2014年12月13日 三峽鳶山全稜縱走 Walk across all Mt. Yuanshan range

大溪白石山から見る鳶山全稜（2014年10月撮影）

鳶山大鐘でのグループ写真（王さん撮影）

2012年と2013年に歩いたことのある、三峽鳶山連峰を再び歩いた。今回は、月一度行っている慢集團の道案内としてである。この山は、標高は200~300mクラスで高い山ではないが、台北に流れ込む主要な河川大漢渓のわきに数座のピークが屏風のように連なっている。端から端まで歩くと、それなりに時間を要する縦走となる。寒気団が訪れ、二、三日連続で雨が降ったあと、寒風が尾根を越えて吹き抜ける縦走であったが、メンバーの足並みが揃いもともとの予定より多くのピークを完走した。ほぼ同じところの登山記をすでに載せているので、今回は英語で記述する。

------------------------------------------

Walking from west to east across the Yuanshan mountain range

Elevation profile

First peak, Mt. Niangzikeng

Mt. Yuanshan 鳶山 (Mt. Fudekeng 福德坑山)  is one of the 100 small peaks of Taiwan. There are countless mountains and hills on the island of Taiwan and 100 of which are selected as 100 small peaks of Taiwan for they represent each province in history and heritage and aesthetically pleasing. As a matter of fact there are so called the 100 peaks of Taiwan, without "small", and they are selected from more than 200 peaks of over 3,000 meter in elevation or high mountains. This makes a bit confusing, but they are different and do not necessarily represent their location. They are more void of history and heritage of local people.

Grassy footpath with occasional old trunks obstructing passage

Mt. Yuanshan is not an independent single peak like Mt. Fuji of Japan. It is one of the peaks in row running parallel to River Dahanxi 大漢溪. This range of peaks covers Daxi district (大溪區) of Taoyuan City (桃園市) and Sanxia district (三峽區) of New Taipei City. Though the highest peak is only 320m in elevation, it is not an easy job to walk the entire range of peaks. You have to go over several peaks and some parts of the trail are  muddy and slippery or grassy. I led twenty plus hikers as an activity of Manjietuan hiking club (慢集團) like last month. We started from western end of the Yuanshan range at 8:40 and walked over seven peaks for 8 hours to reach the eastern end, Sanxia old street (三峽老街). Except a lunch break of a little less than forty minutes we did not take much rest and it turned out be a strenuous hike.

A vantage point not far from Mt. Niangzikeng, viewing Mt. Baishi in the distance

Walking through Acasia woods

We gathered at MRT Yongning (永寧站) at 7:10 and took a ride of #9103 bus. This is a long distance bus originating from the center of Taipei and runs all way to Daxi (大溪) of Taoyuan. Some members got on at other bus stop on the way. Our bus arrived at Miaofasi (妙法寺) bus stop at 8:15 after almost an hour of ride. Miaofasi temple is an impressive temple with many small golden Buddha statutes lining along the driveway leading up to a massive building. We wait for a few more members coming by their own cars. A cold spell came over Taiwan and it is pretty cold this morning. After my briefing of today's course and activity we start walking up the paved road to a trail entrance. We have 27 members today.

local kids playing bare foot

At 8:50 we come to a trail entrance. The trail used to start from the side of a farm house yard but now it has a closed gate. This new entrance is supposedly to bypass the gate and a section of footpath coming from the farm house. The first half of the trail today is in rather poor condition, obviously much less hikers walking than the second half. Some sections are going through low grass but leaves are unexpectedly dry, luckily not wetting hiking pants and boots. We easily reach the first peak, Mt. Nangzikeng (娘子坑山) of 240m high at 9:12. A marker stone is planted on a small open space and a few name plates are nailed onto tree trunks nearby. It cannot hold so many people standing at once.

Second peak, Mt. Wutuku

There seems to be a pathway going beyond the peak, but you have to take a U turn to continue on the ridge route. A narrow grassy footpath goes on a wide and round hill. There are many Taiwan Acasia trees around. Most of them are old and pretty tall. If you come in May you can see a carpet of little Acasia yellow flowers fallen on the trail.  Acasia trees were planted by man for charcoal resources many decades ago. You can see Acasia trees elsewhere on low mountains in Taiwan as it was recommended by the government to plant them at that time.

Walking along muddy footpath

A few minutes walk bring us to a point where you can have a wide view. It is a top of grave garden. Across the valley you can see Mt. Baishi (白石山) and on its far right side Mt. Xijiu (溪洲山) and Mt. Shimen (石門山). We keep on the little pathway passing bamboo trees and beetle nut trees. It is a nice to hike along this kind of footpath of low elevation mountains in winter because it is not so hot as in the other seasons. At 10:13 we come across a paved driveway. This to go over the mountain to connect the two places at each side. We walk a little on the driveway and continue another dirt footpath on the opposite side by a house. There are two kids, apparently a sister and her brother, playing. The little boy is running around bear foot on such a cold day!

group picture at the top of Mt. Wushifen (Mr. Wang)

panoramic view from Mt. Wushifen

Climbing back a steep slope

We clime for 15 minutes and reach the second peak of today's hike, Mt. Wutuku (烏塗窟山, elevation of 283m) at 10:30.  This is rather a wide open space and an impressive triangular stone marker is sticking out in the center. We take a little rest. We start descending and cross a narrow concrete paved path. We follow a dirt path going over the ridge. This section of today's route between Mt. Wutuku and Mt. Wushifen (五十分山)  is rather nasty. You have to walk through long muddy and slippery footpath. Your boots and pants get pretty muddy. Fortunately it is not so wet as I expected. We walk along a trail on the hillside and climb up a steep incline to get on the ridge again. Soon after merging a pathway from right, we arrive at the summit of Mt. Wushifen (296m in height) at 12:03. You can have good view of Dahanxi River beneath and a flat land beyond. It took us an hour and half from Mt. Wutuku and we already walked three hours and a half from Miaofasi. This is a halfway point of the hike today.

Just arrived at pavilion for lunch rest

I originally planned to have a lunch break here but wind is blowing strong and cold. I change my plan and we continue after a few minutes of picture taking. A good thing is that the trail from here becomes very good all the way to the end. Most hikers walk between here and Mt. Yuanshan. We go down a steep section and cross a concrete paved pathway. We climb back on the opposite side and up go to a nameless peak, then go down to an a park area where a table and benches are provided under a shed. This place is called Jiankang Kuaile Ting (健康快樂亭, meaning healthy & happy pavilion) and supposedly maintained by a local hiking club. It has water plug on its corner. Time is 12:45 and we have a lunch break here. Some trees near the shed have red leaves.

A good view from the trail

Fudeling rest area

Well maintained hiking trail

After forty minutes rest we resume our hike. The trail is wide with no grass and pretty well maintained. Trail signs are big and clear. It is really easy to walk on. We go up for a while and reach Mt. Fudekeng (福德坑山, 321m). This is the highest point in today's hiking route. This peak is also called Mt. Yuanshan (鳶山) and selected as one of the 100 small peaks of Taiwan. It is a little confusing that another peak closer to Sanxia (三峽) is generally called Mt. Yuanshan, too. They are two different peaks. In my record here, this peak is referred as Mt. Fudukeng. We take pictures only on the summit and keep on going. For a few minutes we come to a flat open space named Fudeling (福德嶺) where a table and chairs are placed under a canvas sheet. There is also a water tank on which it says water inside is man-carried. When I came here a year and half ago, there was no such facilities. I assume that volunteers made this.

A view from Changchunling looking at Mt. Wuliaojian to Mt. Baishi mountain range 

We go down a steep trail with a help of fixed ropes. We keep on the ridge route going up and down several times. 14:20 we arrive at Changchunling (長春嶺). To my surprise all trees around the shed on the top have been cut down and cleared. This gives a good view all around. You can see the whole range of mountains from Mt. Wuliaojian (五寮尖) all way to Mt. Baishi (白石山) across the valley. Wind is strongly blowing through and we soon leave it. We go down and  in twenty minutes come to the peak of Mt. Yuanshan. This little rock peak is a wonderful vantage point. A very wide 180-degree view is just there. Beneath runs Highway No. 3 and flows Dahanxi River. Beyond them lays a vast flat land of Taoyuan. You can see Mt. Dadong (大棟山) range on the north side.

A view from Mt. Yuanshan rocky peak

An engraved stone under Mt.Yuanshan peak

We go down to Big Bell squire. The bell was elected in 1985 and rest facilities were built around it. We start going down a paved driveway to a diversion point where a coffee shop is. My original plan is to keep going down this driveway directly to Sanxia old street. But it is still early at 15:20 and we have almost two more hours before it gets dark.  We take right to a next peak, which is additional to the original plan. We come all way down to another driveway. We then take right to go up to Changchun Yuan park (長春園).

Walking back onto the trail on Mt. Fudekeng east peak

Up we come to the park and have some rest. There are some gymnastic facilities. A few of members jump onto the rings hanging under the horizontal pole at a corner of the park and play with it. We then walk on a dirt footpath leading higher to the hill above. We keep on ascending wooden steps and onto a trail running on the ridge at 15:50. We then turn left and reach Fudekeng East peak (福德坑山東峰). There is a stone marker and a small shed next to it, which did not exist when I last came two years ago.

Waking towards Mt. Yuanwei

We start for our final destination, Mt. Yuanwei (鳶尾山). The dirt trail is in good shape. There are pavilions here and there which are apparently elected and maintained by local people. At 16:15 we come to a junction where a small dirt footpath diverges to Mt. Yuanwei. The wider trail on the right leads to a main road near a primary school. I wait for the rest of the troop catches up and start on a small footpath. We go over small humps and arrive at Mt. Yuanwei. It does not look like a peak but just a flat place with a bench and a stone marker in the center. This is our final peak for the day.

Grope picture at the last peak of the day, Mt. Yuanwei (Mr. Wang)

Everybody happy at the trail end

We go down on the footpath passing an impressive big banyan tree. It spreads its branches for many directions and commands over the footpath. The downhill is not long and we come to a trail end at 16:37. We take left and walk a driveway all the way to Sanxia old street. Some of members including myself go into the old street and have a light meal before going back to Taipei.

We walked for 8 hours and a half to cover 12.5km. We did not have a long rest except a lunch break of 40 minutes. We walked continuously between Mt.Wutuku and Mt. Wushifen because there were no suitable place for all members to rest. The members for this hike are physically fit and followed my lead without any problem, which I appreciate very much. The trail of the second half was pretty good and anybody can walk and enjoy it. The first half is for more experienced hikers as footpath is not so clear at some points and signs are not so clear.