TiT Scenery:Mount Hohuan

Mount Hohuan

By Halima Dick and Kao Chieh-ju
Photos by Sung Chih-hsiung

Mount Hohuan (合歡山), which is located at the westernmost section of the Taroko Gorge National Park (太魯閣國家公園), is known throughout Taiwan as one of the few places to see snow on the island. The mountain reaches an elevation of 3,416 meters and the summit is above the tree line. At this height it is cool even in summer. In winter, temperatures dip to well below freezing and some years there is enough snowfall in January and February to even permit skiing! In fact, Mount Hohuan accommodates Taiwan's only winter sport training center (寒訓中心). However, Mount Hohuan is probably more worthwhile for its superb landscapes than its winter sports. The area offers magnificent views at any time of year.

During winter, hundreds of local tourists flock to Mount Hohuan to admire the icy snowscapes. Winter at Mount Hohuan
Although Mount Hohuan isn't Taiwan's highest peak, it is the most likely place for visitors to see snowfall. This is on account of the relatively high levels of humidity in the area--Mount Hohuan sees a yearly average of 5,300 millimeters of rain. Clouds carrying moisture from the Liwu River (立霧溪), which runs through Taroko Gorge, and the Pacific Ocean are blown westward toward Mount Hohuan. The mountain's lack of steep gradients forces these clouds to climb gradually in altitude and hold their moisture for a longer period. The increase in the level of humidity raises the possibility of snow during winter. People in Taiwan have little opportunity to see snow at first-hand, so when it does snow, the area around Mount Hohuan quickly becomes congested with local tourists eager to see this wintry spectacle.

Summer at Mount Hohuan
The area is equally beautiful in summer, when the mountain provides an excellent escape from the soaring temperatures of the rest of the island. During the summer there are a number of picturesque hikes, which ice and snow make impossible during the winter months. One particularly splendid hike stretches between Tayuling (大禹嶺) and the mountain town of Tsuifeng (翠峰). This hike takes walkers along the highest road in Taiwan, which reaches an elevation of 3,275 meters at Wuling Pass (武嶺) and offers spectacular views of the surrounding scenery.

The hike takes two days and includes a night at Hohuan Villa (合歡山莊). To begin the hike, take the Taiwan Motor bus from either Hualien or Taichung along the Central Cross-Island Highway to Tayuling. From there, turn southward along the branch road. Five kilometers along the road towards Wushe ( 霧社), you will come to Konan Pass (克難關), which is located at an elevation of 3,179 meters. The pass is also known as 'Ghost Pass' because it is notorious for its gale-force winds which have been known to blow hikers right over the edge. Walk quickly on to Hohuan Villa, where you can stay the night.

Continue along the road towards Wushe early the next morning. One kilometer up a steep gradient is the road's highest point at Wuling Pass, where fantastic views of Mount Chilai (奇萊山 ) can be seen to the left. This large, jagged-faced peak is immediately to the east of Mount Hohuan, and easily visible on a clear day. Mount Chilai is infamous as the site of numerous mountaineering accidents. It is dominated by a tremendous jagged, unstable saw-tooth ridge.

A further three kilometers' walk takes you past the beautiful vast expanse of grassy plain at Kunyang (昆陽). In autumn the stretch of road beyond Kunyang offers magnificent views of red-leafed maple trees at Yuanfeng (鳶峰). Follow the road on down toward Hsinjenkang (新人崗) to Tsuifeng. From there it is possible to catch a bus (Nantou Bus Company 南投客運) on to the scenic mountain town of Puli or Chingching Farm (清境農場), and then on to Taichung.

The still calm of Green Lake at Wushe, near Mount Hohuan. Aborigine Culture at Wushe
The aborigine town of Wushe, at 1,148 meters above sea level, offers a cool mountain retreat with magnificent scenery. Visitors can make a short walk through the town to a large reservoir, named Green Lake (碧湖), in the valley below. To get there, walk down the road through the village by the school. The lake is at its most beautiful during the spring and summer, when the water level is at its highest.

The town was the site of a violent anti-Japanese uprising in October 1930, when the local aboriginal population revolted against the occupying forces. Over 900 people were killed by the Japanese. There is a plaque dedicated to those who died at the local temple and a mural depicting the battle at the youth hostel.

A short distance by bus to the east of Wushe is Lushan Hot Springs (盧山溫泉). The village of Lushan is perched precariously on both sides of a steep gorge with a river rushing through the middle. The two sides of the town are connected by a foot suspension bridge. The springs are said to have been discovered by the aborigines, when they noticed that deer they had injured during hunting healed themselves by bathing in the hot springs. Apparently, the aborigines found that when they bathed in the hot springs their arthritis and other muscular pains disappeared.

Another day ends at Mount Hohuan. Specialties at Mount Hohuan
During the late summer and autumn it is possible to eat a number of locally-grown delicacies, including white cabbage, peaches, apples, and crisp pears.

The cabbage is considered particularly sweet at Tayuling and Chingching Farm, where the long hours of sunlight make the cabbages grow well. The area is also well known for its apple, pear, and peach orchards. Visitors are welcome to visit Chingching Farm to pick their own fruit and vegetables. The peach season lasts from July until September, when the pear season begins.

Chingching Farm, which is actually a collection of smaller farms, is one of a handful of places in Taiwan where sheep and cattle are raised. At weekends the farms become crowded with city-dwellers who flock here to see cows and sheep grazing in green pastures. It is possible to stay at a hotel at Chingching Farm.