Visiting Jinmian Mountain Trail: A Quarry from the Qing Dynasty

Jinmian Mountain, viewed from the direction of Bishanyan, has a peak that resembles a bird's beak, hence its other name, Scissors Rock Mountain. Although it stands at only 258 meters above sea level, it exudes the grandeur of a high mountain. The valley was a major quarry during the Qing Dynasty when Taipei was being built. The massive rocks are scattered and jagged, with visible quarry marks still present. From the summit, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Neihu Dapi and the Taipei cityscape, offering a broad and beautiful vista. The Jinmian Mountain Trail starts with nearly vertical rock walls. Along the way, you'll encounter ancient sandstone steps. As the slope gradually increases, the steps are replaced by rock walls over 100 meters in diameter. Midway up, there's a Qing Dynasty quarry (Figure 15), which is not only a city-designated historic site but also a testament to the construction of Taipei. During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, most of the stone materials for the Taipei city walls were quarried from the quartz sandstone here (Figure 4, yellow stones). The quarrying area extended from Jinmian Mountain eastward to Little Jinmian Mountain. The trail also passes by a platform called Baijuping (Figures 16-17), which offers a view of the Neihu area. Before reaching the summit, you can rest at the Lunjian Pavilion (Figure 9) and take in the scenery below. Soon after, you'll reach the peak and enter Scissors Rock (Figure 11). The area is filled with massive, jagged rocks, creating a rare and spectacular sight. On the way down, you'll pass by Huashan Pavilion (Figure 12), which, together with Lunjian Pavilion, echoes the difficulty of the climb. I heard a little boy say that this was the hardest mountain he had ever climbed, and I felt the same way. However, seeing the boy and some cats and dogs climbing (Figure 6: although the dog hesitated halfway and adorably daydreamed by the roadside) motivated me to keep going. Completing the climb gave me a great sense of accomplishment, and the beautiful views along the way made it all worthwhile. Near the entrance (Figure 3), there's a V-shaped tree with a cat lazily lying on it, which is super cute. Seeing this tree at the start and end of the climb symbolizes a victorious beginning and end. 📍Address: No. 136, Lane 1, Section 1, Huanshan Road, Neihu District, Taipei 114