Taiwan has many lovely trails and spectacular mountains and 523 Mountaineering Association assists people from other countries to access Taiwan's mountains. If you are planning to visit Taiwan, contact 523 Mountaineering Association for best Mountaineering experience.

What is 523?
There are two meanings: One is "I love mountains" in Chinese, and the other is 523 Mountaineering Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental protection and education. Founded over 30 years ago by alumni from the Mountaineering Club of National Zhengzhi University in Taiwan, 523 were officially established in 2000 and have approximately 500 members throughout Taiwan.

Mission:
• Advocate the concept of “Leave No trace: and promote ecological mountaineering.
• Help the elderly, the handicapped and drop-out students to access nature.
• Assist international friends to enjoy hiking and climbing mountains in Taiwan.
• Aid residents in Taiwan to climb mountains overseas.
• Help people understand the culture of Taiwan's aborigines.

Offer:

1. Information and advice
• Recommended trails (1-day hiking trails around Taipei, multi-day hiking trips outside Taipei)
• Where to buy hiking equipment and other provisions

2. Help with planning and logistics
Help both individuals and groups from Taiwan and overseas to arrange their hiking and mountaineering trips, including:
• Arranging pick-up buses to/from hiking destinations, to/from hotel and to/from the airport
• Booking mountaineering huts/accommodation (on trails only, not in Taipei and other cities)
• Lending of tents, sleeping bags, climbing packs (sorry, we do not lend trekking poles)
• Application for mountain entrance permits in Taiwan.
• Application for certificates of mountaineering achievement for Yushan (Jade Mountain, the highest peak in Taiwan) and Xueshan (Snow Mountain, the second highest peak in Taiwan)
• Verbal interpretation of maps
• Assistance with contacting professional rescue teams in Taiwan's mountain areas
• Arranging hiking/mountaineering guides. Languages spoken: Mandarin Chinese, English


523 Mountaineering Association
Address: No.28-2, Chifeng St., Datong District, Taipei City 103, Taiwan, R.O.C.
台北市103赤峰街28-2號
(Nearest MRT station: Zhongshan)
Tel: +886-2-25557523
Fax: +886-2-2558-2292

Contact:
Doris Juan
E-mail: doris@523.org.tw
Website: http://www.523.org.tw/