Yushan (Mount Jade) Day Hike

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Difficulty: Difficult
Length: 13.7 miles / 22 km
Duration: Full day

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Overview: Yushan (3,952 m), located in central Taiwan, is the highest mountain in Taiwan and the fourth highest mountain on an island. Yushan is not only popular among Taiwaness hikers. Many international peak baggers also summit it together with Mt. Kinabalu in Malaysia and Mt. Fuji in Japan to collect the special "Asian Trilogy" experience.

To summit Yushan, you will need to attain the permit from Yushan National Park first. The application can be done online which is also the preferreable way to do it. The entry to the Yushan trailhead is located near the Upper DongPu parking lot by Expressway 21. It is recommended that you stay one night at DongPu Lodge, just below the Upper DongPu parking lot by expressway 21, for acclimatization before the climb. Park your car at the parking lot and it's a 2.8 km hike to get to the trailhead from there. Fortunately there is a paid shuttle service from the parking lot to the trailhead to save you the trouble during the daytime. When you pass the police station at the gate, have your permit checked by the officer or drop it in the deposit box if no one is on duty. The trailhead is located at the Tataka saddle.

From the trailhead, it is a 11 km long one-way hike to the main peak of Yushan and gains almost 1,400 meters in elevation change along the way. Most of the trail is narrow and could be dangerous so please use caution while hiking. You will need to hold the cable to go up during the final push for the summit. After summitting, take the same way back to the trailhead. Please allow at least 12 hours to complete this very strenuous day hike. Hikers normally depart at 3:30AM from the Upper DongPu parking lot and return back before the night.

Tips: 1. You are required to attain permit from the park administration to day hike Yushan.
2. Emergency radio channel for Yushan is 145.00 MHz / CTCSS code: 118.8.
3. Paiyun Lodge is currently under reconstruction as of 03/2012. No acommodation service is provided.

Points of Interest

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Trailhead at Tataga Saddle (2,620 m)

From the trailead to Yusha, follow the trail for Paiyun Lodge and continue hiking eastward for 1.7 km until you arrive at Menglu Terrace after about 50 minutes. Not far from the trailhead, you will pass a landslide area so do use caution on that section of trail.

Trialhead at Tataka Saddle (Shen-mu, T'ai-wan, Taiwan) Photo

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Monroe Terrace (2,830 m)

The Monroe Terrace is to memorize Dr. J E Monroe, an US government tax consultant stationed in Taiwan, who helped build up Taiwan's internal revenue service and died here in the 1950s during his descent from the main peak. There is a rest room nearby in case you need it. From the terrace, follow the trail for Paiyun Lodge and continue hiking eastward for 1 km until you arrive at the trailhead to Front Peak after about 35 minutes.

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Trailhead to Front Peak (2,870 m)

From the trailhead to Front Peak, follow the trail for Paiyun Lodge and continue hiking eastward for 2.2 km until you encounter the observaton plateform after about 45 minutes.

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Observation Plateform below West Peak (3,040 m)

At the observation plateform, you can often see Taiwan Laughing Thrush chirping on the trees nearby. There is a rest room next to the plateform for your convenience. From the plateform, follow the trail for Paiyun Lodge and continue hiking eastward for 2.4 km until you arrive at the base of Grand Precipice after about 40 minutes.

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Grand Precipice (3,190 m)

From the base of Grand Precipice, follow the trail for Paiyun Lodge and continue hiking eastward for 1.2 km until you arrive at the lodge after about 50 minutes.

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Paiyun Lodge (3,402 m)

Paiyun Lodge can accomodate up to 90 persons if you need to stay one night before climbing Main Peak. However, reservation needs to be made well ahead of your trip and lottery is mostly required due to its extremely popular demand. Flushed toilets are available at the lodge. The trail to Main Peak is located at the left side of the lodge. Follow the trail upward and continue hiking for 0.7 km until you arrive at the junction to South Peak after about 30 minutes. The trail beyond the lodge is mostly steep and rocky.

Paiyun Lodge (Pa-t'ung-kuan, T'ai-wan, Taiwan) Photo

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Trail Junction to South Peak (3,560 m)

From the junction to South Peak, bear LEFT for Main Peak and continue hiking up for 1.3 km until you arrive at the trail junction to North Peak after about 90 minutes. As you approach the ridgeline, watch out for rockfall and strong wind.

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Trail Junction to North Peak (3,880 m)

Watch out your steps after arriving at the junction as it's infamous for gusty wind. Locate the iron cable on the rocky slope. Hold the cable carefully to hike 200 meters up to the summit and you should be there in about 30 minutes.

Jade Mountain 019 (Pa-t'ung-kuan, T'ai-wan, Taiwan) Photo

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Main Peak, YuShan (3,952 m)

At the summit, enjoy the surrounding views of mountains and clouds. Don't forget to take a picture with the land mark on the summit. Take the same way back to the trailhead once you're done.