HongHeGu 紅河谷 hike 2/21
We meet at New Garden City at 7:30 and drive south
turning off of the Wulai 新烏路 (9甲) road at
Chenggong 成功 onto Jiajiuliao Rd 加九寮路
and park just before the the HongHeGu bridge 紅河谷紅色拱橋.
The trail toward the Xiongkong 熊空 in Sanxia 三峽,
Jiajiu ridge JiaJiuling 加九嶺 and BaDaoEr Mtn 拔刀爾山
leaves the road just before the Honghegu Sewage Treatment Plant
where the Jiajiuliao stream 加九寮溪
enters the Nanshixi river 南勢溪 coming down from its headwaters
toward Badaoer Mtn. 拔刀爾山 at 1180m.
The trail passes by sand dams
before leaving the stream along a climbing path of reinforced wooden steps
before reaching the original flat railway bed.
This Sunday is the last day of the New Years Holiday
and the first day of sun we see after a week of solid rain.
The usually damp valley is especially wet and the streams are all engorged.
The stream valley is wet broadleaf forest with a vibrant fern population interspersed
with planted pines.
The path crosses numerous streams which feed the main Jiajiuliao stream 加九寮溪.
The two largest side streams
could not be crossed without the wooden bridges which are constantly maintained.
At the second major side stream crossing there is a camp site where the main
trailhead up to Badaoer Mtn. 拔刀爾山 turns off, we continue straight toward
the Jiajiu ridge and stop to rest and turn around
at the Jiajiuliao stream 加九寮溪 crossing,
which is much smaller now.