Range Taiwan
The trip’s goal was straightforward: summit two ultra-prominent island peaks, considering anything beyond that a bonus. Goal achieved, we ascended Youshan and Xueshan, bagged a few minor peaks for good measure, and, as an encore, climbed the Qixingshan ribu volcano near Taipei city. By all measures, we rocked it. While reflecting on our achievements, it’s…
Range Taiwan
Having scaled both of Taiwan’s ultra prominent peaks, we naturally shift our focus to the next priority: the P1000. After scrutinizing the map and our calendar, it’s clear that time is tight for remote peaks. However, one peak near Taipei catches our eye: Qixingshan. Popular among locals and just a short hike for us, it…
Range Taiwan
Pairing Xueshan peak with another Taiwanese giant, Yushan, feels like an unwritten rule; skipping one just seems wrong. Naturally, we planned to summit both peaks. Xueshan, also known as Snow Mountain, welcomed us with some old hard snow on the trail close to the summit. Securing permits turned out smoother than expected, despite a labyrinth…
Range Taiwan
Island highpoint, a top 100 prominence peak and one of the dozen ultra-prominent peaks starting with the letter Y, boasts over 1800km of isolation—a real monster peak for peak baggers. Here we are in Taiwan, at the Youshan trailhead, late afternoon, with reservations at the lower hut, teeming with friendly hikers eager to assist us…
Range Taiwan
We arrive at Paiyun Lodge by 11 am, pondering whether to tackle Yushan today or delay it until tomorrow. Given the cloud-swathed scenery, aiming for the summit today hardly seems wise. After some thought, we agree to proceed with our original plan and explore the West Summit, saving Yushan’s peak for an early morning attempt….