Monday, December 1, 2008

Yushan Winter Closure

Yushan National Park has just announced it's annual winter closing of the main peak and sub-peaks of Yushan (this does not affect access to other mountains within the park), for the entire month of February 2009. This more lyrically described on the Park's English website as "2009 the Yushan Solemnity Activities".

Almost every year the main peak of Jade Mountain is closed to allow the mountain to 'rest' usually coinciding with the winter's coldest weather and the Lunar New Year holidays. This is a surprising early and concise announcement of the closure and is still liable to be brought forward or extended depending on actual weather conditions.

Some may argue there should be no closure - that conditions on the mountain are never that severe compared to many high mountains overseas or further north in Taiwan. This does not allow for the fact that most people climbing Yushan are not experienced mountain climbing-types, but are aiming to get up there for more cerebral reasons, rarely having the appropriate experience/equipment.