Make no mistake, despite being the second tallest mountain in Taiwan, there is absolutely no reason not to put Snow Mountain (雪山) as one of the best peaks in Taiwan.
With its beautiful basin hollowed out by glaciers thousands of years ago, its rich biodiversity, safe and well marked trails, and stunning panoramic views, it’s no wonder that Snow Mountain is considered one of the top 5 “must hike” mountains in Taiwan.
Located at the vertex of at least six different routes, Snow Mountain can be climbed from almost any direction, depending on a hiker’s schedule.
Traditionally though, Snow Mountain is climbed from its main trailhead on its east ridge, over 2 or 3 days.
After leaving the trailhead, hikers will hike a little more than 2km before passing by the newly renovated Qika Cabin (七卡山莊), which serves as an excellent lodging option for D0, if hikers can get there at a reasonable hour.
From there, hikers need to climb up several hundred meters of sub-alpine pine forest before arriving at the East Peak of Snow Mountain (雪山東峰). Passing by the helicopter pad located next to the peak, it’s a short downhill hike to the famous 369 Cabin (三六九山莊), where most hikers will spend their first night.
The second day, hikers will need to leave before sunrise and hike through the black forest in the dark, before arriving at Snow Mountain’s Main Peak.
Most people prefer to get to the peak around sunrise, which means a very early start to cover the 4km or so to get their from the cabin.
Once at the peak, hikers have two options available to them. They can return to the cabin to stay overnight and hike out the next day. Those who are fit enough or pressed for time can hike all the way back down to the trailhead on the second day.
For an added bonus, if hikers add an additional day, they can also see Snow Mountain’s North Peak (雪山北峰), which is normally included as part of the Holy Ridge Route (The Holy Ridge (聖稜).
Snow Mountain is easily one of the most popular peaks in Taiwan, and no matter what time of year you go, you can expect to see crowded trails and cabins throughout the day.
Snow Mountain is one of the most beautiful peaks in Taiwan. Most people can climb it in just over a weekend. The trail is well-marked and safe, making it a great hike for just about anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and experience.
It’s one of our favorite peaks in Taiwan, and we highly recommend it.
Traditionally it’s climbed over 2-3 days as part of the Snow Mountain Main-East Peaks Route (雪山東主峰), which you can find more information about here.
For trail runners or the incredibly fit, Snow Mountain can be done in 1 day, but this is quite difficult and only suitable for the extremely fit.
More Resources For Hiking Snow Mountain Main Peak
For more information about the Snow Mountain Main-East Peaks Route (雪山東主峰), please click here.
Looking to add routes to the Traditional Snow Mountain Route? Use the following routes:
- The Holy Ridge (聖稜) Route, please click here. (coming soon)
- Snow Mountain West Ridge Route (雪山西稜), please click here. (coming soon)
- DaXiaoJian Route (大小劍山), please click here. (coming soon)
- Mt. Zhijiayang Route (志佳陽大山), please click here. (coming soon)
