Saturday, December 10, 2022

White Horse General Cave 白馬將軍洞, White Horse General Cave Giant Rock, and Black Moon Mountain 烏月山

 

Views of big rock walls amidst riotous green forest, two caves, a path that climbs to the top of a giant boulder-like rock and a small summit. This walk in the green hills above Shenkeng starts out with a kind of ugly road walk but soon follows country roads, steps and then later a wide path. The caves are rock shelters formed by erosion. They were once used by soldiers resisting the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. 

Entrance to the first cave
 

 Distance/Time: My distance and time were 12.8 km/ 5 hours 37 minutes but I took my time because of the slippery conditions and I did some exploring. 

To walk to the summit and back would only be about 10 km and take about 4 to 4.5 hours. Of course, it would be much shorter if driving and parking near the trail instead of walking from the bus stop like I did. 

Here is my track as well as more details: http://rblr.co/Ogq0h 

The Trail:  

This is a moderate hike and not strenuous at all but on the day I visited it was wet and very slippery.  This walk and other points of interests around Shenkeng are covered in Richard Saunders' book Taipei Escapes 1 https://taipeiescapes.wordpress.com/walk-1-20/

The caves are technically rock shelters--a type of cave that is formed when a lower, softer stratum is worn away by erosion and weathering while a harder upper stratum remains. These caves were used by resistance fighters during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. There are rumours of other caves and maybe much larger caves in the area but maybe they are just rumours. Taipei Escapes 1 offers more detailed information.

The walk from Shenkeng to Wuyue is on a road which has a good amount of traffic but there is a wide shoulder.  After that the walk follows country roads through and above the village. Just before the trail starts there is a steep, paved section that was very slick.

After that there are steps almost all the way to the top of a ridge. There is an overgrown and narrow path to an overlook on top of the White Horse General Giant Rock but the path to the summit of Wuyueshan (Black Moon Mountain) is wide and easy. 

The path seemed to be in disrepair and was littered with leaves and debris. The steps are covered in green moss and can be slippery.  The whole area had a sort of spooky, abandoned, aura. It was a gloomy, grey, wet day which probably contributed to the feeling. I saw only one other person on the trail. Maybe on a warm sunny day it would feel completely different. 

What to bring: Shoes with good tread for slippery surfaces and a hiking pole to help with balance (and maybe to threaten dogs) are highly recommended. 

Transportation: I took the MRT to Muzha station.  Heading straight out of the station and crossing to the bus stop across the road I took bus 666 to Shenkeng and took the 660 on the way back. The bus ride takes only about 15 minutes. Several buses pass Shenkeng including the 666, 660, 795, 819 and 679. 

The hike:

I had wanted to visit this trail for a long time but this was my first time. Earlier in the year, I had actually set off on a Sunday morning and got as far as Muzha MRT station but while waiting for the bus to Shenkeng it was raining so hard that I decided try it another day.

On this day it was also raining but the forecast said there would be less rain in the afternoon. It turned out that it rained all day but it was just a light mist. Most of the time I could not tell if it was raining or if water was just dripping off the trees. But it still turned out to be a very wet day. 

I got off the bus at the Shenkeng stop next to a 7-11. At the corner I turned right. 

Shenkeng Old Street (famous for stinky tofu) was to the left. I went straight crossing Shenkeng Bridge over the Jingmei River. The water was blue and there were schools of large fish visible in the river.

I continued straight along a road for a few minutes until I came to Wan Shan Road. There was a CPC gas station and a cafe across the street. 

I turned left on Wan Shan Road, passed a bus depot and went over a long bridge, again crossing the Jingmei River. Later I walked along the wall of an electrical substation. 

Nearing Wu Yue village there was a fire station on the right. The second intersection after the fire station was Wu Yue Road.  It took me thirty five minutes to walk to this point. 

I turned right on Wu Yue Road. 

Intersection with Wu Yue Road

Wu Yue Village

The road curved left and passed through the village. I took note of an interesting traditional house made of mud that was crumbling. It seemed to be used as a warehouse now and was protected by a metal roof. 


At the second right (lane 41), I turned steeply uphill.

There was a dog lying in the road. It stood up and barked at me but not until I had already passed. I soon passed a temple on the right. 

After turning onto Lane 41 it was quiet and bucolic. There was thick green vegetation and tall trees on both sides and later a high, mossy, green retaining wall on the left. 


At the next intersection in 650 meters I turned right onto a smaller road. There was a brown sign on the corner that read "Wu Yue Trail."


The road was wet and black and there were glimpses of the green hills above and massive, pale rock faces standing out from the greenery. 



This road ended in a T-intersection. Signs pointing both ways read "parking lot" in Chinese. There was a house on the left somewhat elevated above the road way. A black dog on the porch barked at me but did not come down. 

I turned left and in just a few minutes came to the end of the road. There was a sign and a map board which had "rock fall" scrawled across it in English in green spray paint. I thought this was ominous and thought the trail might be blocked which would explain why I had seen no other hikers. But it turned out to be fine. 

Turning right I walked up a very slippery paved path with a metal railing. 


At the top the path leveled off next to 5 large metal water tanks. Just before the tanks there was a narrow path through high grass dropping down on the right. I followed it thinking it might be a path to one of the caves but it just came to a stream and some irrigation piping.

 I went back up and then walked straight past the tanks and started up steps. It took me about an hour and ten minutes to walk from the bus stop to the steps. 

The steps were green with moss and littered with debris and there were some areas with loose stones and piles of flood wrack.  In one place a stream spilled over the steps and ran down a few of them before flowing away on the other side. 

I was wondering if I had missed the caves when I came to a narrow but clear path on the left and just down the trail I could see a cave entrance. 



Inside there were stone slabs fashioned into benches and a place for a shrine. It was sheltered on three sides. It was little more than a place to huddle out of the rain and wind, but on a cold, wet day I imagine it would be a welcome haven. It made me remember a trip where three friends and I shivered under a bridge out of the rain and cooked our dinner on a narrow muddy strip and were grateful for the shelter.


I went back to the main path and started up the steps again. Soon I passed the second rock shelter. 



 I kept going up. I met the only other hiker I would see all day coming down. Just before the top the stone stops became rougher and gave way to a dirt path. 



I emerged at the foot of the a huge, pale stone wall covered with vines at the top. 

A path went around the left side and came to a T-junction. I first turned right and pushed through wet vegetation along a narrow trail that went to the top of the rock. There was an aluminum ladder in one steep gap. 




 There wasn't much of a view on this misty day. 


I went back down and now took the other path to Wu Yue Shan which was wide and clear. 
I heard and glimpsed a group of monkeys on the way. The summit was flat and muddy and there was no view. But the trail to it is nice and it's definitely worth seeing if you have already come all of this way.  On Maps.me it is called Sangongling Shan but the sign at the summit says Wu Yue Shan.




On the way to the summit I had passed a side trail marked with flags. 


 Now I went back and took this trail. My idea was to find an alternative descent instead of walking back the way I had come. Maps.me showed this trail descending to the road that ran roughly parallel to the one I had taken on the way up.  

The trail was narrow and steep for a short distance but after I passed under an electrical tower, I was surprised to find a wide, well maintained trail. 



I passed under or by several more electrical towers. I lost count after the sixth or seventh. It was clear that the trail was made so that maintenance crews could access them. It had been recently cleared of brush. At one point I heard a big commotion in the trees and spotted another troop of monkeys.

At a fork, I turned right heading in the direction of the road. I really enjoyed walking this path and felt like I had found a sort of backdoor to the peak.  The problem was that in the end, it just ended. 

After the last pylon that I came to, there was only a very faint trail with no markings. I went a little way down it but it was the sort of "trail" that you aren't sure is a trail or not. Also I could tell there was still a significant slope between my position and the road below. So I decided it was better to go back. 

I picked up the pace and now, being sure of the way, it only took me about twenty minutes to get back to the main path. 

Then I went back past the big rock, down the steps and to the road. When I passed the house at the bottom, the black dog came out, barking and snarling but I stood my ground and yelled at it and it backed off. 

I stopped at a small temple beside the road with a bench for a rest and snack and then walked back along the road to the Shenkeng Old Street. 

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Map and GPS Coordinates: 

 Wu Yue Shan (Black Moon Mountain): 24.994972, 121.639663

http://rblr.co/Ogq0h 

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Jinmianshan 金面山 to Baishishan 白石山 Ridgewalk and the Datieliao Historical Trail 打鐵寮古道

 

A ridge walk connecting Jinmianshan 金面山 to Baishishan 白石山 in the Daxi District of Taoyuan. The route starts out with a strenuous climb to Jinmianshan and then follows a narrow trail along the ridge, usually in forest and sometimes popping out on the spine of a stony ridge for great views. After Baishishan--which has the most spectacular views-- the trail descends beneath its white spotted cliffs and follows a shady stream valley and the Datieliao Historical Trail 打鐵寮古道 to the village of Sanceng. The route traverses 5 peaks. Transportation is a little challenging but its very much worth the effort.

 Distance/Time:  13.5 km/ 7 hours and 10 minutes. Here are more details as well as maps. I recorded two tracks. One for the hike: http://rblr.co/OgWz1 and one for the road walk from Sanceng back to Daxi: http://rblr.co/OgWz5

The Trail: 

I consider this a hard hike --mainly because of it's length and because the climb to the ridge is very steep. 

The trail to Jinmianshan starts out relatively gently but soon starts climbing. There are a lot of very steep parts using ropes including one exciting section that is almost vertical. This route avoids the wetter side of Jinmianshan and was all very dry when I was there. The trail along the ridge was also very dry and I didn't encounter any slippery parts until going back down through the stream valley after Baishishan. 

This Jinmianshan should not be confused with a more popular one in Neihu with the same name. If you do a google search for "Jinmianshan" you are likely to get results for the one in Neihu.

The route along the ridge is narrow. There are a few rough parts and scrambles over rocks but most of it is just putting one foot in front of another on a nice trail through the wilderness, coming out occasionally onto the bare ridge. It is not strenuous but it is deceptive. It follows the gentle up and downs of the ridge but you are still climbing and descending. And it's a long walk. I was very tired by the end.  The route is easy to follow. There are only a few turns and they are all marked. 

The trail after Baishishan is more humid and follows a stream surrounded by lush green growth.

I only saw 4 other people on the Jinmianshan trail. Which surprised me because I had been there the week before and it had been more crowded. I met two groups and one other solo hiker on the ridge trail. On the Datieliao Historical Trail you are likely to see a lot more people out for a shorter, more leisurely hike. 

Officially there are 5 peaks on the trail.

Jinshanmianshan 金山面山 (385 meters), is a small summit more like a hill-- with a clearing but no view that is reached near the beginning of the trail.

Jianmianshan 金面山 (667 meters), is number 21 on the list of the hundred small peaks of Taiwan (Xiao Bai Yue). At the top there is are two clearings and a view.  

583 Peak (583 峰) (583 m) This peak shows up on the map but I passed it without even noticing it, so it must not be very remarkable.

Shishanfenshan 十三分山 (615 meters), has a nice open spot on it's flat summit. It is also the junction for returning to the Jinmianshan loop hike.

Baishishan 白石山 (625 meters),  is topped by a massive slanted stone ridge with spectacular views. The trail then passes under the cliffs which are covered with pale lichen and latticed with column like tree roots.

The Datieliao Historical Trail 打鐵寮古道  which in English means "Blacksmith Village Trail" passes through a wet, lush, vale and sometimes follows a stream.

This would be a great trail to hike in April or May when the Tong blossoms are in bloom. This area is known for them.  

For a shorter loop trail around Jinmianshan see this post: Jinmianshan 金面山 

Here is another nice walk not far from Daxi: Guanyin Cave 觀音洞 Trail, Sanmin Bat Cave 觀音洞 and Tuba Tribe Stone Church  

What to bring:  I packed food and since it was an unseasonably hot day for November, took three liters of water. I've been experimenting with taking a Katadyn BeFree filter and at the end I filtered about one more liter from the stream. However, there is nowhere to get water until you come down from the ridge so taking enough water is essential. The trail is mostly shaded but I got some sun too so sunscreen, a hat and long sleeves are a good idea.

Transportation:  Transportation to and from the trail is a little difficult. Since it's a point to point hike, if you drive, you are stuck with your car at the other end. And there are no buses to the trail on the Jinmianshan side. 

If driving, something to consider is that apparently Google maps shows a turn that does not exist on the way to the chicken restaurant near the trailhead. Once on that road though there is only one way to go, so just follow it until the end.

I took a bus from Taipei to Daxi and then took a cab to the trail. It's about a 15 minute cab ride.

Bus 710 leaves from near Exit 4 of Yongning MRT Station. It takes about an hour and comes every 30-40 minutes. However, people line up for the bus and if it fills up you will have to stay in line and wait for the next one. The bus seats 30 people and standing is not permitted because it goes on the highway. So it's good to get there early. The last stop in Daxi is called Daxi Station. I took the 8 a.m. bus. 

I got a taxi easily and told the driver I wanted to go to the Jinmianshan parking lot. I wasn't sure if he would know it but he seemed to know right away what I was talking about. He told me it would be NT$250. 

 I wanted to go to the parking lot next to this chicken restaurant: Google maps link

But he took me to another parking lot that I did not know about. I could have gotten off there because there is another trail (which I have not walked) that soon joins the trail I would take.

On the map above, the blue circle on the top left is the place he took me to. The blue circle on the bottom right is where I wanted to go. You can see that it would be easy to walk to the first peak, Jinshanmianshan, from the first blue circle. 

 But a friend was meeting me at the parking lot near the chicken restaurant so I showed him the google maps link with the name of the restaurant. He grumbled a little and added NT50 to the fare but he took me there. 

 At the end of the hike I was hoping to catch a bus or a taxi back to Daxi. I know that buses 5093 and the 5094 pass through Sanceng and go to the Daxi bus terminal. However, when I arrived at the bus stop the BusTracker Taiwan app said the first bus would be in 65 minutes and I never saw any taxis on that road.  So I ended up walking 2.8 km back to town--which was not bad. It was downhill and only took 30 minutes. 

I took the 710 back to Yongning. When I arrived at the bus stop the 5:00 bus was just about to depart but it filled up and I had to wait for half an hour for the 5:30 bus which because of Sunday traffic took over an hour.

 The hike: I had planned to meet a friend at the parking lot of the chicken restaurant.  When I was in the taxi I was surprised to see him on the side of the road and knowing his car must be nearby I told the taxi driver to let me out. 

 His car was just up the road near another entrance to the mountain. One of the "back" ways up Jinmianshan. Since he already had a parking spot we decided to just walk from there to the chicken restaurant which took a little over ten minutes. 

 We passed the chicken restaurant and got to the trailhead at 10:08.


There is a bigger parking lot at the trailhead which is up the road, past the restaurant

  

The trail started out on a drivable track but very shortly there was a right turn, up a steep hill through bamboo.  



At the top of the hill, at T-junction there was a sign. Jinshanmianshan is 3 minutes to the left and the sign says the right turn goes to Jinmianshan in 50 minutes.


 

First we took the short detour to Jinshanmianshan (
385 meters).

Then continued toward Jinmianshan. 

 

On the way we again passed the mysterious white building that I mentioned in my Jinmianshan hike post. Just off the trail there is a building with a locked door and no windows but with air-conditioners running. I walked up to the door and could hear traditional Chinese music playing from inside. 

An hour after we started hiking the trail started to get more steep. Here my friend decided to head back to his car and I continued solo.  He was still recovering from a surgery and was just out for a day in the countryside and a short hike.

It took me 40 minutes to climb to the peak from here. There was an exciting almost vertical climb up a rock face using ropes and tree roots. Then the trail followed a narrow ridge for a while and after that:  more steep, roped sections.
 

Part of the way up the nearly vertical climb. One of the most fun parts of the ascent.



Near the top there was a fork. Jinmianshan was straight ahead.

 
Five minutes more of climbing brought me to a clearing with a nice view and then to the summit.





There was a couple there and I talked to them for a few minutes. They were very easy going and I enjoyed chatting with them--asking each other where we lived, had we been to Jianmianshan before etc....

I had a long walk ahead of me so I did not rest for long. I continued on a trail straight past the summit. This short trail goes down steeply at first then contours back under the hill of the summit and joins a trail at a T-junction.


The right turn goes back the way I had just come from. I turned left. 

Just a few minutes later there is another junction. The right fork eventually leads back to the road at the beginning of the Jinmianshan trail. I turned left again.

I took the left fork here toward 583 Peak and Shishanfenshan
  

I met an older couple coming from the other direction. They asked me if this path went to Jinmianshan (Qing wen zhetiao lu hui dao Jinmianshan ma?), and I confirmed that it did. 

In just over 200 meters I came to another fork at a clearing with a map board on a tree and I turned right. 

This track was narrow and littered with debris at first and I thought maybe it didn't get much foot traffic but shortly it became a really nice path. 

It was first through green leafy forest and later through bamboo. Once in while there were amazing views. 




 
I met a woman hiking solo and she also asked me if this was the way to Jinmianshan.

From the turn with the map board it took me an hour to reach Shishanfenshan 十三分山 (615 meters).   On the way I somehow passed 583 Peak (583 m) without noticing it. I checked the map and noticed I had passed it but did not go back. 

At Shishanfenshan there was a huge clearing. There was a large group of stout, older hikers, about evenly split between men and women. They were all wearing identical bright green shirts. They were sort of giddy but a good-natured group. I like meeting people like this in Taiwan who are unashamed about having a good time.

They entertained themselves by speaking Taiwanese to me. And when they asked me Jia ba bue (Have you eaten?) and I replied Jia ba (I had eaten), (which is one of the few things I know how to say in Taiwanese that is not rude or a curse) they erupted in laughter and then posed for a group poster all saying Jia ba

They finished up and said goodbye and I told them I would probably see them later since they were also headed to Baishishan.  



 As the group was leaving, the couple I had seen at Jinmianshan arrived and it we had a more quiet chat. They told me they had also passed 583 Peak and not seen it. 

At the summit the path straight ahead goes to Baishishan. The right turn takes you back to the Jinmianshan loop trail. The couple was heading right and I went straight. It would take me 50 minutes to walk from here to Baishishan.

I was surprised when after 10 minutes the trail came to a paved track.


 I turned right and walked into a wide open space. At the end of it there were two paths. One going straight and one slightly left.




 I hesitated because this was not on my map. I took the path on the left because it had more ribbons and because it just felt right and it turned out to be the right way. 

 From here to Baishishan was very beautiful: more dense forest and lots of views. There were places where you could climb up the sloping rock spine of the ridge and look right down. 




 I came upon a group of 5 hikers. They told me one of their friends was using the "bathroom" ahead and asked me to wait a minute.

Just after I passed them I saw movement on the path. A small, brown snake flung itself down hill and then froze.  It was very well camouflaged and when the group came up behind me and I pointed it out they had trouble seeing it at first. The snake obligingly stayed put while we took photos.


I looked at  https://snakesoftaiwan.com/home.html to try to identify it but my picture is not very clear. I thought it might be a Chinese Mountain Snake but since they are rare and nocturnal I'm not very confident that is what it was.
 

Just before reaching Baishishan there is a junction. The right side path goes to Shicuokengshan. 

The big group wearing green shirts had gone there and they were just coming back. I went straight on the Baishishan and got there just before them. 

At Baishishan there is an artificial concrete basin at a junction. Baishishan is straight ahead and is reached by climbing up its slanting face. 




 At the top there is a wide stone ridge and views in three directions. It felt great to arrive and the enthusiasm of the green shirted group was infectious. I enjoyed seeing them pose for photos on the ridge.



View from Baishishan looking toward Hou Cihu and Cihu

After taking a rest I headed back to the junction with the artificial basin and went left and down.  I still had about two hours to go to get back to the main road at the village of Sanceng. 

The trail passes under the cliffs of Baishishan. This was another one of my favorite parts of the hike.  The cliffs are dotted with pale green and white lichen and there are narrow tree roots sometimes extending from the cliff to the forest floor.



 After the cliffs the trail headed down, narrow at first and later much wider. The downhill was hard on tired legs. 

When I came to a junction I went right and downhill. 

I came to a wooden bridge, crossed it, turned left and entered a really pretty trail beside a stream. 




Once the trail left the stream there was a bit more climbing. The trail skirted a military area marked by a barbed wire fence. 


I ignored side turns until I came to a boardwalk next to a concrete building.



 I turned right here and went down some smooth stone steps. One of my least favorite things to walk on. 

The trail became level. I reached the old arched Dongxing Bridge and then crossed a larger more modern bridge where some men were fishing. 



The trail passed an old stone plaque then I went up hill, past a parking area for the trail and joined a country lane. 


There was a cooling breeze and I really enjoyed walking along the lane as the sun crept toward the horizon over fields of flowers. 


I followed the country lane all the way to the junction with the main road that leads back to Daxi. 

Around the corner there was a bus stop but no buses and I ended up walking back into town. Which took just over 30 minutes. 

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Maps and GPS Coordinates: 

Parking lot at the chicken restaurant: 24.867993, 121.327491

Jinmianshan:  24.866526, 121.335322

Jinshanmianshan: 24.871463, 121.326345

583 Peak: 24.858858, 121.330613

Shishanfenshan: 24.857959, 121.325406

Baishishan:  24.852632, 121.317684

 http://rblr.co/OgWz1

Map for the road walk to Daxi: 

http://rblr.co/OgWz5