Huoyan Mountain ( zh, t=火炎山, p=Huǒyánshān, l="fire mountain") is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...
located at the border of
Sanyi
Sanyi () or Nanpanshun (), also known by Cantonese romanizations such as Sam Yup and Nam Pun Shun, refers to the three districts (former counties) of Nanhai, Panyu and Shunde surrounding Guangzhou and Foshan in Guangdong, China.
Geography
The ...
and
Yuanli Townships in
Miaoli County,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. The mountain is known for its jagged exposed
laterite surfaces that look like fire.
Description
Huoyan Mountain is located on the north bank of
Da'an River. Geologically, it is part of the Toukeshan Formation (頭嵙山層), a
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...
-era
formation
Formation may refer to:
Linguistics
* Back-formation, the process of creating a new lexeme by removing or affixes
* Word formation, the creation of a new word by adding affixes
Mathematics and science
* Cave formation or speleothem, a secondar ...
. The prominent red cliffs on the mountain are due to the
tectonic uplift
Tectonic uplift is the geologic uplift of Earth's surface that is attributed to plate tectonics. While isostatic response is important, an increase in the mean elevation of a region can only occur in response to tectonic processes of crustal th ...
, weak
shear strength
In engineering, shear strength is the strength of a material or component against the type of yield or structural failure when the material or component fails in shear. A shear load is a force that tends to produce a sliding failure on a materi ...
of the underlying soil, and heavy rainfall. The mountain is protected by the
Forestry Bureau
The Forestry Bureau () is an agency of the Council of Agriculture of Taiwan (ROC).
History
The Forestry Bureau was originally established in 1945 as the Office of Forestry Administration. In June 1947, the office was disbanded and the Forestry ...
to preserve the unique landscape and ecology.
County Highway 140, a major road connecting the coastal regions with the mountainous interior in Miaoli County, passes on the south side of the mountain. In the past, the highway would often be blocked by
landslides
Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of environments, ...
triggered by heavy rainfall. Therefore, in 2006, a tunnel was built to protect the road from blockages.
Hiking
There are a couple of
hiking trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...
s that reach the
triangulation point
A triangulation station, also known as a trigonometrical point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity. The nomenclature varies regionally: they a ...
at the summit of Huoyan Mountain. The north peak, slightly higher in elevation, is not reachable by the trails. The mountain is one of the "hundred little mountains" (臺灣小百岳), a list of shorter and accessible mountains promoted by the
Sports Administration
The Sports Administration (SA; ) is a branch of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
History
The Sport Administration was initially established in 1932 as the Sports Council (體育委員會). On 12 January 1998, the Sp ...
for recreation.
Gallery
See also
*
Huoyan Mountain Ecology Museum
*
Jiujiufeng
Jiujiufeng ( zh, t=九九峰, p=Jiǔjiǔfēng, l=ninety-nine peaks) is a nature reserve located at the border of Taichung City and Nantou County, spanning the cities of Caotun, Guoxing, Wufeng, and Taiping. The protected area contains many sm ...
References
{{reflist
Mountains of Taiwan
Landforms of Miaoli County
Mountaineering in Taiwan