Sounds good. And just to put this out. Richard of Barking Deer is planning on a Batongguan hike in late March/early April. This would be a 8 day hike across Yushan National Park from Dongpu to Nanan near Yuli. You’d have to be in very good shape for this and be able to carry 8-10 days supplies. But it should prove a pretty cool adventure.
For next week’s hike, I’ll bring my oldest shoes for mud-slogging, clean shoes for car-riding, my Gore-tex jacket to keep the rain off, my quick-dry clothes, a good towel and a set of dry clothes to change into when the hiking’s done.
Mysteriously Yilan is getting much fewer rainfall than Taipei basin recently, according to data from the site of central weather bureau. I’m planning to visit the famous “Notre Dame Trail” in JiaoXi during CNY holidays. Anyone interested? I can’t do 7,Feb hike because of family gathering. 8,Feb and later is OK.
travel.1-apple.com.tw/index.cfm? … eekSecID=0
[quote=“trail_hacker”]Mysteriously Yilan is getting much fewer rainfall than Taipei basin recently, according to data from the site of central weather bureau. I’m planning to visit the famous “Notre Dame Trail” in JiaoXi during CNY holidays. Anyone interested? I can’t do 7,Feb hike because of family gathering. 8,Feb and later is OK.
travel.1-apple.com.tw/index.cfm? … eekSecID=0[/quote]
Wow, just what I have been keeping an eye out for 
I might be interested…
What dates are you planning? How many days do you intend to go?
Thanks!
Gee, that gives me two months to get really fit. Not sure if I can pull it off, but it is certainly something to work towards. I am certainly intrigued.
About the Jan 7 hike. Can we set a meeting time?
Will we meet at Hsintien MRT in the back by the buses? Time? How about 9am? Later/earlier?
(I’d like to set it because I am moving and not sure if I will have consistent access to the internet for a while as the technician hasn’t wired the new place yet.)
[quote=“kage”]About the Jan 7 hike.
Will we meet at Xindian MRT in the back by the buses? [/quote]
Yes.
I’m assuming we’ll have my and MM’s cars, with room for nine including the drivers. You will have your car, won’t you, MM?
What say you about the time, fellow hikers? Shall we make it 8:30, or would you all prefer to sleep late and meet at 9:00? Since we won’t be hiking the whole trail, we won’t need to set off very early.
9:00, Please. I am unable to get up early in winters.
By the way, what should I prepare for the hike? I need a Hiking In Winter 101 lesson.
[quote=“Omniloquacious”]I’m assuming we’ll have my and MM’s cars, with room for nine including the drivers. You will have your car, won’t you, MM?
[/quote]
No, I sold the rainbow bus a while ago after I stopped teaching. But I have the Mondeo.
9am start for me too. Hmm, I better go to bed now.
MM, the Hapen path is pretty flat until you leave the river, then it climbs steeply up and over to the FuShan Forestry Reserve where the road from Ilan ends up. If you are just doing this as a day trip, you probably won’t be going that far tho’ it’s possible to do in one day. Be careful of the initial part of the trail; it’s a section of damp and slippery concrete steps. At the campsite by the river just after the turn off to go uphill is an alternative route following the stream into the back of the forestry reserve. Very beautiful route, but not well-known.
Apart from that, it’s probably a reasonably good choice as a winter hike since it’s not a big view from a peak type of hike. Last time I was in this area was last summer (climbed up a peak above WaWaGu and down to the road head) it was stinking hot with midges and horse flies plus an almost 2 meter snake on the road all vying for my attention. Wulai area is pretty tough when it’s hot!
I went to Wulai yesterday when I got a short break from rain in the afternoon. I found three trailheads and set my feet on Fuba Hiking Trail. I enjoyed a dary and cold afternoon and even saw a patch of blue sky from the direction of Yilan.
I drew a map and I think we will spend about 1-1.5 hours to get to the trailhead of Hapen from Xindian MRT station. I am writing an introduction but haven’t finished it yet.
I really hope we will have a rainless day when we go hiking.
Nice map, Kate - though the Yunxian Amusement Park should be on the other side of the road, behind the waterfall (the cable car station is where you’ve put the park).
As far as your question re how to prepare for the hike is concerned, all I can suggest is that you make sure to wear properly waterproof outer clothing, with good sweat-wicking gear on the inside. As long as you keep yourself dry, the chilly weather shouldn’t be a problem at all. Maybe you should bring a change of clothing, as Chris intends to, just in case you do get wet. MM might have some other and better advice to add.
So by consensus, we’ll be meeting at 9:00. That should enable us to get on the trail some time not too long after 10:00. I don’t suppose we’ll be hiking for more than a few hours. Maybe we can take a hot spring bath on the way back in the afternoon, though Wulai will probably be swamped with people.
MM, though I know your deep loathing of Wulai’s hot spring industry, and largely agree with it (so seldom take hot spring baths there these days), I wonder if you know of any places there that have a biggish swimming-pool that’s actually deep enough to swim in?
And Urodacus, are you and the wife still intending to join us, despite the likely crappiness of the weather? Anyone else?
Hi,
I’m new here to formumosa.com, tho’ I’ve been in Taiwan quite some time.
I’d (party of one) like to join the hike on Thursday Feb 7, unless the weather is totally awful.
Just where at HsinDian (or is it XinDian now?) station where will you be meeting?
I don’t have a car, so could I depend on the kindness of another to get me to Wulai?
Xiexie,
Bob
Well, the likely crappiness of the weather is a bit off-putting. If i want to get wet, I’ll just go cycling, but she is a little less crazy, and may opt for ten pin instead.
We’ll be in TaoYuan from tonight, so I’ll leave a late message on this thread if we’re coming. I couldn’t guarantee anything now, though. I do know that the rain will make the views rather drear on that walk, compared to what it’s like on a sunny day. Ive been orchid hunting that way a few years ago, and it was great.
I don’t want to drag this off topic, but I thought I’d mention that it’s possible to spend the night at the Fushan elementary school (I think we paid a few hundred dollars). The best thing about staying here is that it sets you up nicely for a early departure the next morning. If you choose the Fuba, departing the school around 05:30 should give you more than enough time to make it to Shang Baling before the last bus leaves for Daxi.
Travel Times
Fushan School: 05:30
Lalashan Old Trees: 12:30
Shang Baling (the bus stop is across from the police station): 15:30
Daxi: 17:00
Jhongli Train Station: 17:45
More details on the Fuba and other hikes can be found at Kurt’s travelpod page.
travelpod.com/travel-blog-en … /tpod.html
[quote=“Omniloquacious”]Nice map, Kate - though the Yunxian Amusement Park should be on the other side of the road, behind the waterfall (the cable car station is where you’ve put the park).
As far as your question re how to prepare for the hike is concerned, all I can suggest is that you make sure to wear properly waterproof outer clothing, with good sweat-wicking gear on the inside. As long as you keep yourself dry, the chilly weather shouldn’t be a problem at all. Maybe you should bring a change of clothing, as Chris intends to, just in case you do get wet. MM might have some other and better advice to add.[/quote]
You are right! I should mark cable car station instead of Yunxian Amusement Park. I will revise it.
And thank you for your suggestion. I will definitely have spare shoes and clothes with me on the hiking day. 
[quote=“chung”]
I don’t want to drag this off topic, but I thought I’d mention that it’s possible to spend the night at the Fushan elementary school (I think we paid a few hundred dollars). The best thing about staying here is that it sets you up nicely for a early departure the next morning. If you choose the Fuba, departing the school around 05:30 should give you more than enough time to make it to Shang Baling before the last bus leaves for Daxi.
Travel Times
Fushan School: 05:30
Lalashan Old Trees: 12:30
Shang Baling (the bus stop is across from the police station): 15:30
Daxi: 17:00
Zhongli Train Station: 17:45
More details on the Fuba and other hikes can be found at Kurt’s travelpod page.
travelpod.com/travel-blog-en … /tpod.html[/quote]
Thanks for the suggestion. 
But there’s no more bus service to Shang Baling. Remember talking abotu this with trailhacker, kate. We thought about taking a tour bus up one day and then not returning but hiking down.
As for weather, an umbrella is good for when the trail is wide. Otherwise, wear a fleece jacket under any gortex shell. The gortex will eventually let in water but the fleece will absorb it before it reaches your skin.
Gators would be good to keep your lower legs dry and stop mud splattering.
Thermos of hot coffee?
I’m fairly certain there’s still a bus or a rather a mini-bus that services the communities deep in the mountains of Taoyuan. Contacting Taoyuan Bus Company would obviously be the best way of confirming whether the bus is still running. tybus.com.tw/asp/Line.asp?sel=0042
When I contacted the company last spring (when researching for LP Taiwan) they said the buses only went as far as Xiao Wulai now. Could have been given wrong info though. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Thanks for the suggestions. I got them all after visiting Metro Oasis last night. I am happy to get proper gear.
I am too excited and can’t get into sleep at all. I am still awake now. So the only problem now will be my disturbed biological clock. It’s completely reversed. 
And I dreamed of encountering Mother bear and her little bear on trails. A kind of scary but funny dream. Wish my dream would come true. 
BTW, I will contact Taoyuan Bus Company to get information about their bus routine to Lala shan. Okay…it’s time for breakfast.
Kate, don’t forget that the hike’s tomorrow, not today!
[quote=“Bobb”]Hi,
I’m new here to formumosa.com, tho’ I’ve been in Taiwan quite some time.
I’d (party of one) like to join the hike on Thursday Feb 7, unless the weather is totally awful.
Just where at HsinDian (or is it XinDian now?) station where will you be meeting?
I don’t have a car, so could I depend on the kindness of another to get me to Wulai?
Xiexie,
Bob[/quote]
The weather won’t be totally awful. Totally awful would mean blowing a typhoon-strength gale, raining waterfalls, and bitter, bone-piercing cold. It’ll probably just be damp and chilly, but nothing that the right clothing won’t give ample protection against.
Sindian - formerly known as Hsin tien (but with the words joined together, which this maddening auto-castrator won’t allow us to do) - MRT station is at the very end of the green line. There’s only one exit, and when you come out through the turnstiles, just turn left, head for the road a few dozen paces away, and that’s where we’ll be.
I trust you’ll opt for the bracing fresh air and communing with nature. The weather won’t be anything that a couple of toughies like you can’t handle.
[quote=“chung”]I don’t want to drag this off topic, but I thought I’d mention that it’s possible to spend the night at the Fushan elementary school (I think we paid a few hundred dollars). The best thing about staying here is that it sets you up nicely for a early departure the next morning. If you choose the Fuba, departing the school around 05:30 should give you more than enough time to make it to Shang Baling before the last bus leaves for Daxi.
Travel Times
Fushan School: 05:30
Lalashan Old Trees: 12:30
Shang Baling (the bus stop is across from the police station): 15:30
Daxi: 17:00
Zhongli Train Station: 17:45
More details on the Fuba and other hikes can be found at Kurt’s travelpod page.
travelpod.com/travel-blog-en … /tpod.html[/quote]
That’s excellent info, Chung. I hope we’ll be able to do that hike as a two-dayer in the spring - as long as we can resolve the doubt about the transport at the other end.