My non-English speaking guide woke me up at 2:30 AM and we ate a little breakfast before heading out the door. There were many other groups from the hostel leaving at various hours in the morning to make the hike up to the peak. Our climb started at 3 AM from the parking lot. It would be about 22K round trip in a single day. Weather was clear and I could see bright stars in the sky on the way out. I know there were some steep drops that my head lamp couldn't see the end of, but I was extra careful in the dark. The first 8.5 K were a piece of cake. As the sun rose, it revealed a beautiful landscape which I could see for miles. We reached Paiyun lodge at 3400 meters above sea level well ahead of time. After a ten minute rest, we took off for the peak. The last 2.4 K was much more difficult with a steeper ascent. The last 0.2 K was a scramble up to the top. I was grateful that the weather was clear. To the east laid a sea of clouds where the tips of the surrounding peaks looked liked islands in a sea of white water. To the west, I could see far into the Alishan Forest. The return trip to the lodge was a bit sketchy at times, but I made it down without a scratch. The language barrier ended up not being an issue after all. However, I did have to remind the guide to speak to me in Taiwanese instead of Chinese for me to understand what he was saying. My Taiwanese language ability took a giant step forward this week due to it being the best way for me to communicate with the rest of the family. After a tasty instant noodle lunch, we were on our way back to the car. This time, the fog had moved in and the woods had been swallowed by the mist. The scenery was so different even though it was the same trail we walked earlier. It was a welcome relief from the blazing sun as well. The entire trip ended up being 9 hours (3 hours ahead of schedule). I was absolutely cashed at the end. It was a great trip overall and not as difficult as I had imagined.
below is a 360 deg video from the peak.
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