We briefly fled the heat of Taipei for a night away with my parents in the high mountains around Cingjing.
Yesterday at this time, we were hiking along a ~3200m (10600ft) high path to the peak of Mt. Shih men (石門山） in Taroko National Park. This was the easiest trail offered at this part of the park, taking only about 30 minutes to reach the peak on a fairly well maintained path. For the more intrepid climbers, the park offers trails that take up to 8 hours of hiking, with a few intermediate ones at 2-4 hours estimated time.
It was probably only 15C (59F) outside, and when the sun went behind the clouds (which we were walking among, not below), I appreciated my sweater and scarf. I profess to hate cold weather, but the truth is that I enjoy it in small doses. This was delightful.
To get there, we drove over the highest “automobile pass” in Taiwan, at 3275m high.
There were a lot of tourists, so finally I gave up on getting a picture of the sign without a stranger posing in it.
It’s 33.8C (92.8F) in Taipei now and those peaks seem a world away, not a mere 5 hours by MRT, high speed rail, and car.
Let’s go back.
天恩寶卷 