Advice for two big hikes in March

[Abacus]

I'm looking at a couple of different hikes during CNY.

3 that I'm considering
Dongbu trailhead up to Lele Cabin to see the two waterfalls - This is the longer north entrance to Yushan (not going this trip obviously). I only want to camp one or two days. Will I be able to get permits driving in during CNY? Anything else I need to know.

Aowanda - This place looks pretty cool but I can't find much trail info. Is it just dayhikes and you stay at the cabins? Is there camping or short backpacking trails? I assume that the red leaves are gone although the rough guide mentions the leaves turning red in December/January. I'm guessing that all of the cabins are already booked but I could call if camping isn't possible.

Nenggao Trail - Looks pretty cool as a 2-3 day trip.

I'm pretty set on going somewhere in this area although I'm open to other hikes. but I want to get to these less accessible places during CNY since I get zero days off and we don't even get 3 day weekends this year (2/28 weekend is booked already). I'm also interested in going somewhere with waterfalls. I'm currently working on a waterfall project/guide http://taiwanswaterfalls.com/ I have been lazy and haven't finished the site but it's planned for the day after tomorrow (perpetually).

[Jah Lynnie]

PingLai Waterfall in the hills behind Xinyi in Nantou County is quite spectacular after rain but can be bone dry at other times. Read up on it here:
http://taiwandiscovery.wordpress.com/20 ... ai-stream/

You would be wise to make enquiries with Jade Mtn N.P. HQ or TungPu cop shop about the permit situation. Lots of people just going up to the falls don't bother, but at CNY they sometimes station a cop car at the trailhead. You also might want to enquire about the state of the waterfalls. Like PingLai, they are often reduced to a trickle in the dry season.There are only a few spots on the way to Patungkuan with camping possibilities, usually the old Japanese police sites, so if you go don't camp elsewhere because large sections of the path are directly under cliffs.

I can't remember if Aowanda has any waterfalls but it's quite spread out with several minor paths in the 'tourist containment area'. The big hiking possibility is at the back: over a footbridge and then following a path up a large river valley. The path goes up to the Central Mountain ridgeline.

Nengao at CNY depends totally on the weather. Quite a lot of people get rained out and there is the danger of mudslides in the damaged parts of the path. I wouldn't go here unless the forecast is really good and that means taking note of the Hualian County weather forecast as well as in Nantou County.

There is a good waterfall just off the Provincial Road #21 up from NanChuang about 2kms before Luchang in Miaoli County.

[Abacus]

good stuff.

I guess I'll try calling to Aowanda and see if camping is allowed or if there is room in the cabins. And I'll leave Nenggao as a backup option but probably wait until another time to go there. There are a lot of places to go.

[spunkymonkey]

There's a big, 3 level waterfall to the left when you enter Aowanda. I don't think there's camping there. You could try having a look around Qubing 曲冰 or Wujie 武界. I don't think there are any proper campsites there, but you can usually find somewhere to pitch in that kind of place if you ask around.

Also an update for any one looking to get permits for the Yushan National Park, our application was again rejected. This time because we don't have the snow training certificate which is a requirement for longer hikes during the snow season. So it looks like we'll have to give up on that one until the summer at least.

[Cunninlinguist]

So a Taiwanese friend of mine with extensive snow hiking experience - and pictures to prove it! - applied for three of us to hike from Walami to Jiaming Lake. We were denied on the basis of "no snow training certificate." How does one get one of these? And, can you do it without paying exorbitant amounts of money?

[spunkymonkey]

It's called 雪地訓練證 in Chinese. Quite a few groups run this kind of course and it's not too bad price-wise, around 7-9k for a 4-5 day course which includes time on either Snow Mountain or Hehuanshan.

[Cunninlinguist]

We changed our plans from Nenggao to Batongguan last month because of a landslide on the former. Can anyone confirm this? Or give any further information about the conditions, when it will reopen, anything?

[Feiren]

You need to call the police station in Wushe. They control access and know what the conditions are.

049-2802204 　

Here's an announcement from the Forestry Bureau. Continuing rock falls at 5.8 and 10km.

http://recreation.forest.gov.tw/NRD_ind ... 0120119001

Several people were killed here a few years ago in a slide right at the trail head.

[Mucha Man]

It's called 雪地訓練證 in Chinese. Quite a few groups run this kind of course and it's not too bad price-wise, around 7-9k for a 4-5 day course which includes time on either Snow Mountain or Hehuanshan.

Have you done this?

[spunkymonkey]

I haven't done it but I've been looking into it.

The Nenggao Trail is closed for the moment. The big landslide has gone again and the newer one further along the trail has gotten worse too. No word on when it'll open again. Apparently the big one is 200m across.

http://www.keepon.com.tw/DiscussLoad.as ... D%E9%AB%98