Best of 2014

The year 2014 turned out to be an extremely busy year for me. Apart from an increasing load of commercial work, I completed a lot of personal projects - most notably actually getting around to opening this site. 

Truthfully, this site was a long time in the making, but I sat on my butt for a long time saying that I'd get the site online eventually and ultimately found that I procrastinated for far too long.

Suffice to say, a long-weekend and an 18 year old bottle of Glenfiddich gave me a push in the right direction and the design of the site and most of its content was more or less designed and ready in two days.

There is still a lot to do to improve and I will keep doing my best to stay on top of things and redesigning things so that the user experience is much more enjoyable. 

Other than the website, I set a goal of finishing a certain amount of hikes before the year was up and I’m happy to say that I completed all of them and more. One of my favourite hobbies apart from photography is mountain-climbing. I love getting outdoors and Taiwan has a multitude of great hikes that are easily accessible from where I live. 

I’ve done so many hikes this year though that there is a major backlog of photos to process and it may seem like the majority of my blog posts since this site has gone online have been from hikes.

Rest assured that I plan on moving on from that soon enough - although there are a few more blogs coming up which should be mixed in with some cultural events. 

Speaking of which, there are a lot of cultural events coming up here in Taiwan just as the new year gets underway which includes the Asian Lunar New Year, Lantern Festival, the Sky Lantern Festival and many other religious events in Taiwan that I plan on covering for both commercial work and for this site which should add a lot more content  

Admittedly, I’m extremely terrible at selling myself. I’m especially terrible at talking about personal accomplishments or things that would just add to my ego. I’m not the kind of photographer who shares tear sheets or talks about clients that I've worked for. I can understand how its good for perspective clients to see your resume, references and a list of your accomplishments but I've tried to stay away from that often times to my own detriment.

One of my resolutions for the New Year is that I improve the way I market myself - and I think that this site was a good step in improving that although there is a lot more to do. 

For my “Best Of 2014” post I thought for a while about how I would go about making this post and how the post would reflect my busy year in photography.

If I went about choosing all the shots that I thought were the best, you might think I was crazy because what I see in a photo is a lot different than other people - So I thought the best way to go about it was to do it scientifically. The heart is good at lying to you when you are proud of something. Numbers on the other hand don't lie. 

I took a few hours and went through my all my photo posts throughout all my social-networks and chose the 10 most popular shots based on a formula including variables such as views, likes, shares and comments.

Most of the shots wouldn’t have been on my personal list of favourites, but you are all more important than I am and your opinions do matter. 

1. Occupy Central Solidarity Protest in Taipei 

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I shot this one while on assignment covering a solidarity protest at Liberty Square (自由廣場) in Taipei.  The #OccupyCentral protests happened at a time when the Sunflower Protests had finished and sparked a movement in Taiwan to show people in Hong Kong that they weren't alone in their struggle for democracy. The shot resonated well with people in Hong Kong who shared it and commented with their thanks to the people of Taiwan for their support and well wishes. 

2. Honour Guard Duty at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

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I took this shot during the changing of the guard on Taiwan's National Holiday on October 10th. It was a sweltering day and these honour guards had to stand at attention in front of the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial for an hour. A close up view of the shot showed the amount of sweat on his skin. The shot was really popular on Google+ and 500px where people shared it as a symbol of national pride.  

3. Chinese Garden in the Mountains

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While on assignment at a traditional Chinese garden nestled in the mountains of Hsinchu county. I took this shot of the sun going down over the mountains surrounding the garden. This one was particularly popular on Facebook, 500px and Google+ and generated a lot of interest about the garden which is relatively unknown. 

4. Sunset at the National Palace Theatre

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This one is actually one of my favourite shots of the year. There are some technical details of the shot that I didn't like and tried to fix in photoshop, but I ended up posting it the way it was. This shot was taken during the preparations for Taiwan's National Holiday and found me in the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall area. The National Theatre and Concert Hall are beautiful buildings and are extremely photogenic. The park surrounding them as well as the Chiang Kai-Shek is a great place for photography and tourists to visit. 

5. Pingxi Mountain Range

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Landscape photography seems to always get a lot of activity on social media. This one was pretty popular even though I thought it wasn't particularly very special. This was taken from atop the Pingxi Crag Jiaozi Mountain (孝子山) looking at the village below with the mountain range behind it. It was a beautiful day and the light seemed to be just right at the time I arrived which caused this shot to become popular on Facebook, Google+ and 500px. 

6. The Pain of Defeat

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I tend not to like this style of photoshopping where you take out the colours of certain areas leaving only a specific area in colour. I made an exception with this shot though for technical reasons and for the setting of the mood. This was taken while on assignment during this year's Dragon Boat Festivities in Longtan. I liked this shot a lot because of the framing and the athletes look of absolute dejection after just losing the championship race. 

7. A City All to Yourself

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Elephant Mountain is a pretty popular hike in Taipei, especially with photographers. Shots from the mountain have ultimately become a bit cliche by this point, but when you share a shot like this on social media you get a lot of attention. When I arrived on top of the mountain, it was almost time for sunset and all the places to set up my tripod were taken up. So, being who I am, I climbed up on top of a rock and got a shot above everyone else. I liked the result of the shot and it was popular on social media - I'm still not that fond of the shot though as there are a million shots from the mountain. 

8. Sunset at the Harbour Below

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The sky opened up for me on this shot and it was actually kind of scary because I was on top of a mountain and about to get soaked. The rays of light you see peeking through the clouds were actually from rain and the clouds were quickly moving my way. This was taken near sunset though so the sky had some nice colour and the reflection of the sun on the harbour looked nice. 

9. Warp Speed

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I randomly took this shot on the Taipei MRT near Songshan Airport and it turned out to be one of my favourite shots of the year and was pretty popular on social media. To me, it looks a bit like something you'd see in one of the new J.J Abrams Star Trek movies where everything is shiny and overexposed with a beautiful colour palette. 

10. Wish Factory

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This shot was taken in Pingxi, an area of New Taipei City where sky lanterns tend to be the biggest attraction for tourists. The shot features a Taiwanese woman writing her wishes in calligraphy on a lantern that will eventually fly away in the sky. I really liked this shot and it turned out to be one of my favourite street shots of the year. The colours and the lighting worked out really well and I probably only spent about two minutes processing this photo in photoshop. Street Photography doesn't usually get a lot of attention on Facebook but this one did quite well there and even better on Google+ and 500px. 

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With that, 2014 is close to finishing here in Taiwan and it was a pretty good year for me. All of these shots were chosen by the people who follow me and I appreciate all of your continued support. I hope that 2014 was a great year for each and every one of you and I hope that the new year is just as great. 

Happy New Year 新年快樂～

Jilong Mountain (雞籠山)

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View of the north coast of Taiwan from the top of Jilong Mountain (雞籠山)

I've always been a much bigger fan of the outdoors than I am of small crowded places. I was involved with the Boy Scouts of Canada when I was young and spent a lot of time learning a lot about life, camping and appreciating the natural environment. Now that I'm all grown up, you're still more likely to run into me while hiking on a mountain than in a nightclub or a mall.

When it comes to the major differences between Canada and Taiwan, population density is always the one aspect that stands out to me above all else. It's something that caused a bit of culture shock when I first arrived in Asia. 

Taiwan is a lot like Canada when it comes to having a beautiful natural environment - but in Canada you tend to enjoy a lot of the environment in small groups as you'd have to drive pretty far to find someone who you didn't recognize and its the opposite in Taiwan. 

When you're standing on the peak of a mountain with a panoramic view of the earth around you, you tend to realize how insignificant you are in the scheme of things and can be a great feeling. I feel the exact opposite insignificance though when I'm in a place where I'm completely surrounded by thousands of people going about their business. 

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A hiker on his way to the peak of Jilong Mountain (雞籠山) with Jiufen in the background

One of the most popular tourist destinations for visitors coming to Taiwan is Jiufen (九份), a quiet village nestled in the mountains on the north east coast of the country.

This village is a prime example of a place where you'd see me at my highest level of discomfort.

The village is especially popular with tourists hailing from Japan as it was apparently the inspiration for the popular Japanese anime "Spirited Away" (千と千尋の神隠し) and more recently with Korean tourists as the village was featured on a popular television show there. 

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The well maintained hiking path to the peak of Jilong Mountain (雞籠山)

On any given day, if you are to arrive at Jiufen, you will encounter throngs of tourists exploring the old gold mining village and its popular "old street" which is popular for it's traditional setting, the mountains surrounding it and the many delicacies that can only be sampled there.

I've been to Jiufen several times with friends who have come to visit. It really is a nice place to visit and I highly recommend anyone coming to Taiwan to visit at least once, however due to the amount of people visiting, it is not one of my choice destinations. 

Each and every time I've visited Jiufen, I've noticed and stared off into the distance at the towering Jilong mountain (雞籠山) which literally translates as "Chicken Cage Mountain" that is just a little bit up the road from the village. You can see the mountain for the entire bus ride up the highway to Jiufen and it almost seemed as if each time I was going that it was calling for me. 

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Jiufen from the hiking path on Jilong Mountain (雞籠山)

I've said to myself each time I've been to Jiufen that I have to climb it. 

The problem though is that it constantly rains in the area.

Hiking in the rain is something you always have to be prepared for in Taiwan, especially in the north. So it wouldn't be that bad to do the hike in the rain - but I always want to get as many pictures as possible and don't want my camera to get drenched. 

So, for a successful hiking trip, you essentially have to ask some locals which is the best temple to visit so you can pray to one of the gods to give you good weather for your hike. 

I doubt it would work, but anything is worth a try right? 

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A hiker walking up the trail

I put this mountain high up on my bucket list of activities to do over the summer months, so I paid close attention to the weather forecasts for a few weeks and finally found a free day where it seemed like the weather was going to be great, so I made a plan to climb the mountain.

When I left home the forecast looked quite promising and there were bright sunny skies on the train ride to Rueifang (瑞芳) and then on the bus on my way to the mountain.

It wasn't surprising however that just as I got off the bus in Jiufen, the skies turned dark grey and the sun quickly disappeared only to be replaced by a downpour.

It seemed however that it was just a normal afternoon shower that wouldn't last too long, so I decided to walk into the old street and grab a quick snack and wait out the rain.

Fortunately it didn't last long and the sun came out even brighter than before.

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The mountain road that takes you from Jiufen to the North East coast. 

The trailhead for the mountain is a short walk up hill from the old street and can be easy to miss if you don't know what you're looking for. 

Jilong mountain (雞籠山) isn't considered a high mountain at a modest 588 meters above sea level, but it is a great hike for people that prefer day-hikes to tackling some of Taiwan's 100 mountains that are over 3000 meters above sea level. 

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The hiking path on Jilong Mountain (雞籠山)

The mountain trail is well maintained and is more of a brisk walk uphill than an actual hike. On a hot day, there isn't much to separate you from the sun, so you need to be sure to take a lot of water with you. It's not very difficult though and takes about an hour depending on your pace and includes time for taking several breaks to get to the top.  

While walking up the path there are several rest stops with pavilions where you can take a break and enjoy the scenery. On my hike I saw various species of butterflies, very cool neon blue looking iguanas and a couple of wild chickens who took off running really quickly when they saw me. 

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Back down to Jiufen for a cup of tea and then back home. 

Some of the best views you'll have while hiking this mountain are when you stop for a break and look behind you. The view of Jiufen and the mountains surrounding the village are spectacular.  

At the peak, there is a weather station and a clearing with benches and some shelter incase of rain. Here you will have excellent views of not old Jiufen, but the North East coast and if it is a clear day, all the way to Keelung city. 

If you are planning a trip to Jiufen anytime soon, I highly recommend upon arrival that you take an hour or two to climb this mountain, enjoy the scenery and when you're done head back down to Jiufen for a relaxing sunset in one of the many teahouses overlooking the harbour below. 

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Map / Location

 

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Gallery / Flickr (High Res Shots) 

The Pingxi Crags

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- The view from the peak of Xiao-Zi Mountain (孝子山)

When I initially opened this site, I wasn’t really a man with a plan when it came to the direction that I’d be taking with this blog. After almost seven years though, when I look back at some of my earliest posts, it’s quite obvious that the way I write and present things here has changed considerably.

Which I hope makes for a much improved user experience.

Even though I’m always trying to take new photos and produce new content, but I also need to remember that it’s important to update older posts, too. It should go without saying that some of the places that I‘ve posted over the years have also changed, requiring an update on my part.

I’m going to start with this one.

Without fail, every year when I do one of my “Year in Review” posts, one of the blogs that is always at the top in terms of traffic has been this post about the Pingxi Crags.

With so much traffic landing here to learn about the crags, I feel like what I originally published seven years ago wasn’t even remotely helpful. So, I did a major overhaul of the post and added new photos.

When I first wrote about the Pingxi Crags almost seven years ago, the trail was well-known among those of us in Taiwan’s avid hiking circles, but that was about it. Even though Pingxi Village has always been a popular day-trip for locals and tourists alike, the hike wasn’t really on anyone’s radar.  

The crags however weren’t a secret that we were able to keep and the cat is certainly out of the bag about this exhilarating hike.

The trail is currently one of the most popular hikes in Northern Taiwan.

But you won’t find many of us avid hikers frequenting the trail.

We’ve been replaced by large weekend crowds of Instagrammers in search of photos for their ‘likes’ addiction.

If social-media love is something that you desire, a photo from the crags will undoubtedly help with that. 

The Pingxi Crags

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The photo that everyone wants.

So what exactly are the Pingxi Crags? 

The Pingxi Crags are an exciting day-hike located in the historic Pingxi district (平溪區) of New Taipei City. In total, there are three peaks to climb and the best thing about them is that you can hike all of them in a couple of hours and still have enough time to check out Pingxi and enjoy all that the area has to offer. 

Each of the crags provides an amazing view of the surrounding area as well as the satisfaction of being at the top of a relatively high mountain, but with considerably less effort than other mountains. 

Obviously, the Pingxi Crags is a highly recommended hike for anyone living or visiting Taiwan and is well-deserving of its popularity.

That popularity however does create some issues.

Its important to remember that the trails are sometimes overcrowded and full of inexperienced hikers, which causes a bit of a traffic jam on the narrow and dangerous ridges.

If you visit the crags and the trail is jam-packed with people, remember to be patient, considerate and careful.  

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The strange thing about the hike is that both foreigners and locals refer to them in completely different ways. In English, we often use the term “Pingxi Crags” to refer to the group of three rugged rock face cliffs, but in locals almost always refer to them as three separate mountains.

So, if you’ve been looking, its not likely that you’ll find much of anything resembling the term “Pingxi Crags” in Chinese. 

The three peaks are Xiaozi Mountain (孝子山), Putuo Mountain (普陀山) and Cimu Peak (慈母峰) and are actually just three rock-face crags that are part of a much longer trail that extends further on to Stinky Head Mountain (臭頭山) or the Central Ridge (中央尖).

Each of the crags has been given somewhat of a philosophical name and to compliment each of them you’ll also find quite a few religious images on each the trails and peaks. 

• Xiaozi (孝子) - Pious Son

• Cimu (慈母) - Motherly Love

• Putuo (普陀) - Named after Mount Putuo, one of China’s sacred Buddhist mountains.  

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The view of Pingxi Village from the top of XIaozi Mountain.

Even though there are three mountains to climb, I think its important that readers realize that not all of these crags receive the same amount of attention from the weekend crowds.

These days, if you show up during a busy period, you’re likely to only really encounter crowds of people wanting to hike to the peak of Xiaozi Mountain. 

More often than not, this means that the trails to the other two are much less busy. 

This shouldn’t really be a big surprise as Xiaozi Mountain is the go-to destination on the trail for all your popular instagram photos.

Take it from me though, if you travel all the way to Pingxi just to hike this trail and you only hike one of the crags, you’ll have wasted your time.

The other two crags are beautiful and also offer some great opportunities for photos. So spice things up a little - You don’t have to take the exact same photo as everyone else!  

Below, I’ll introduce each of the three Pingxi Crags, and hopefully in the process persuade you to hike more and go further than your average Instagrammer!   

Xiaozi Mountain (孝子山)

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- Xiao-Zi Mountain rising up out of the forest.

Height: 360m

The most popular and obviously coolest of the three crags, Xiaozi Mountain is the primary destination for almost everyone hiking the crags.

The rocky crag rises high out of the valley but with a total height of only 360 meters, its the smallest of the three.

You might be wondering why the smallest of the three crags is the most popular? Well, its probably because Xiaozi Mountain rises up out of the valley all by itself, separated from the other two and features a small rigid peak that is only really capable of safely accommodating a couple of people.

Once you’re at the top, it is easy to feel a sense of vertigo while looking down, which is something that you won’t really get from the other crags and makes it great for photos.  

From the trailhead, you’ll only have to hike for around five to ten minutes before you reach a fork in the road.

To your left is the entrance to Xiaozi Mountain and to the right are the entrances to the other two crags. 

Don't look down

The entrance to Xiaozi Mountain requires you to walk up a steep set of stairs that have been carved out of the side of the mountain. 

Once you pass by the stairs, you’ll arrive at an area where the hike starts to become a bit more dangerous.

You’ll follow the trail around the crag which will take you up a ladder that has been fastened to the mountain. 

At this point, if you are afraid of heights, its probably better to turn back as the hike up and back down can be a bit nerve-racking. 

The stairs on the ladder are easy enough to climb but if you are unaccustomed to this kind of thing, it can certainly be a bit scary.  

Once you’re at the top, you’ll be greeted by a few Buddha statues and a 360 degree panoramic view of the forest and the village below. 

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The stairs to the top of Xiaozi Mountain (孝子山)

As I mentioned above, if you are traveling on a weekend, you should definitely expect that there will be quite a bit of traffic trying to get to the top of Xiaozi Mountain.

This means that you may have to wait in line on the trail, which adds an element of danger in hiking the trail. It also means that you might not have a lot of time at the top as the narrow peak can handle no more than ten people at a time. 

Make sure to be careful and take it slowly. 

Putuo Mountain (普陀山)

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- The path to the top of Putuo Mountain (普陀山)

Height: 450m

Putuo Mountian is the highest of the three crags, but just because it is the highest doesn’t necessarily mean that its the most exciting.

Admittedly, this one is probably my least favourite of the three crags, but thats only because I find that there is very little for you to actually see at the top.

The trail to Putuo Mountain however is probably the one that is most useful and widely travelled by avid hikers. The reason for this is that the trail leads you not only to the peak, but also branches off and allows you to connect to Cimu Mountain as well as the trail that takes you further beyond to the other mountains.

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Buddha Statues at the top of Putuo Mountain (普陀山)

At the top of Putuo Mountain, you are greeted by a small Buddhist shrine and a larger statue of the Buddhist deity Guanyin at the end of the path.

Unfortunately even though there is a section of this crag on the way up that is really cool, the actual peak is a let down as it is mostly tree covered and doesn’t offer much in terms of a view.

It actually seems more like a shrine than a mountain peak.

Nevertheless, I recommend taking an extra few minutes to summit the peak of this crag before heading back down to connect with the trail to Cimu Mountain. 

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Cimu Peak (慈母峰)

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The ridge path up the side of Cimu Mountain (慈母山)

Height: 410m 

Cimu Peak is probably my favourite of the three crags (in terms of climbing) because it gives hikers the choice of either climbing up a steep open ridge with stairs carved into the rock face or taking a much easier route up a tree-covered mountain path.

The two different methods of climbing allows novice hikers, or those who are afraid of heights to take an easier path to the peak while the more experienced of us elect to walk up the steep mountain steps on the open ridge.

And that ridge? Wow. It’s a good time.

Strangely, while the other two crags are referred to as “mountains”, this one is instead referred to instead as a “peak” (峰), mostly due to the fact that it is part of the much larger mountain range.

As it is more of a ridge, most of it is climbed with the help of ropes and ladders and it doesn’t matter if you take the easy route or the more difficult one, you’ll still be able to enjoy the ridge walk, which is really cool and offers great views of the two other crags and Pingxi Village in the distance.

The fact that there are so few people hiking this one also allows you to stay at the top for a bit longer to take photos and enjoy yourself. 

It’s also a pretty convenient place if you’re climbing in groups as you’re able to split up with part of your group heading to the peak of Xiaozi Mountain and the other heading to the peak of Cimu Mountain to take cool photos of each other. 

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If you plan on hiking all of the crags, I recommend first climbing Xiaozi Mountain, then heading to Putuo Mountain and ending your hike at Cimu Mountain.

Even though it may seem like you’re hiking the smallest to the largest to the middle-sized one, the route makes a bit more sense in terms of the distance you travel. 

Once you’ve completed the hike and have arrived back in Pingxi, you can grab some snacks and watch some of the famous sky lanterns taking off before hopping back on the bus or the train to head home.

Although, you’ll probably have noticed a bunch of sky lantern garbage strewn about the trail on the hike and you might have already realized that they’re pretty terrible for the environment, so maybe you won’t.

It’s up to you.

The Pingxi Crags are an easy hike as far as ‘hiking’ goes, but they aren’t for the faint of heart. It goes without saying that if you have a fear of heights, this hike probably isn’t for you. 

If however you are interested in making your time on earth just that much more awesome, this hike is definitely for you and is a great day-hike that can  

Getting There

 

The trailhead for the Pingxi Crags is located a short distance from the Pingxi Railway Station (平溪車站) on the historic Pingxi Railway Line (平溪線). 

The easiest way to get to the crags is obviously to have your own means of transportation. This will save you a considerable amount of travel time but also hiking time by allowing you to drive directly to the trailhead.

Whether you’re driving a car or a scooter, what you’ll want to do is first get yourself to Pingxi and once there drive up the steep mountain road to the trailhead. 

Simply copy and paste the address below into your GPS or Google Maps and you’ll have no problem getting there.   

Address: Section 2. Jing-an Road. Alley #294 (靜安路二段294巷)

The problem for everyone else is that if you are relying on public transportation to get to Pingxi, taking the historic rail line might not be the most convenient option if you’re hoping to hike this trail. 

The reason for this is that you’ll first have to take a train to Ruifang Station (瑞芳車站) and once you’re there, purchase a day pass, switch to the Pingxi line and then take the train all the way to Pingxi Station.

There are several issues with this:

1. Pingxi Station is at the far-end of the rail line and will take about forty minutes from Ruifang station.

2. It also doesn’t factor in the amount of time you’ll have to wait for the Pingxi train to depart, which might delay you by an hour if you’re unlucky. 

Instead, what I recommend is that you make your way from Taipei to the Muzha MRT Station (木柵捷運站) and from there hopping on Bus #795, which departs every fifteen minutes. 

The reason why I recommend this method is because the bus takes you directly from Taipei to Pingxi, but does so from the opposite end as the train, allowing you to arrive at the trailhead much faster

Link: Bus #795 - (Muzha to Shifen / 台灣好行795)

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Sunset at the top of XIao-Zi Mountain (孝子山)

If you’re coming from the east coast or from outside of Taipei, there’s also another bus option that will take you directly to the trailhead.

Unfortunately this bus doesn’t come very frequently and I’d probably only take it if I had just missed the train.

From Ruifang Train Station you can hop on Keelung Bus #846 (基隆客運846) from Ruifang to Pingxi Junior High School. 

Link: Keelung Bus #846 | Real-time Map

If you have your heart set on taking the historic rail line into Pingxi and aren’t in a big hurry to get to the trailhead, all you’ll have to do is take a train to Ruifang Station where you’ll get off the train, head downstairs and follow the directions to where you can purchase your Pingxi Railway Day Pass.  

The day pass costs NT$80 and offers unlimited access to the train and gives you the freedom to get on or off at any of the stations. 

If it is your first time to the area, then by all means, take the train.

I highly recommend it. Its something that every tourist in Taiwan should do.

Link: The Pingxi Line - Through the Verdant Valley (Taiwan Everything) 

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A Japanese-style Buddha along the trail.

If however you’ve already done all that and you’re only coming to town to hike the crags, just take the bus. 

If you take either of the buses, you’ll have a head start as you’ll simply get off at the Xiaozishan or Pingxi bus stop.

If on the other hand you take the train, you’ll just have to cross the bridge from Pingxi Station and then start your hike. 

No matter which method of public transportation you choose, you’re going to have to be prepared for a long and steep hike to the actual trailhead.

This part of the hike is probably the most annoying and difficult.

• If you get off the bus at the Xiaozishan bus stop, you’ll have to walk up a steep paved road to the trailhead.

• If you get off at the Pingxi bus stop, you’ll have access to convenience stores and a forest path that meets up with the road mentioned above and brings you to the trailhead.

I personally recommend getting off the bus at the Pingxi stop so that you can stock up on water and snacks for the hike.

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- A Taiwanese woman preparing a sky lantern in Pingxi

I hope that this update not only provides the information necessary for hiking the Pingxi Crags, but has also persuaded you to hike all three of them.

For most tourists, getting to Pingxi isn’t the easiest of endeavours, so if you’ve come all this way, you might as well complete the entire hike.

I do however realize that there is a lot to see and do while in Pingxi, so if you only hiked the one crag and then moved on to some of the other destinations in town, I wouldn’t judge you too much. 

No matter how many crags you climb, the important thing is that you stay safe and have fun.

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Gallery / Flickr (High Res Shots)