap |
The trail has many ups and downs going along the side of mountain. Large fallen trunks were cut apart, which was done by volunteers. At one point it passes a very narrow gap between rock walls, which is called Moruxiang (摸乳巷 breast touching alley). Climbing to the highest point and down we arrived at a ruin of old house complex (elevation 310m) at 9:57. There remain only broken stone walls and steps. Trees are all over and obscure the size of the complex that belonged to the Yan family (嚴家). Compared with other stone house ruins that you come across in the mountains, this one is indeed large. It must have had something to do with coal industries of the time, otherwise it would not have been financially sustainable.
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| Ruin of Yan family house |
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| Junction on the ridge |
After a short rest at the old house ruin, we left for our first peak Mt. Pingxizi-shan. The trail is rather moderate in incline. We reached a junction on the ridge at 10:28. If we had come along the originally planed route, we would have been here from the other direction. We take right and proceed along the ridge trail. A 10-minute short climb brought us to the summit (elev. 420m). The summit is rather small and surrounded by trees. Since leaves are not yet fully grown on tree branches, it feels pretty bright.
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| Summit of Pingxizi-shan |
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| author at summit |
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| Same location 5 years ago |
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| Grasses are widely cut out |
At 10:55 we advance along the ridge trail. Grasses and bushes have been widely wiped out. Volunteers are using electric weed cutters nowadays, so the result of the mechanized work is pretty good. Our trail hits Taiwan Power's maintenance trail (台電保線路) and we take left at the junction. Our second destination, Mt. Mumu shows up high and afar in front of us through tree branches. There is a long way to go!
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| Mumu-shan is visible through tree branches |
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| Clean and wide trail |
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| Going down... |
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| ...and up again |
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| Rest point under the tower |
The trail faithfully follows the contour of the ridge line, throwing at us a lot of ups and downs. At 11:25 we have come to a electric tower and have a rest under it. By this time of the day the temperature is pretty high and it feels good in the shade. Occasional breeze feels pretty comfortable. We had lunch and rest until 12:15, 50 minutes of break!
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| Going down first |
A biggest climb on the ridge trail is just ahead of us. We first plunge to the bottom and have to climb back for 130 meters in altitude. The grade is pretty steep and many new ropes have been fixed along the steep stretchs. We kept on climbing and reached the summit of Mumu-shan (elev. 570m) at 12:46. We were happy to be here as we had no more big climb. It was still early so we had a long rest of 50 minutes again. We even had a nap in the shade on the summit!
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| Passing the bottom |
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| Steep climb-back... |
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| ...getting closer to the summit... |
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| ... then made it to the summit! |
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| Nice nap on the summit |
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| Steep grade on this side too |
After the rest we were refreshed and ready for the long way down. The trail is steep on this side too. At 13:40 we came to a junction where the trail splits into two, one going along the ridge and one down in a valley. We took the latter. The trail first went rather leniently down. In ten or so minutes running water showed up in the bottom. Further down we hit a small water fall. This stretch of the trail has a ladder and many ropes to secure safe passage on slippery wet rock surfaces. Soon after the this section showed up a large stone house ruin on a high platform. I wonder what this house was for because it looks out of place.
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| Down to see running water |
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| Bamboos are widely cut out |
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| Climbing down rocky section by a small waterfall |
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| Getting through rocky section |
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| Another stone wall ruin |
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| Junction with Shikongzi trail |
At 14:12 we reached the junction with Shikongzi historical trail (石硿子古道) at the bottom of the valley. A moss covered bridge quietly spans over a wide river nearby. We took left and wend down along the river. Twelve minutes walk on the old trail brought us to Shikongzi waterfall (石硿仔瀑布). This water fall is not that high, but provides a good resting point, particularly on hot days. Small fishes are swimming in the front pool of the waterfall.
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| Moss covered bridge of the Shikongzi trail |
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| Strolling along the trail |
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| Shikongzi waterfall |
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| Trail going alongside Huiyaoxi river (灰窯溪) |
After 30 minutes of rest, we left the waterfall for the final leg of our hike. The trail further goes along the river and meets the trail from Mumu-shan coming down along the ridge. Further down the trail passes by a large disused bridge. This is one of legacies of past coal industry. It was one of mining facilities belonging to Taihe Mining Company (台和煤礦公司) at that time. The trail came to an end and met a paved road at 15:13.
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| Junction with the trail down from Mumu-shan |
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| Bridge pillars |
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| End of dirt trail, fence is to keep wild animals from going out |
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| Strolling down the road |
There is another three kilometers to walk. It would be very uncomfortable to walk along a paved road on such a warm day. But it is good that by this time of a day most parts are in shade. We leisurely walked down and came to a bridge that leads to Wangbaodong bus stop. It was 15:45. The next #795 bus would come only around 16:40. We would have a long time to kill at a bus stop, so we had a rest again at benches nearby the bridge. This place is better than the bus stop shelter that is facing busy traffic. We were back at Wanbaodong bus stop at 16:20 and in twenty or so minutes our #795 bus came along.
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| Our bus has come |
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Our activity lasted 7 hours and a half. The distance covered was approximately 11 kilometers with a total ascent of 570 meters. The route physical index is 20. On this hike we had very long rests, totaling more than two hours and a half. The unexpected heat was one of the reasons for such long rest. Nonetheless we covered all the intended points and had fun time, which is most important!
