The Alpine World － Nanhu Northeast Mountain
山羊百科，林文智老師的植物、山岳、攝影紀錄
The Alpine World - Hanging Walls, Steep Rock Fragments and Juniperus squamata
As Nanhu Northeast Peak is not enlisted in the Taiwan Top 100 Peaks, it has not attracted much attention. However, its stunning topography is truly breathtaking and its climatic changes are many and unique. It affords some of the most unique scenarios on the island.
Nanhu Northeast Peak is a hardly noticeable ridge located northeast of Nanhu Main Ridge. The Nanhu North Peak and Peishan (North Mountain) fringe the northern section, whereas the south is by Nanhu East Peak and Main Peak. This section is the most winding and twisted section of the Nanhu Main Ridge; it also possesses the most number of messy ridge branches. In addition, it is also the river source of the island's three largest river systems namely the Nanyang River, Hopin River and Tachia River.As the mountain trail stretches from the Nanhu North Peak steep slope down to the mountain cabin next to the Nanhu River, and then ascends to the Main Peak, it is not an easy trail to follow. Other than entering this trail by mistake under adverse condition, climbers usually avoid scaling this section of the mountain. In fact, Nanhu Northeast Peak not only possesses the island's most typical alpine rock walls terrain, its slope is also dotted with Juniperus squamataes which appear different from other areas of the same tree species. It is a pretty unique area for a view of nature.
The Alpine World - Hanging Walls, Steep Rock Fragments and Juniperus squamata
As Nanhu Northeast Peak is not enlisted in the Taiwan Top 100 Peaks, it has not attracted much attention. However, its stunning topography is truly breathtaking and its climatic changes are many and unique. It affords some of the most unique scenarios on the island.
Nanhu Northeast Peak is a hardly noticeable ridge located northeast of Nanhu Main Ridge. The Nanhu North Peak and Peishan (North Mountain) fringe the northern section, whereas the south is by Nanhu East Peak and Main Peak. This section is the most winding and twisted section of the Nanhu Main Ridge; it also possesses the most number of messy ridge branches. In addition, it is also the river source of the island's three largest river systems namely the Nanyang River, Hopin River and Tachia rivers. As the mountain trail stretches from the Nanhu North Peak steep slope down to the mountain cabin next to the Nanhu River, and then ascends to the Main Peak, it is not an easy trail to follow. Other than entering this trail by mistake under adverse condition, climbers usually avoid scaling this section of the mountain. In fact, Nanhu Northeast Peak not only possesses the island's most typical alpine rock walls terrain, its slope is also dotted with Juniperus squamataes which appear different from other areas of the same tree species. It is a pretty unique area for a view of nature.
Unpredictable Four Seasonal Weather Changes
Weather conditions at the Nanhu Northeast Peak changes constantly. Coupled with strong wind all year round, it is not an easy passage for mountain climbers. The worse weather condition is during spring season. This is because Nanhu Northeast Peak is lower than its surrounding mountains, like a filibuster. As it is also the source of the island's three largest river systems, during the monsoon winds' transitory period, the entire area is blanketed in rain clouds and mist. The rich moisture from the Nanyang and Hopin Rivers melts and washes away the snow in a short time, making ways for vegetation to sprout.
In summer, the rich southwest air current enters the Nanhu area from the Tachia River. When it converges with the rising vapor from Nanyang and Hopin Rivers, thundershowers follow in the afternoon. When the rain is clear, the mist disperses from along the Nanhu Northeast Peak towards the Nanyang River direction. Even when there is no thundershower in the afternoon, the mist would still disperse in the same direction.
In mid summer, on a fine weather day, the day and night temperatures differ drastically. The mist that has dispersed in the afternoon often resulted in concentration of water droplets on the ground or surfaces of the plants located at the more remote reaches of the mountain. Toward nightfall, these droplets transform into ice frost. If the mist disperses in the opposite direction, the mountain would be blanketed in fog at night. This kind of weather condition appears more frequently at the end of summer or beginning of spring. It also signifies continuous rainfall for the next few days.
Weather condition at the beginning of spring is usually more stable. At this time, the wind direction begins to change. The cloud and mist from the Pacific gradually move into the mountain areas, blanketing the entire areas in fog in the afternoon. If the mist enters from along the Tachia River Basin, then the mountain areas would rain continuously for a few days.
In mid spring, as temperature gradually drops, the misty condition appears much earlier and persists for a much longer time. Consequently, the entire areas are covered with hoarfrost. When this coincides with adverse weather condition, the vapor would be frozen on the plant's surfaces, forming picturesque rime in various shapes and sizes.
In mid winter, the moist and cold currents from the Tachia, Nanyang and Hopin Rivers converge at the mountain region, resulting in earlier snowfall at the Nanhushan area than other mountain areas. Its snow level is also the thickest on the whole island.
Remarkable Circular Valley Topography
The most remarkable and unique geographic feature of Nanhu Mountain Area is the valley's synclinal landscape, the aftermath of melted glacier. It appearance is a "U" shape. The ground is made up of bare rock fragments and chunks of rock pieces. The steep walls, rocky ground and Juniperus squamata join force in making the most stunning natural beauty in the area.
When we proceed from the mountain cabin beside the upper stream of the Tachia River to its source, at the East Side of the source is the Nanhu Northeast Mountain. The southwest flank of the mountain consists of gentle slopes covered with rock fragments. The remaining areas are dotted with steep hanging walls with deep drops. As the warm sun and strong wind accelerate the water vaporization and the rocky grounds do not absorb much water, vegetation at this section of the mountain is sparse. Even the types of vegetation specially suited on rocky surfaces, such as Nanhu epilobium, Nanhu nankotaizanensis, Nanhu Chinese milk vetch etc, are unable to grow here. The vegetation here consists mainly of Yushan Gold Plum, Shiashan white grass, Yushan thin nankotaizanensis, Yushan Chinese mugwort, Yushan chervil, sheep cogon grass and the crooked hairy grass.
These plants grow in-group or alone at the remote cracks on the rock surfaces. However, tracking from the mountain cabin upward along the Nanhu River in the southern direction and then from Nanhu East Peak at the synclinal valley, climbers can rest and admire the lush vegetation at the rock surfaces. This is quite a contrast within such close vicinity. The variation is due to constant exposure to strong wind on the slopes, whereas at the valley, there are subterranean streams, which provide plenty of water for the plants.
The Entangled and Windy Mountain Juniper
From the upper synclinal valley to the Nanhu Northeast Peak, the slopes are gentle and recessed, in filibuster form. This terrain invites accumulation of mist that has entered the area from along the river valley. Consequently, this topographer has enabled the growth of Mountain Juniper forest at higher altitude around the summit area. The trees are also much taller than those growing in other parts of the mountains.
As the terrain at the source of the Nanhu River is recessed, like filibuster, it is sheltered from strong wind. As such, Mountain Juniper trees that grow here are extremely huge. Nevertheless, the tips of the trees would still wither as a result of exposing to strong wind all year round; or else, they would be heavily entangled. The same situation also occurs on the stems of the trees growing at the edge of the forest, their branches or Juniperus squamata that grow in single scrub.
From the pattern of the entanglement of the branches and stems, it can be determined that the year round strong wind comes from Tashih (Big River) blowing towards the Nanyang River direction. As no branches can grow on the stem that is exposed directly to strong wind, or the branches are twisted under the onslaught from the strong wind, all tree stems curve towards the summit direction as they grow to certain height. The stronger is the exposure strong wind, the shorter are the tree stems. From an artist point of view, this is a work of art finely carved by nature.
The effect of weather condition on the plant's distribution
Generally, Mountain Juniper manifold branches are heavily entangled, preventing sunlight from penetrating to the ground. As such, the ground in the forestland is vastly covered with mosses, ferns and grass type of vegetation. Among some of the better known vegetation growing within the Juniper forestland is Angelica morrisonicola, Berberis morrisonensis , Ponerorchis kiraishiensis and Rosa sericea var. morrisonensis. At the same time, tall Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum can also be found mixing together in the forest.
At Nanhu mountain area, there are wide spread of Viola biflora, Cypripedium macranthum, Aster takasagomontanus and Rhododendron hyperythrum. However, around the Nanhu Northeast Peak area, there are only a few small areas where mosses and grasses grow. The commonly found herbaceous plants are absent here. In addition, the other forestland, there are only few Yushania niitakayamensis and Berberis morrisonensis found. AS for the more symbolic highland plants such as Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum and Angelica morrisonicola , they are no way to be found here either. Vegetation within the Juniperus squamata forest is sparse, even ferns can not survive here. Such situation is almost the same at the border of the forestland, where only the Geranium hayatanum, Gaultheria itoana , Gentiana arisanensis and Anaphalis nepalensis are found. The more common Salix taiwanalpina var. takasagoalpina, normally growing at the border of the forestlands, are no way to be found.
The weather at the Nanhu Northeast Peak is dry and harsh, making its rock surface formation and the vegetation in the Juniperus squamata forest fairly different and unique from other alpine areas on the island.
