The main island of Taiwan is shaped like a sweet potato, with a length of 394 km and width 144 km. On this small island, there are 274 peaks higher than 3000 metres above sea level. These peaks are located mainly on the centre and east side of the island, primarily in the Alishan Range 阿里山山脈, Central Mountain Range 中央山脈, Xueshan Range 雪山山脈 and Yushan Range 玉山山脈. Only 26% of the island is flat, mostly found on the west coast.
In the mountains, there are well maintained roads connecting the indigenous tribes and farms. Despite the frequent landslides triggered by typhoons, heavy rainfalls, and earthquakes resulting in the destruction and blockades of some of the roads, they are fixed quickly. If it takes longer, there will be traffic controls.
When I first learned that Eddie Chen, a famous cycling writer, Vlogger and the founder of Trekking Taiwan, started a project in 2019 to cycle and document his trips of “Wuling Pass from the North towards Eluanbi – a 500-mile cross-country ride in Taiwan” 北進武嶺南出鵝鑾鼻，縱斷台灣五百哩 – from Fuguijiao 富貴角, the northern tip of the island to Eluanbi 鵝鑾鼻, the southern tip via the mountain ranges, my mind was blown. It is so daring and so ambitious. Yet it is so enticing for all cycling enthusiasts. Altitude gains are not avoided. You just cycle through the mountains with brute force like slitting the sweet potato 剖地瓜. The total distance covered is 760 km, with a total ascent of 26,087 metres and the highest elevation at Wuling Pass 武嶺 at 3,275 m.
Eventually, in April 2023, I joined one of the 5-day cycling tours guided by Eddie to do the first half of this route, and here I share my experience. I hope it is going to help our fellow cyclists planning their routes.
Day 1 Fuguijiao Lighthouse to Jiaobanshan (Distance 109 km, Total Ascent 1,789 m)
We met up at Songshan Train Station at 6:00 am and hopped on our support car to get to Fuguijiao, the starting point. Those who want to do it by themselves without a support car can stay at the small hotels nearby in Baishawan 白沙灣 or Sanzhi District 三芝區 the night before.
The lighthouse was charming as usual but the weather was not particularly promising. It rained as we started our climb. The fog got thicker as we got closer to the top of Yangmingshan 陽明山. It was my first time on this volcano in such weather conditions. Dirt stuck on my bike’s rims and made some unpleasant grinding noise as I hit the brake, especially on the steep descending. I have a decent robust aluminium wheelset, but I was worrying about the pads. They might not make it if we were going to have five days of long, steep descents in wet conditions like this, even though they were thick. During the lunch break, one of our team members found her brake pads worn to the limit. As we cycled past Taipei city, we bought some more spares just in case.
We called it a day at Dadaocheng Pier Plaza 大稻埕碼頭廣場 at 4:00 pm by hopping on our support car to get to Jiaobanshan 角板山. Dinner was booked at 6:00 pm there. The restaurant opened that day just for us. Soon the traffic would get busy. We did not want to keep them waiting.
Route
- Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/241344298
- komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1144820831
NOTE: To use the routes, please install the App on your smartphone. The App will launch and load the route automatically after you tap the above links on your smartphone’s browser. For Garmin Connect, you can then use the APP to send the route to your garmin device. If your Garmin device is not purchased in Taiwan, you will also need make sure you have the Taiwan map on your device. Here is our blog post on this topic.
Day 2 Jiaobanshan to Datong District of Yilan (Distance 86 km, Total Ascent 1,930 m)
This was mainly my favourite Northern Cross-Island Highway 北橫公路. We have a traffic control beyond Baling 巴陵 on Provincial Highway 7 at 49.7k with only two windows to pass each day, ie., 11:00 – 12:00 and 16:00 – 17:00. Our support car brought us closer to make sure we could make it there before it was closed. Eddie made good use of the car and brought us to a bridge in a serene valley before we started cycling. Richard, an avid cyclist from Singapore who started the popular cycling group Cycling SG to Malaysia, suggested we all lay down in a circle for Eddie to take such a stunning picture.
Weather was so nice. Everyone enjoyed cycling on such a beautiful winding road. But there were some hazards that we should be aware of. I saw signs showing the sections where falling rocks are prone to happen. In fact, some stones were spotted on the road surface. Eddie said whenever we hear some falling rocks, we should run away immediately as it could be the prelude of some larger rocks coming.
I totally appreciated how vulnerable we could be in the mountains when I was passing the traffic control spot. A large area of green vegetation was peeled off in a landslide exposing an unstable muddy slope. Even after months of work by the road construction workers, the road was still not recognizable. I had to get off my bike and push it through the muddy surface. I raised my camera without slowing my pace to take some snapshots but immediately got yelled at by a worker. I was supposed to pass the section as quickly as I could without doing anything else. Rocks could fall anytime. No hard feelings. My bad.
The Northern Cross-Island Highway beyond Baling after the traffic control was so comfortable to ride. The slope was mild, and there was hardly any traffic. It was magical that there were strange interesting plants along the way. We soon reached the last peak of the day at Mingchi National Forest Recreation Area 明池國家森林遊樂區 around 14:30, and the Northern Cross-Island Highway had led us into a deep, tranquil forest. The resort here makes a great place for a stay over or a long retreat.
The fog got slowly thicker as we were descending into the east side of the mountain. The humidity from the Pacific Ocean, carried by the prevailing wind, was forced to creep up the slope and condensed to form mist at this altitude where temperature was cooler. At some point I could only follow the white paint on the road side in front of my wheel to proceed. The sight of my team was long gone. My wheels were gathering water and dirt from the road and grinding with the braking pads again. As more dirt accumulated on the braking area, the noise got creepily louder. I released the brake a bit to let go of the dirt and then hit the brake again. The noise would then slowly build up again. I was glad that I bought some spare braking pads.
I saw a red flag flying, which turned out to be a team of road maintenance workers. I was not sure what they were doing, but I really respect their hard work under such poor working conditions. With hindsight, the whole experience was so beautiful in a surreal way.
We gathered at the 77K of Provincial Highway 7 and got in the support car to get to a farm moonlighting as a B&B to stay over. Meeting my team and getting in the car was like waking up from a dream in a wonderland. It is said that there are steeper and wetter descents ahead before reaching the Baitao Bridge 百韜橋. Those who want to make the descent all by themselves should note that.
Route:
- Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/241344348
- komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1144833774
NOTE: To use the routes, please install the App on your smartphone. The App will launch and load the route automatically after you tap the above links on your smartphone’s browser. For Garmin Connect, you can then use the APP to send the route to your garmin device. If your Garmin device is not purchased in Taiwan, you will also need make sure you have the Taiwan map on your device. Here is our blog post on this topic.
Day 3 Datong, Yilan to Lishan (Distance 61 km, Total Ascent 2,085 m)
It was a long, steady climb along the Provincial Highway 7A to Lishan. As we gained altitude, we were in the dreamy wonderland of fog once again. Today, I could relax mentally and enjoy the experience as climbing requires less focus than descending.
There were rows of cabbages growing on the fields on both sides. These white vegetables are ubiquitous in restaurants and on dinner tables in Taiwan, our daily staple. Among the several Atayal Tribes 泰雅族 along the main road, the Nanshan Settlement 南山部落 was the most important supply stop. There are two convenience stores and a gas station. Eddie and our driver loaded up lunches there for us to consume after some more climbing to the Siyuan Pass 思源埡口 (or formerly known as Piyanan Saddle 匹亞南鞍部), a mountain pass transferring from the Central Mountain Range to the Xueshan Range.
It was cold once we stopped at the Siyuan Pass for lunch. I had to put on all my clothes including a polar fleece sweater, a light down jacket and a wind-stopping jacket. Humidity and thin air have drained one of our members’ body heat, making him dizzy.
Then the mountain did its magic. We descended from Siyuan Pass for just a few minutes and found ourselves bathing in the sun with a blue sky. The temperature jumped by more than 10 degrees. We were all energised and continued our ride to Lishan 梨山. We made it there all by ourselves.
Route
- Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/241344418
- komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1144837452
NOTE: To use the routes, please install the App on your smartphone. The App will launch and load the route automatically after you tap the above links on your smartphone’s browser. For Garmin Connect, you can then use the APP to send the route to your garmin device. If your Garmin device is not purchased in Taiwan, you will also need make sure you have the Taiwan map on your device. Here is our blog post on this topic.
Day 4 Lishan to Wuling Pass and then Ch’un-yang Hot Spring (Distance 78.8 km, Total Ascent 1,655 m)
Today, we reached Wuling Pass, the highest paved road of Taiwan at an altitude of 3,275 metres. The total ascent was “only” 1,655 metres, which is a typical long day climb for me. But the thin air and the steepness made it extremely challenging.
We started from Lishan and continued the climb. The average gradient was 3.1%. It was not too bad until I reached Dayuling 大禹嶺 at 2,565 metres. Then the average gradient jumped to 8.3%. It made me feel weak especially inside the sharp hairpin turns where the steepness was way beyond the figure. It is said that the 5km between Dayuling and the Hehuanshan Service Station 合歡山服務站 is the steepest no matter if we are climbing from Hualien or Yilan.
When we stopped before a turn to take some pictures, we noticed motorbikes and cars coming down from the top. They had to brake so intensely that smells of burnt braking pads filled the air. There was a wall padded with old tires as a buffer, just in case someone failed to slow down on that turn and hit the wall.
I was worrying that if I exert too vigorously, I might trigger altitude sickness. I knew how it felt when I was in Nepal hiking years ago. I failed to climb to Wuling Pass around 5 years ago when I was a novice on cycling. This was my second attempt. I did not want to ruin it. I regretted drinking a big can of beer the previous night, as it might have had an impact on my performance. I slowly made my way up, partly cycling and partly walking. I did not mind being slow. I stopped frequently to take pictures because the stunning views after each turn were hard to ignore.
The mountain offered a short respite by allowing me to descend 76m for around 1.2km, followed by the final 162 metres climb at an 11%+ gradient. We were lucky that the weather was so fine. I patiently climbed up the hill and made it there finally. It was magnificent up there! I lingered for a little more time to savour my accomplishment, looking at the surrounding peaks, while the rest of the team was sitting in the car ready to be taken to the hotel. I am sure I will do this again.
Route:
- Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/241344443
- komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1144898455
NOTE: To use the routes, please install the App on your smartphone. The App will launch and load the route automatically after you tap the above links on your smartphone’s browser. For Garmin Connect, you can then use the APP to send the route to your garmin device. If your Garmin device is not purchased in Taiwan, you will also need make sure you have the Taiwan map on your device. Here is our blog post on this topic.
Day 5 Ch’un-yang Hot Spring to Puli ( Distance 55km, Total Ascent 855m)
It was the last day of the trip. After climbing Wuling, most people would descend along the Provincial Highway 14甲 (or 14A ) to Puli 埔里 directly. However, Eddie led us to Wujie 武界, where the indigenous Bunun 布農族 people live. This route involved more climbing, but it was more enjoyable due to less traffic. We had a delicious lunch prepared by a chef from the Bunun Tribe. The final descent from Wujie to Puli was not to be taken lightly. It was a steep long descent with occasional metal drain grates laid across the road, which could become slippery when wet.
That’s it for my 5-day trip. Thanks to the good weather in the last 3 days, my braking pads survived. In fact, there were still some lives in them.
Route:
- Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/241344464
- komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1144902142
NOTE: To use the routes, please install the App on your smartphone. The App will launch and load the route automatically after you tap the above links on your smartphone’s browser. For Garmin Connect, you can then use the APP to send the route to your garmin device. If your Garmin device is not purchased in Taiwan, you will also need make sure you have the Taiwan map on your device. Here is our blog post on this topic.
Conclusion
I had a great time cycling with Eddie and the team members. Each one of them is an extraordinary and tenacious cyclist. Despite the limitations in the mountains, Eddie arranged clean and comfortable places for us to rest after our day-long workouts. We were well-fed with a variety of food. Our support car showed up at the best locations to provide us with supplies and access to our personal belongings. Although I did not cover the entire planned route on my bike, thanks to Eddie’s organised tour, I was able to get a glimpse of what it is like to cycle in the mountains, especially in high-altitude locations.
Eddie has been cycling in the mountains for years. And he is familiar with the indigenous people who live there. Every Christmas, he organises a ride in Baling to meet the Atayal people. However, on this trip, we had hardly any chance to interact with the indigenous people. Eddie explained that it was because we were accompanied by a support car. People knew that we would be well taken care of and didn’t require their help. When Eddit travelled with just his bicycle, the barrier between people were gone. He often encountered generous individuals who were ready to share the best food from their kitchen and hospitality with him.
As a free-spirited individual, I prefer embarking on cycling trips planned by myself. In an ideal world, I enjoy carrying my own luggages and roaming in the mountains at my own pace. However, as a father of two small kids and with a company to run, I am unable to do so at this stage. If you are an experienced cyclist who knows your abilities, you can do such trips independently. Just ensure to meticulously plan your route, including supply stops and accommodations. Keep an eye on weather conditions and potential road blockages. Be aware that there are some areas without cell phone signals. Some of our customers had done their own research and plotted their route in the mountains like this. All they need is a brief comment from me regarding the latest condition and then a bike and some necessary accessories from our end.
If you wish to plan your own trip, there are several useful sources of information:
Central Weather Bureau: https://www.cwa.gov.tw/V8/C/
Traffic controls on the Provincial Highways: https://168.thb.gov.tw/thb168 More details on how to use the website on this post:
Part 2 of Slit the Sweet Potato
https://www.bikeexpress.com.tw/2024/cycle-through-taiwans-mountainous-splendor-2/