Qilaishan

Located at the border of Nantou and Hualien, Qilaishan has an altitude of 3,607 meters and is known as the “Dark Qilai” due to its arduous nature and highly unpredictable weather patterns, making it the deadliest mountain in Taiwan. The inclement weather can make for a confusing and treacherous climb, but the magnificent mountaintop views are still worth the climb for many. When the mountain is snow-capped in winter, make your way to the bridge crossing over the Mugua River in Taitung to admire the lofty Qilaishan from the very best angle ever.

There are many different theories of how the name was derived. Some say that it has something to do with the pronunciations of the words “beautiful (綺麗)” or “hateful (嫌い)” in Japanese, respectively referring to the mountain and its nature, some believe that it is of aboriginal origins as “qilai” also means “the snow-capped mountain” in the indigenous language, while some think that it is simply because Hualien was once known as “Qilai.”

There are three possibilities to climb the mountain. The first one is to hit the north peak, with the entrance near the Song Syue Lodge; two days will be enough to hike both the main peak and the north peak. The second one is to climb the south peak right after the north peak, passing through Kalouluo Cliff and many other truly awe-inspiring sheer cliff edges. Trails up the mountain can be foggy in the afternoon, which brings very hazardous hiking conditions. The last one is probably the most challenging one, where the eastern face of Qilaishan is full of mighty cliffs and lengthy climbs of vertical ascent and descent.