Mountaineering
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Classic Canyoning Routes in Taiwan (Day Trips)
Of the hundreds of creeks in Taiwan, nearly every one features waterfalls, pools, and significant elevation drop. Taiwan offers multiple exciting canyoning routes suitable for day trips. This article focuses on the most accessible, frequently maintained, and well-travelled “classic” canyoning routes in North Taiwan and South Taiwan.
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The Epic Canyons of Taiwan (Canyoning Video Collection)
Taiwan’s Taroko Gorge might be famous for it’s scale and pure marble walls, but the island is filled with dozens of equally impressive beautiful rivers. These rivers, many of which are longer than the Liwu River, cumulatively contain hundreds of creeks, each home to dozens waterfalls and numerous canyons.This article presents a collection of the…
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Canyoning Accident Report: 2024/01/01 Weijin Creek
A fatigued canyoneer carrying excess weight nearly passed out and lost control while descending the 100 meter waterfall in Weijin Creek. He had rigged his figure 8 descender in low friction mode in order to finish the pitch as quickly as possible due to being cold. As he descended, he had to wrap his leg…
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Canyoning Accident Case Study: Double Sheet Bend Failure Results in Fall During Load Transfer
A solo canyoneer descended a 60-meter waterfall using the self-lowering method. As they progressed down the pitch, they discovered their rope was not long enough to reach to the base of the waterfall. They locked off and connected a second rope to their first rope via a double sheet bend. The canyoneer fell to the…
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Topographic Maps, Historical Maps & Aerial Imagery for Hiking and Exploration in Taiwan
This guide introduces various digital tools for viewing topographic maps of Taiwan (online and offline), comparing satellite imagery, and surveying wilderness areas. These tools are indispensable for planning mountaineering, river tracing and canyoning trips in Taiwan.
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Canyoning Accident Report: 2021/11/14 Qizhongtian Waterfall Group
A canyoneer descending the Qizhongtian Waterfall Group in Taichung attempted to self-lower off of a pitch using using three lengths of rope tied together, which resulted in a canyoning accident.
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A Brief History of River Tracing in Taiwan
In the 1960s, Japanese mountaineers began exploring Taiwan’s alpine creeks. These international mountaineers were Taiwan’s first river tracers. However, they likely referred to the activity by its Japanese name: “sawanobori“. To be able to understand the development of river tracing in Taiwan, we have to first understand the history of sawanobori in Japan.
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Canyoning Clothing Comparison: Power Stretch vs Finetrack vs Neoprene
This is a comparison of the three most common clothing systems for canyoning and river tracing in Taiwan: classic Power Stretch fleece, Finetrack water layers, and neoprene. Each set of clothing offers a different set of advantages and disadvantages which affects body-heat management.