We meet in Xindian 新店 subway terminus 捷運新店站 shortly after 7 AM. There is a still much visible damage to the road (the 115 North or Ruizi road 蚋仔產業道路) from last year's typhoon. We arrive at Manyueyuan 滿月圓 outside Sanxia 三峽 at 8:30, buy entry tickets into the park 滿月圓森林遊樂區 part of the Chatianshan Reserve 插天山自然保留區 and are on the trail at 8:45. The ranger told us on the phone the day before that the trail is open to the peak with damage from last year's typhoons. The trail is marked as closed and we meet people saying the trail is patrolled but we don't meet any rangers all day.
We stop 20 mins short of the Beichatianshan 北插天山 peak, as quick calculation shows we will already be walking out after dark.
There are four approaches to Beichatianshan 北插天山: Fushan 福山 to the east, from XiaoWulai 小烏來 to the south, from DongYanShan 東眼山 to the west and from and from Manyueyuan 滿月圓 to the north. The approach from Manyueyuan 滿月圓 presents the longest climb of nearly 1500 meters over 10 km.
Sunset is at 5:15 PM, so Philip, Tammy, James, Erika, Guga, Kun and Robbie hike out of the park through twilight.
