Winter Ascent of Nanhu Mountain

Wo pah luh Nanhu Shan. I climbed Nanhu Mountain. It was a four day hike that covered about 55 kilometers and took me to the summit of four mountains. The mountains are very steep and rugged in Taiwan so I estimate that we climbed about 5000 vertical meters or about 16,000 feet.


This is the sunrise on our first day a few kilometers into the trip. We will be waking up at 5:30 AM for the next four days to make the most of the day light.

 This is Syue or Snow Mountain. I climbed it last winter. There are pictures on this blog.

 Snow Mountain to the left with the Sacred Ridge running to the right side of the frame. The Sacred Ridge is a difficult and technical route that will "turn boys into men and girls into women." I hope to climb it someday.

 There are several National Parks in Taiwan. Nanhu Mountain is located in Taroko National Park. Taroko National Park is know for the steep river gorges that lead to the Phillipine Sea on the east side of Taiwan, but it is also home to many spectacular mountains like Nanhu.

 Another shot of Snow Mountain and the Sacred Ridge.

 The sea of clouds that is quite common in Taiwan. The proximity of the ocean makes this sight common from my climbing experience in Taiwan.

 That is Nanhu Main Peak on the right side of the frame, but, like most mountain hiking, the direct route is not always easier or even possible. We will follow that undulating ridge to the left of Nanhu before we drop about 1000 feet to the cabin at the base of the mountain. Of course, we will have to climb out of that basin and back along that ridge to get back to the van (after climbing Nanhu Main and Nanhu East Peaks...a very long and strenuous day).

 A minor peak on our first day and on our way to the first cabin. I'm not sure if it has a name, but it had a number. We climbed about 1000 meters (or 3000 feet) at this point.

 The first cabin about 12 kilometers and 1000 meters into the hike.

 The next morning starts with a steep and arduous climb through the forest up to the ridge that will lead us to Nanhu Basin. Yes, this is the trail through the forest.

 Ah, out of the forest and making our way up to the ridge where the hiking will turn to climbing and things will start to get exciting.

 The ridge leading to Nanhu Basin. That is Nanhu Main Peak on the left.

 This is where things get exciting. We have put on our crampons (bing zhou) and there are some fixed ropes, but there are moments of exposure that require focus and fortitude.

 There are strong winds blowing over the top of Nanhu and the ridge that are making clouds that trail off to the north-west.

This is a steeper section of the ridge with some fixed ropes

 I am a very happy climber.

 The sun was making rainbows in the clouds trailing off the ridge. The clouds were so close and thick you could see our shadows on them. Our heads were shrouded with small rainbow halos. It was amazingly beautiful!

 That is Nanhu Basin. You can see our cabin down in the valley. Tomorrow morning we will hike up the broad gully in the middle of the picture and then take a left to follow the ridge of Nanhu up to the summit.

 On our way up the gully with the sunrise and the moon over Nanhu Shan.

 Starting our climb up to the ridge of Nanhu with the sea of clouds roiling below us.

 This was the crux near the summit of Nanhu Main Peak. It was a short technical section with a lot of exposure. If you slip and fall the wrong way you're tumbling down the mountain.

 That's the ridge we came across yesterday (and we'll hike back over it after lunch today). We've come a long way.

 On the summit of Nanhu Main Peak at 3742 meters or 12,276 feet. I've been living close to sea level for almost a year and half so the air feels quite thin. Even when I lived in Colorado I would notice the effects of high altitude. I had trouble sleeping the night before our ascent which is quite common when people ascend to high altitudes.

 My climbing partners on the summit of Nanhu Main Peak.

 That long 'wedge' is Nanhu East Peak. The guide and I will do a quick ascent of it next.

 A mountaineers main tool are crampons or bing zhou.

 Heading for Nanhu East Peak. We will follow a narrow shelf to the right and then make a hard left and follow a broad couloir up to the summit. I will use my ice axe for this ascent.

 The broad couloir up the the summit of Nanhu East Peak. It's not too steep and the exposure isn't bad either, but I'm still using my ice axe.

 On the summit of Nanhu East Peak

 My guide on near the summit of Nanhu East Peak with Nanhu Main Peak.

 Nanhu Main Peak from the summit of Nanhu East Peak

The high cabin in the Nanhu Basin

A short video from the rugged ridge leading to Nanhu Basin. You can really get a sense of how the sea of clouds can surround you in the high mountains of Taiwan. It really makes you feel like you're on top of the world.

A short video from the summit of Nanhu East Peak.