Also the way local authorities “close” trails to avoid responsibility for their upkeep. I’ve been hiking trails in Wulai for example that have been closed for years (Jiajiuliao). The Pingxi spikes too, only one or two are now officially accessible, parts of YMS. I now take no notice of trail closed signs since they mean next to nothing.
Taiwan needs a wall, or walls.
Do they continue to maintain those trails or they are just abandoned ?
To be fair Wulai is problematic; typhoon damage has been severe in recent years and funds have been channeled into the repair of the Neidong forest park as a priority (massive landslide couple of years ago cut off access). Jiajiuliao has a small team of indigenous lads rebuilding the bridges but it’s been several years. They’ve caught some nice wild boar though. 
The biggest loss is the road to Tonghou; they keep trying to fix it and then a typhoon comes along and wipes it out.
Pingxi the government can’t be arsed. YMS there’s a perfectly good trail from Beitou to Datun but they don’t seem to want to maintain it.
To illustrate his point, there were people living for months in the wilderness of a national park…and officials were unaware.
I’ve been on a trail from the tien mou tree to yms ,is that now impassable?
Yes many trails need to be maintained and the permit system needs to be over hauled. But going into a closed area can result in unexpected problems that you may not have forseen.
Take the Thai boys being trapped in a cave that had been closed !
Now you get in trouble and other people have to rescue your ass. And as in the Thai boys case one rescuer died.
Your disregard can cause someone to die trying to save you.
SAy you often went into a closed area and thank God someone knew where you were going and could call 119.
Maybe it’s closed due to potential slide risk and now rescuers have to save you.
Even if it’s an international rescue specialist team, they will be on unfamiliar terrain and could get in trouble rescuing you.
Go to Apple daily about trails needing to be maintained, about permit problems.
I don’t advise just going where you aren’t supposed to because you can.
Looks like had she been rescued within hours she might have made it
I still say a few rescuers should have been dropped off closer to her . Hard to believe the closest possibility was a 28 hour hike.
Say in rough terrain you can still do a km an hour that means 28 km away or more, Most people can walk 4 km per hour or more but this is not flat terrain.
Still can’t they find a place to drop off rescuers closer? Rescuers can be dropped down to the surface on a rope so the helicopter doesn’t have to even land.
Rescuers with a sleeping bag , thermal insulation water and food could possibly keep her well enough until a few days later when she can be picked up
Again with rescuers on the ground the helicopter doesn’t hVe to land . She can be hoisted up.
so, is this Taiwan’s version of a mountain Hooverville?
https://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/Snowbound-campers-rescued-from-Southern-13558647.php
People get in deep around our parts and needed rescue
It’s dangerous out in the wilds
Don’t underestimate
I think the whether prevented helicopters from flying to rescue her. So the people just walked from probably the start of the mountain trail closest to her.
I don’t get the 3 hours sleep. What does that mean the way they wrote it.
Yeah looks like something not right with their strategy and coordination !
How’s that 差不多 when they reject you? Why should the government spend money and time looking for someone who insists on going in dangerous areas? Why should they be blamed for their 差不多 attitude when they already discouraged/prohibited you from going and you didn’t listen? It’s like blaming the road design when you’re speeding or are drunk and cause an accident. Why should they cater to your leisure activities when it’s them who are responsible for your safety in the event of an accident?
I feel like people on this site and probably foreigners in general are literally just throwing 差不多 out whenever they want to complain about something without knowing what the term actually means. Maybe you guys need a bigger vocabulary because it’s getting really lame.
“foreigners in general”? That would be quite a lot of people.
So, what is the precise meaning of
差不多? I don’t want any definition that’s close enough. It’s imperative that foreigners in general are using the term 100% correctly.
but that would be the opposite of cha bu duo…
We’re getting close to generating the ultimate paradox.
Eh turn on the humour meter and read it again.
So-so is good enough! It doesn’t really matter doing anything more, it makes me work more and the outcome doesn’t change a thing from my viewpoint!
And yeah for the paved hiking ‘trails’ and concrete steps, it’s like in the city with more trees, birds and critters.
Progress
Rest in Peace
Thank you for sharing. Beautiful writing about an adventurous soul.