In the middle of Shei-Pa National Park (雪霸國家公園), is the nearly 4000 meter-high Xueshan mountain. During the colder months, the mountain is covered in snow, and at the top of the staggering peak the air can get so thin that it is difficult to breathe. The hike is long and tiring, but the natural environment is so peaceful and beautiful that every step is worth it. With this in mind, I gathered the assortment of needed supplies the best I could on a student's budget and prepared for a tough climb.
On the morning of the first day, we all met at National Taiwan University's front gate. It was one of the first times I had interacted outside of the classroom with most of these ICLP students on the trip. One could really see everyone's personalities come out from the way they prepared for the trip. Some students were decked out head to toe in new hiking gear. Others were obviously experienced hikers, wearing all of their old equipment.
After spending a few hours watching several great movies on the bus, we finally arrived at the base of the mountain. We got to sit through an educational film on hiking safety, which at best, was a language lesson, and at worst, scared everyone. Despite that, the first days hike was really pretty easy: only an hour an a half up stairs to the camp where we would spend the night. Everyone was in a great mood. The weather was unseasonably warm and clear. After enjoying our flashlight-lit dinner out of our mess kits, we spent the night playing games in the woods and running around like kids. At one point, most of the group laid their backs against the wooden cabin and looked up at the first starry sky many had seen since coming to Taiwan. Everyone must have heard it, but seemed to ignore the wake up call at three a.m. the next morning.
The night was long and uncomfortable. Waking up that early, I didn't quite understand why it was so important to start hiking long before dawn. Everyone headed out tired with our flashlights pointed at the ground. After several hours of hiking we reached a clearing where we could look out across the valley and see the sun rise over the clouds. After seeing this painfully beautiful sky, it would be difficult to find a single person who still didn't understand why we had gotten up so early.
But, the hike kept on for hours. We eventually got to stop at the next lodge and put down our packs for the last leg. For some people, this was the end of the hike, but the rest of the group continued on. After several hours of walking, and climbing, at parts through Shei-Pa's beautiful Black Forest (黑森林), we finally made it to the last stretch. The final hour up the mountain was the most difficult, the air was thin and most people's bodies and minds started to fail. When we finally reached the peak, everyone immediately perched on a rock next to each other to rest and fell asleep one by one. There were no trees obstructing the view, and from all sides you could see the rolling country around you. The sun was shining hard down on the land and it was only at this point that I realized I had forgotten to put sunscreen on my face. I really got to soak in the sun and also enjoyed a rejuvenating drink from a group of mountain guides before heading back to the cabin.
After hiking from sundown to sunset, not everyone was in the mood for playing games. We ate our last dinner in the brisk mountain air, and the next morning we just had a quick hike down to the bus. A group of us got off in Jiaoxi (礁溪) on the way home and went to the hot springs. After several hours relaxing in hot springs, and a few amazing trips down the water slide, I couldn't have felt better about spending my break like this. Except that, looking at my beet-red face in the mirror, I have to admit next time I should probably bring a tube of sunscreen.
