Mount 9-5, Taipei, Taiwan
Today, I went on a short hike known for its great views of Taipei. The weather has been humid and overcast since I arrived, and although it wasn’t raining hard, it was still tough to handle. I brought a bottle of sports drink and started the hike.
The trail, mostly made up of stairs, was well maintained, and I reached Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain) fairly quickly. From there, I could see Taipei 101 in the distance and took a quick photo break before continuing on.
Next, I hiked to Mount 9-5, which stands at 375 meters. Parts of the trail were damaged by a recent typhoon, so climbing over muddy rocks and exposed roots was a bit challenging. It got foggy at the top, and I was soaked in sweat with dripping wet hair. There wasn’t much to see due to the fog.
On the way down, the fog cleared slightly and I finally got a great view of the city. I’ve heard Xiangshan is perfect for sunrise and sunset shots, offering panoramic views of Taipei—too bad the weather didn’t cooperate during my visit.
Route Detail
Distance: 10.21km out & back from Xiangshan Subway Station
Total elevation gain: 467m
Time: 2h 44m (total time with breaks 2h 50m)
Difficulty: Moderate
Peaks: Mt Xiangshan 183m, Mt 9-5 375m
Miscellaneous
Food NT$39
