Bei Da Wu Hiking Report

[Pingdong]

in a pinch the outer deck area of the sleeping area is covered, so you could sleep there if you dont have a tent, chilly up there though.

This is Pingdong though, not Taipei. its not complicated. Go let the cop photocopy your ARC and you are basically done. the only real reason for you to bother at the police station is in case of an emergency you wont need to pay for evacuation, if you go without stopping in I think you are liable for anything that happens. Someone correct me if im wrong.

I have been going down to Kending a lot lately so thought i should take a pic of the turn off road 185. This is the turn to BeidaWu coming form Sandimen (from north going south). Dont quote me but the turn is around KM 40-42 I think. turn left here, the cop shop is about 5 mins later, then another 30 mins to the "new trail head".

These pics are just right after the military base. The turn is a few hundred meters south of the base.






Meczko, if you are stuck getting up there, I am 95% sure I am in the mountains around here all this weekend, so if you need a lift pm me and i will give you my cell # and i can give you a ride up if you are going friday night/saturday morning.

the thing around here is it can be sunny and looking good down here at the base of the hills, and it can be intense rain up there. I remember a few weeks ago I went up there late at night. it was totally clear, stars, no moos so real crisp. once we got close it started raining and we turned back as it was like a typhoon power downpour. winter is often good, but this year is just not normal, it POURED yesterday here when I was gardening on my roof.....

[Mucha Man]

You turn left just past the 40km mark.

[meczko]

Pingdong, many thanks! I am sending you a PM.

[spunkymonkey]

Found the link

http://recreation.forest.gov.tw/askform ... Login.aspx

But you'll need a Taiwanese ID to apply as the site won't recognise ARC numbers.

[Pingdong]

thats a pain, there are numerous gov sites that dont recognize ARC #

[spunkymonkey]

It is. It's getting to be a bit of a problem. Taroko National Park, Yangming Shan National Park, and the now National Polices Agency's mountain entry permit site all don't recognise ARC numbers.

I've emailed Taroko about it numerous times and just get ridiculous answers back saying that foreigners need to have a Taiwanese leader in order to get permits. But then they say if I ask them to apply for me they might be able to give a me a permit without a Taiwanese leader.

[Pingdong]

it is only an issue when computer automation is used. things like beidawushan they just photo copy your arc and there is really nothing more. you show up and get it done, get there before midnight and I don't see why prior registration is even needed...

its not just hiking that this works with. business operation, export licenses/inspections etc all have this bull shit to deal with, but its all just on the computers. if you show up in the flesh and get the people to use their own fingers, magical things happen and after a bunch of confusing hours wasted, it all works out. Taiwanese web development is sadly very poor, that is the root of the problem i feel.

[Nuit]

it is only an issue when computer automation is used. things like beidawushan they just photo copy your arc and there is really nothing more. you show up and get it done, get there before midnight and I don't see why prior registration is even needed...

I'd say that's true for the police stations (I've even been told just to forget about it for some routes, and go off and hike, when I know you're meant to have a mtn permit).
But Taroko Park HQ do seem to get flustered by the swerveball of Big Noses turning up and wanting park permits.

[spunkymonkey]

You just need to apply online before hand if you want to reserve a space in the cabin. Otherwise you'll need to carry a tent up in case there's no space when you get there. Only really applies to weekends too.

I suspect that with most of the sites it's because they haven't thought that foreigners may want to use the site. But with Taroko it's definitely because they don't really want foreigners going off the beaten path on their own.

[Jah Lynnie]

It's fall out from the Fred Frontier MIA case and previous to that the Swiss guy who got stuck on the Jhuilu Trail (before it was renovated) and had to be rescued. The park authorities have been paranoid ever since especially considering how accessible it is.