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OFF THE BEATEN TRACKRICHARD SAUNDERS EXPLORES TAIWAN'S LESS-TRODDEN PATHSFilial son mountainFilial Son Mountain is far too well-known thesedays among hikers to need any introduction, soit’s all the more surprising that just a decade orso ago this astonishing natural adult adventureplayground was only just emerging from obscurity. Onmy first visit, I had to ask directions from locals to findthe trailhead, and climbing to the summits of the trioof rocky pinnacles was pretty hair-raising (and morethan slightly risky). Today Filial Son Mountain and itscompanions form one of the classic hikes of the Taipeiarea, and one of the best ways I can think of spending afree morning.There are two ways to reach the base of the pinnacles:the short way (which is great for those with little time)and the correct way (via a series of amazing sheer clifffacesand strange rock formations, hidden in the jungle),which takes a couple of hours longer but increases the funand excitement of the hike exponentially.Both routes finally join at the enchanted valley at thefoot of the Filial Son, Loving Mother and Putuo peaks, atrio of sharp ridges of bare rock thrusting out of the thickforest into the sky. The Filial Son, although the lowest ofthe three peaks, looks quite impossible to climb from thefront side.However, take the trail climbing round the foot of thepinnacle to the back, and its secret is revealed: a seriesof ladders and steps carved into the sandstone scale thesummit of the needle safely, although it’s still quite anexciting climb!Hundreds of steep steps carved into the bare spineof rock (the rope hand-rails on either side are essentialsafety precautions) scale the second of the peaks, theLoving Mother, which is crisscrossed by no less than fourtrails, one clambering up each of its mostly bare-rockfaces. The path down the far (southern) side is especiallyfun, but breathtakingly steep and definitely not for thefaint-of-heart!The third and final peak, Mt Putuo is the highestof the trio, and although a mere 450 meters, it’s a farmore interesting climb (if you can find the trailhead,which is a little tricky to find) than the many peaksin Yangmingshan that are more than twice its height.There’s just one precariously narrow route up and downthis one, but fabulous views from the top make for a veryexciting short climb.I’m in awe of the people who risked their lives tocut the original steps up these three peaks (rumor hasit they were created by a retired guard of Chiang Kaishek),which must have entailed spending long hoursin some extremely dangerous positions. We should alsobe thankful to the souls who set about improving thesafety of the trail up the peaks a decade ago. The firsttime I came here, instead of the present solid cable handrails and iron stakes on either side of the trails therewas nothing but fixed ropes, and it was pretty hairyclimbing up there! It’s a much safer place to scrambleabout nowadays, but even now only those with a senseof adventure and good head for heights should considervisiting.To find out more about Filial son mountain, visit Offthe Beaten Track at http://taiwandiscovery.wordpress.com/. Full details of the hike, with detailed instructionsfor both the short and (recommended!) long walks canbe found in Taipei Escapes book 1, on page 173.Richard Saunders is a trained classical musician and writer who has lived in Taipei since1993. He has written several books (available at The Center and in bookshops aroundTaipei), including Yangmingshan: the Guide (a complete guide to the National Park on Taipei’sDoorstep) and Taipei Escapes I and 2, which together detail sixty day trips and hikes within easyreach of Taipei city. A fourth book, a guide to Taiwan’s offshore islands, is due out in 2012.www.communitycenter.org.tw march 20129