Alishan, Jade Mountain, and Jiji (03/26/10-03/27/10)

This had to be the highlight mountain trip of my time in Taiwan. I had wanted to climb Jade Mountain since I arrived to Taiwan, and while this never happened, I at least got to drive up it! Thanks to friends of the owner of Eight Elephants Hostel, I was able to partake in this amazing weekend getaway to central Taiwan. I had the great fortune of seeing tea plantations, walk through Alishan National Park (including the cloud forest containing giant red cypresses over 2,000 years old), and go biking in Jiji, a city severely damaged by the 9/21 earthquake.  It was eerie walking through abandoned structures, and on the actual Alishan Forest Railway, which was out of service due to a heavy typhoon.