Blissed out with our heads in the clouds at 3422 meters [11,227 feet]
We decided to check out Hehuan North Peak, located on the west side of Taroko Gorge National Park. It happens to be #34 on Taiwan’s 100 peaks. We hiked it from Mt. Hehuan’s Service Station so I’m not sure if that counts as summiting #34, but we did make it to the top! Our plan was to camp at the top for one night, but that got thwarted.
Shān (山) = Mountain
Huhuanshan = Huhan Mountain
It’s a 2 k hike to the top from here, which doesn’t sound like much, but at this elevation it kicked our butts.
Phenomenal views. NO humidity. NO mosquitos (which love Sarah).
We almost didn’t make it to the top. Scott got altitude sickness about 1/2 way up, enough that we needed to reconsider camping. We rested a bit and dropped our fully loaded packs on the trail about 3/4 of the way up and carried on for the view. Decided to nix the camping this time.
It was meant to be that we decided not to camp, because the weather turned windy and rainy on the way down.
No big deal! We’ll camp in the “family truckster”, as Scott calls it.
Minivans are hip people! Especially if you pimp them out like this.
All cozied up for the night.
The Alps of Taiwan
On the way home we check out this quirky place called Cingling Farms.
“Cowboys” wrangle and shear sheep in front of a captive audience. It’s VERY popular.
In addition to the real sheep, there are fake sheep… or are they real?