Huehuanshan

Scooters up (3000m up!)

Scootering around Hehuanshan area is brilliant. The road is narrow and full of busses and cars stopping for a selfie. Scooter just keeps you moving and getting closer to the scenery. The bendy road makes you hum 'Born to be Wild' - till you hit one of teh steeper ascents and all of the sudden the power is gone. 125cm scooter, two people and 3000m up - it gets interesting at times. Every now and then we we looked more like a rowing crew on a trining machine. To get up it took some coordinated moves like being on a swing: up we go, up we go, up we go....

Moutains and Valleys

Most of the time you feel you are above the clouds - despite the fact that you just got off a scooter. Well, you are above the clouds - so enjoy the view and the ride. It is absolutely exhilarating! Hehuanshan offers some fantastic vistas, many of them straight from the main road. But a short walk from the main road often hides even better views. Well worth to make the effort and explore the many small paths and walks.

The Road

The road clings to the mountains, winding its way up and down, one bend after another, once stunning view after another. It is hard not to smile when you ride the road (even though your balls might be frozen!).

Into the wild

When on the road, your attention is focused on the next bend, the selfie-obsessed drivers parking in the middle of the way and the driven-by-maniacs packs of VW Calavelle (equivalent of white van drivers in the UK). Taking a break and strolling around the hills scattered around the route can reward you with a more complete picture of the road you just took. And it’s stunning!

A path less travelled (compared to the road below!)

Of course, hiking up in itself is a fantastic and rewarding feast. Near-solitude - not a common feature in Taiwan.

Seriously scenic

Just to prove the point - a picture can speak a thousand words! Look at this beast of the road. Scenic is not a word that can describe it.

Mysterious Chilai Shan 奇萊山

The neaby peak kept peeking out, revealing the grand location of the hotel.

when clouds part

It was an exhilarating evening. First there was a total white-out. Then the clouds lifted, just to come down again. As the wind was pushing from the west, making the clouds to dance, the mountains kept their little peekaboo play. At some point he clouds started lifting again, not only revealing the fine edge of the mountain but also the road and the beautifully located hotel. At the same time, some patches of clod kept resisting, clinging to the few trees down in the valley. Soon, the landscape change again.

Sunset blues

The evening has soon provided us with another feast - some beautiful blue and pink hues just above the dancing clouds, providing the perfect backdrop for the peaking peak (is it where the name comes from?) of Chilai Shan (奇萊山). For some reason the scene made me think of cake, one with some nice and soft filling in between light sponge layers... yum...

Walking to the stars

In the morning we set off for the sunrise to the nearby peak. Well before the sunrise it was the sea of stars that guided us up. The sky was clear and the dusk was already crawling in.

Central Range Point (Zhongyangjian Mountain; 中央尖山) and some movig clouds

Zhongyangjian Mountain (中央尖山; Central Range Point) is a distinctive peak, looking sharp as a Japanese knife from the distance. When seen from the 合歡山 when the clouds do their display, it seems to be floating on a fluffy bed of candy-floss. As the clouds lited and kept moving around at speed, they produced amazing patterns of trails.

Cloud Display

As the sun made its way up, its rays soon met with the playful clouds dancing in the sky. Diffused light started hitting the mountain ridges an amazing display of light and shadows commenced.

Holy smoke!

At some point the warming air created some up-draught, making the clouds look more like smoke coming up from two giant chimneys hiding behind the ridge.

The ridge

Once the sun came up, it illuminated the curvy ridges and brought up all the tones and till not muted colours. All of sudden you feel like you just want to walk and enjoy the scenery, be part of it. Let's walk!

Layered moutains

This was one of the images of Taiwan that I had stuck in my head. I must have seen it somewhere in a magazine or online. I did not have the details – but the layered mountains haunted me ever since. I tried to get some of that effect when in Taipei – and to an extent, it worked. But it was not blue enough or ‘layered’ enough. I did not have a clue we were so close to this. My whole attention was focused towards the east and north that morning: capturing the playful clouds and the Central Range Point. What started as a fast walk up, soon became a crawl as I was stopping to get a quick shot of (yet another) display. The sun was already up when I made it to the top, still focused in the east… I only looked south when the sun burnt most of the clouds and the contrast became far too strong for a decent photo (except, of course, of some high-contrast shot). I dragged my feet towards the top just to come across THE VIEW! I was not sure whether to be happy – or annoyed. If I knew, I would have raced to the top much earlier and much faster. After a quick scrambled around to find a decent vantage point, I grabbed a few shots and decided to come back next morning. Or maybe even for the sunset… Neither was kind enough with the weather to warrant another trip though. There would have to be another trip to this amazing place.

Floating above the clouds

The peaks of Hehuanshan(合歡山) are impressive when they stand against the low cloud. Majestic. Powerful. Proud. Here the clouds ‘wedge’ between two ridges, hiding from the burning sun.

Into the mist

The next morning turned to be a no-go for photos. Drizzle and low cloud. After breakfast we decided to walk the Hehuan North Peak (合歡北峰). At 3422 meters high, it is the highest peak among Hehuanshan. Here, a group fo walkers disappearing in the mist...

Dry Lands

At the height of over 3000m, the landscape of the walk up the Hehuan North Peak (合歡北峰) is a mix of rocks and some low-shrubs that can withstand the wind and often-changing weather. At some point we came across a small ditch that was completely dried up and looked more like from some draught-stricken place in Africa. The dried ground cracked at the depth of some 3-4cm. And it was raining a few minutes earlier!

Dry Lands

At the height of over 3000m, the landscape of the walk up the Hehuan North Peak (合歡北峰) is a mix of rocks and some low-shrubs that can withstand the wind and often-changing weather. At some point we came across a small ditch that was completely dried up and looked more like from some draught-stricken place in Africa. The dried ground cracked at the depth of some 3-4cm. And it was raining a few minutes earlier!

@ the Hehuan North Peak (合歡北峰)

A group of seasoned hikers at the top of the Hehuan North Peak (合歡北峰). There are lots of elderly walkers on the trails. Many of them in their 60s, with a track record of most local trails. Their lunch looked soooooo good.

Walkers in the mist

The low cloud kept us company for the rest of the day. Somehow it added mystery to the landscape.

Moving fast

Clouds on the evening were moving fast. Very fast. Mountains were appearing and disapperaing. Little timelapse seems like a good idea - though some frames later the camera got enshrined in milky whiteness of a mountain cloud. Time for some food and beer...

perfect B&W

This was a view on the way down and towards Taroko Gorge. The clouds and the mountain just seemed perfect for a B&W shot. As we scootered down, I kept stopping every 50 – 100 meters, trying to find a clear and unobstructed view of the mountain. Each time it was a struggle – trees, electricity cables … and every 50 - 100 meters a new, (marginally) better vantage point seemed to be appearing. “why did I waste time and risk life there if it’s so much easier here” seems often to be the mantra of this type of photo-hunting… Finally it came together into some stitched panorama. Yay. Let’s keep moving – Taroko is awaiting…