Hohuan Mountain Range on Highway 14 --台14甲線上的合歡山群峰

 Highway 14 which is connected to Highway 8 is the most beautiful scenic drive in Taiwan. It is also the highest highway in Taiwan. It changes its scenery every season. In Spring, planets start turning to green from yellowish and snow covers many of the mountain top. In May, rhododendron flowers covers most portion of the mountains. In Summer, the green-grass-like bamboo are all over the mountains. In Fall, the mountains prepare to embrace the winter with yellowish decoration. In Winter, the snow falls and the mountains dress in white. Sunrise, sunset, and the sea of clouds have been present since the beginning of the time.  

台14甲線自霧社到大禹嶺後,連接上台8線大禹嶺到天祥,太魯閣段, 是台灣最美和最高的公路.而在台14線的合歡群峰,隨著四季而變化;在春天,大地自黃色轉換成綠色而山頭有靄靄白雪點綴;5月份中旬,由玉山杜鵑登場;秋天,植被由綠變黃,準備擁抱冬天的來訪;冬天, 白雪為山群穿上了白衣裳;雲海,日落和日出自始以來長伴著山群.永不離棄.  

                                          Below pictures were taken at different time. 

                                             下面的照片來自於不同時間拍攝的.

There were not a lot of cars on the road. We found only this place still in business. It was time for us to taking a rest after a long driving. See what we were going to find here. 

沿路來, 路上的車子並不多, 我們好不容易看到這個休息站還有在營業,停下來看看有什麼好料來填飽我們的五臟廟, 尤其在這麼冷的天氣.

 Food stands offered hot food and snow chain service to travelers who are going to play in the snow on a cozy day at Kunyang Rest Stop, elevated 3070 meter high. Having snow chains to drive on the road is mandatory when it snows. So it sometimes brings a good business to the locals maybe once a year if it snows. There is a gate next to the highway if heavy snow falls, the gate will be closed and the road closed. Therefore, commuting east and west in Taiwan in the winter one must travel either north or south to get to the other side.
昆陽休息站是在海拔3070公尺,只要是一下雪,要上山賞雪,雪鏈是必要.所以當地的居民,一年當中只有下雪才能賺到賣雪鏈的錢.在這裏也設大門, 一但雪量太多, 整個公路即會被封鎖, 而使往來東西部的交通, 只能由南或北進.

 It offered hot Ginger tea, BBQ pork and sausage, and corn. These foods are very popular among
food stands in Taiwan. It is very nice to have a cup of hot tea and a Taiwan sausage on a chilly day.
通常,在山上的小吃攤不外乎就是這些小吃, 在這麼冷的天氣裏, 來一碗熱呼呼的湯是一種享受.

The stand owners lived behind their food stands. Their temporary house was built with very simple plastic surrounding as the walls and metal roofs which were good enough to stop the wind. They lived in their simple house without heater and only small lights at night. They were shy when I took the picture of their bedroom. They told us (my husband and I) that they only make living in this life style once a year when it snows in the mountain. They appreciated God gave them the chance to make living.  

為了在山上做生意, 他們用塑膠布圍成一個足夠遮風避雨的地方,讓他們暫稱為家的地方.

                               
            One of my best friends standing in front of Taroko National Park sign at Kunyang Rest Stop.
                                               從這裏我們要進入太魯閣國家公園

Looking at Hohuan East Ridge (3421 meter high) from Kunyang 

從昆陽暸望合歡東峰主峰高 3421公尺:5月中旬有美麗的玉山杜鵑

This highway is almost at its highest point. It is the highest point on a highway in Taiwan.

 Do you know where is the lowest highway in Taiwan?

                                          台灣最高的公路, 那你知道最低的公路在那嗎?

Wuling, 3275 meter height  

After Wuling the road is mostly down hills to Taroko except for 3 point with small up hill sections. After Wuling it is the bikers' heaven to Taroko. They can just coast down the highway and appreciate the beautiful scenery.  They have to use their brakes all the time, otherwise their speed picks up very quickly.

                                  自武嶺之後, 大部分為下坡(由西到東), 是鐵馬勇士的最愛.

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 Hohuan Main Peak, 3417 meter high is not the highest peak among Hohuan Moutain Range. It used to be a military installation. Now it opens to hikers. It is the best place to see or take sunset pictures.
從武嶺眺望合歡主峰,高3417公尺;它曾經是軍事用地,裁撤之後, 原預定開設餐廳,讓民眾開車上主峯賞景用餐,後因大眾反對而做罷.而已舖設的道路成為主要上主峰的路, 讓山友省去了一大段的路,使登合歡主峰更加容易. 而此地點也成為最佳欣賞夕陽西下的地方.

There were a lot of people in Wuling parking lot playing with snow on a beautiful sunny day. 

                                  難得的四月雪加上天氣放晴, 大伙趕上山來賞雪和玩雪.

        Looking back along the highway, you can see the side road off the main highway to the main peak. The yellowish vegetation is not grass. It is called High Mountain Bamboo (Yushania Niitakayamensis (Hayata) Keng f.,) grown at the elevation of 1,000--3,900 meter.
自武嶺往回看來時路, 看到的是枯黃的玉山箭竹,生長在海拔1000--3900公尺之間.如果你到訪是在春夏,你看到的是綠意盎然的玉山箭竹. 看到分叉的小徑是往主峰的步道.

                                                           The highway covered with Snow
                                             另一種不同的景緻,在群山萬巒之間環繞著.

  From Wuling look down towards Hohuan Hostel and the military installation, it used to be the place for the army to train its personnel living in a snow environment. 

從武嶺欣賞合歡山莊及陸軍野訓基地的景緻, 陽光和煦烙印在白雪之上.

Hohuan Hostel provided food and lodging facilities for hikers for many decades. Now it becomes B.O.T Personnel Housing. The new rebuilt B.O.T lodging is called Song Syue Lodge.  Hohuan Jian Shan is the mountain behind the old Hohuan Hostel.  This picture was taken in winter without snow. 

合歡山莊曾提供便宜的住宿和餐飲給往來的過客和山友們, 如今成為公辦民營公司員工的住宿房舍. 那裏蘊藏多人的回憶.包含我和老公的記憶.如今,我們無緣再踏入那曾是多人記憶的地方. 

Snow View of Hohuan Hostel and Hohuan Jian Shan in the background

背景為合歡尖山

The road going to the east from Hohuan Hostel. Most people from the west stop here and then turn around going back to the west. Therefore there are only a few vehicles on the road to the east.  

台14甲線由西向東,自此以後車子稀少, 大部分的遊客只到合歡山莊即折返回西部.雖然蜿蜒曲折,但在少車的狀況下,我們可以邊開車邊賞景,很愜意.

                                The highway with snow offers different view and atmosphere.

Song Syue Lodge under construction--The trail to Hohuan East Peak is behind the lodge. The building to the left is the Ski Lodge where you start your hiking to Chilai Shan 

没有雪的松雪樓--合歡東峰由此上.

The lodge is opened to the public and operated under B.O.T contract with the Forest Bureau. The price is much more than the old Hohuan Lodge. It is no longer for the hikers to enjoy nature in a economic way.

民營下的松雪樓價格不再似從前的合歡山莊那麼親民. 而離主要幹道有些距離; 但對山友而言,那却不是一個問題.

The front view of Song Syue Lodge

The old and broken down snow lift which was operated before 1970.

1970年代的滑雪纜車塔柱,依舊柠立在那,有多少人知道它的歷史和勝況?

The more far away Ski Lodge is economic for backpackers, NT$ 900 per person. You won't have any privacy. Everyone shares the big room. I am not sure if it separates man and woman. You can drive your car or walk there. 

滑雪山莊在更偏僻的地點,為通舖,每晚900元.

                                                           The Sea of Clouds

Kenanguan is located on 34 K road mark. It was a tunnel built by the Japanese during the Japanese occupation in Taiwan for the purposes of commuting west and east and also for controlling the aborigines. After Japan left, the premiere Jiang Jingguo (the son of Jiang Kaishek) had workers blowed up the tunnel for extending the road for economic reason. Since it was blown up, it has been known as Kenanguan. It is famous for being dangerous due to extremely strong wind during the trade wind season in the winter. It was a glacial terrain millions of years ago.

克難關在日治時期為合歡越嶺古道的隧道,蔣經國為興建中橫霧社支線而將隧道炸開.在東北季風季風,這成為風口.因它的險峻而命名為克難關. 從這看到的是合歡東峯,合歡尖山及合歡溪谷.

THE END