Chinese-language hiking guides refer to it as one of the "Three Stars of the Southern Cross-Island Highway" (南橫三星). The other two are Kuhanuosinshan (庫哈諾辛山) and Guanshanlingshan (關山嶺山).

No technical climbing skills are required to get to the top of Taguanshan, just decent footwear and a strong pair of legs. Ropes and nets have been added to several points along the trail, but they’re barely needed. You will, however, find yourself gripping roots and branches on the steeper sections.

Don’t underestimate this mountain, however. Bring at least one liter of water per person, a few snacks, plus a waterproof jacket just in case the weather turns nasty. And, of course, tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to get back.

The entrance, at kilometer 143.8, is easy to find. There’s a map and a bilingual information board. The latter reminds hikers not to stray from the path (both for their own safety and to better preserve the natural environment), not to smoke, to carry out any trash they might be responsible for, not to pick wildflowers or bark from trees, and not to play music or shout. Also, if wild animals appear, they should be observed silently, not provoked or hunted.

The trail is as safe as a high-mountain path can be. In two or three spots tripping over roots could prove disastrous. If you set out before dawn, as I did for my most recent ascent, take care you don’t inadvertently blunder off the track. A good flashlight is absolutely essential, even if the moon is full, as most of the route is under forest canopy.

The view from the summit is impressive, especially if the weather is good. You’ll have a direct line of sight to Guanshan (關山), the 3,666-meter behemoth that marks the southern boundary of Yushan National Park (玉山國家公園).

Gaze north and you will be able to see a dozen or more peaks, notably --iangyangshan (向陽山).

If you’ve climbed other high mountains in South Taiwan, you’ll have seen vistas like these before. What you might not have seen on other mountainsides are such huge trees.

Some of the Taiwan Red False-Cypresses (紅檜, Chamaecyparis formosensis) reach 50 meters in height. They outnumber the Morrison Spruces (台灣雲杉, Picea morrisonicola), which are quite rare in Taiwan as they only grow at altitudes of between 2,300 and 3,000 meters.

The ground is littered with fallen trees. You’ll find yourself climbing over and around rotting trunks; while doing so, look closely at the mosses and ferns that grow on these chunks of dead wood. It seems at least one bamboo species finds decomposing spruce a conducive environment in which to grow.

There are two rest areas with seats along the trail. One is 950 meters from the trailhead, the other just below the summit. Both are nicely sheltered from the elements.

Taguanshan is a popular hike. If you do a Chinese-language search on the Internet you’ll come across numerous blog entries, several of which have excellent photos. One of the best is:

http://blog.xuite.net/tangtang/blog/14947098

Surprisingly, there’s no obvious English-language information about Taguanshan on the national park’s website (http://www.ysnp.gov.tw).