- Hehuanshan
Infobox Mountain
Name = Hehuanshan (Hehuan Mountain)
Photo = Hehuanshan.jpg
Caption = Hehuanshan in summer
Range = Central Mountains
Elevation = convert|3416|m|ft|0
Location = Nantou andHualien counties,Taiwan
Translation = | Language =Hehuanshan (zh-tp|t=合歡山|p=Héhuān Shān, also called:Joy Mountain;
POJ : Ha̍p-hoan-soaⁿ) is a convert|3416|m|ft|0 high mountain in CentralTaiwan . The peak lies on the boundaries of Nantou andHualien counties and is within theTaroko Gorge National Park. Hehuanshan is a popular destination for the local people of central Taiwan. The 3,421-metre East Peak and 3,422-metre North Peak of Hehuanshan are actually both higher than the main peak.Recreation
Hehuanshan has become a very attractive destination to much of the people of central Taiwan. Snow, rare in the rest of Taiwan, is relatively common on the mountain during winter months. The Hehuanshan Road leads most of the way up the mountain to Wuling, a saddle between the Main Peak and the East Peak of Hehuanshan. Wuling is the highest point on the island of Taiwan accessible by public roads.
Originally, there was a
ski lift on the mountain, but later, due to the inconsistency ofsnowfall , the lift was removed.From the Hehuanshan Road, a trail about one kilometer long leads to the summit of the main peak. At the summit, there is a weather station.
Hehuanshan is part of the Central Mountain Range (中央山脈) that makes up the backbone of Taiwan.
History
In the past, a military training area was built in the proximity of Hehuanshan.
Hehuanshan Road
The Hehuanshan Road is currently the only paved road leading across the Central Mountains from
Taichung City toHualien via the famousTaroko Gorge . TheCentral Cross-Island Highway , which originally crossed the mountains north of Hehuanshan, was damaged during the September 21, 1999 Earthquake and had been under repair for five years afterwards. But prior to its re-opening disaster struck again in form of atyphoon and it was decided to keep it closed indefinitely.The Hehuanshan Road leads up from
Puli in central Nantou past Wushe (Ren-ai) and Chingjing Farm up toWuling . Wuling, at 3,275 metres above sea level, is the highest automobile pass in Taiwan. The road is narrow and winding throughout, and is considered a dangerous and difficult road by many drivers. This road often becomes clogged in winter, when many locals travel up the mountain to see snow. Recently, after several incidents, buses and large trucks were barred from this stretch of road.See also
*
List of mountains in Taiwan
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
