Dabajian Mountain

Dabajian Mountain, with an elevation of 3492 meters, belongs to the Xueshan Mountain Range and is located within Shei-Pa National Park. It is one of the endpoints of the Holy Ridge (Sheng Leng Xian). Renowned as the "Peak of the Century" due to its magnificent and distinctive mountain profile, it has long been a sacred mountain for both the Atayal and Saisiyat indigenous peoples. Its prominent shape, with cliffs on all four sides, resembles a large wine barrel, earning it the nicknames "Boiling Wine Barrel Mountain" or "Wine Barrel Mountain." Together with Central Jian Mountain (Zhongyang Jianshan) and Dafen Jian Mountain (Dafen Jianshan), it is collectively known as the "Three Sharp Peaks of Taiwan." Starting from Guanwu, one takes a vehicle via Dalukou Forest Road to the Malaxi trailhead, a journey of approximately 20 kilometers. From the trailhead, the Dabajian Mountain trail extends for about 10 kilometers. At the 4-kilometer mark, it passes by Jiujiu Mountain Cabin, and then continues past Gali Mountain, 3050 Highland, and Yize Mountain, among others. A single trip to Dabajian Mountain allows climbers to summit three of Taiwan's 100 Peaks (Baiyue). Coupled with the renowned Holy Ridge and a relatively shorter climbing duration, Dabajian has always been a popular Baiyue itinerary. Via the East Line of Dalukou Forest Road, the trailhead is accessible by car. From the trailhead, it takes about 4 hours of ascent to reach Jiujiu Mountain Cabin. Most hiking groups complete the round trip in 3 days, while those with exceptional stamina can even finish the entire route in 2 days. Along the way, footprints and droppings of wild animals are abundant, and the sounds of animal activity constantly fill the air. Muntjac and macaques, in particular, are very common, and occasionally, wild boars can be spotted. As for birds, they are countless, making it an excellent place for observing animal ecology.