With winter arriving, if you are going hillwalking in the mountains you will need to equip yourself properly. One of the biggest mistakes people make is taking to the mountains here thinking they are safe, they are not.
Most decidedly not. The island is small, but the mountains rival anything in Europe or Asia for their height, unpredictability… and yes, there is snow up there, even on this tropical island! Sometimes you can even see snow late in the year!
You should wear protective clothing to prevent hypothermia, be aware of the effects of altitude sickness (above 2400m), and always carry a decent map & compass. Your cell phone may not carry enough battery or display enough detail to get you home safely.
My mother used to be a hillwalker, and she’d reckon that the single most important thing was having a decent pair of Backpacking Boots to stop slipping, tripping, or otherwise having a dangerous walking accident.
She should know. She lost many of her friends in hillwalking accidents in Scotlands, and the mountains there aren’t the alpine mountains of Taiwan.
Not being an avid hilllwalker, I wonder what those of you who are would care to pack with you for a 2 or 3-day trek up Jade Mountain…!