Messy Panda: [Trekking] Beidawu Mt. - town of cloud （北大武山）

Team: YZMC

Time: Jan 20-23, 2015

Place: Pingtung-Taitung border

Difficulties: **** (4/5), since I din trek for half year + steepy with tree roots + muds + raining

Intro

Beidawu mt. (北大武) locate in the border of Taitung and Pingtung county, the name literally means North Dawu, for there're South and West Dawu also, but less favorite trekking route for theirs difficulty and dangerous. Dawu in aboriginal language "karoroan" (which tribe?) means “very broad vision”.

For reference, this old drawing map would help. As you see, North Dawu (北大武山) and South Dawu (南大武山). For the position, I think Dawu mt. (大武山) is now called West Dawu (西大武山) (photo from internet)

The mt. is 3092m height - highest peak of south Central Mt. Range and highest points of local regions. Rated as one of the 5 typical peaks of Taiwan, together with Jade(玉山), Snow (雪山), Nanhu mt (南湖大山), Hsiuguluan mt. (秀姑巒山). Total length is 9k from trail head, the one and only cabin in half way (檜谷山莊).

In front of the cabin, with YZMC (2015 Jan)

Near to the cabin, At 3.8k there's very nice view point call Guangmingding (光明頂), ideal for enjoying sunset and sea of cloud. Now the meaning very broad vision comes quite clear. It said in nice weather, from top of mt. even Lanyu island (蘭嶼島) can be seen and from the edges, at night hikers can enjoy light of the town below. On the trip in Jan 2015, I didn't see any of them at all, it was raining all along the day we headed to the top. Fortunately, the sun smiled at us sometime and gave some nice scene at 3.8k.

Trekking route GPS (from internet)

Historical and Cultural

In wikipedia, it's mentioned that Beidawu is considered a holy mt. of Paiwan tribe (排灣族) who had been living here for long long time, symbol for The tribe's wisdom and culture. However, as I know, there's one ancestral temple near top of mt, Dawuci (大武祠) and inside placed one stone tablet of Stemona snake totem of Rukai tribe (魯凱族). Back to Dawuci itself, it was build in 1931 (under Japan rule time), with very typical Japanese shrine gate (torii). What a pity, in 2015 Jan when I came visited, it collapsed.

Photo from internet

Pictures sharing
Here're some nice pics taken at this trekking route. The route is steep with tree roots, and sometime giant tree bringing a feeling of aventurous in the forest. It a common route and favorite one, locals here also trek this route in one day bringing a light package or just a water bottle. Nevertheless, it's steep and tiring one.