Mountain Pose 擺好山姿勢

50-something climbs Taiwan’s 100 tallest peaks in four years 四年完登百岳　竹崎半百婦圓夢

Mountaineer Wen Hsiu-hsia, 50, left, holds a wooden plaque with the words “woman warrior of the 100 peaks” at Yushan’s West Peak on May 9, commemorating her successful ascent of Taiwan’s 100 tallest peaks.
山友溫秀霞（左）五月九日在玉山西峰慶祝登完台灣百岳與山友拿著寫有「白岳女霞」的匾額留影。

Photo courtesy of the Fongtianyan Tea Enthusiast Association
照片由奉天岩茶友會提供

Four years ago female mountaineer Wen Hsiu-hsia, 50, hailing from Chiayi County’s Jhuci Township, set the life goal of climbing all 100 of Taiwan’s tallest mountains (known as baiyue in Chinese). At the beginning of May, accompanied by nearly 20 fellow mountaineers, Wen accomplished that goal after reaching the top of Yushan’s West Peak at 3,518m above sea level. Attaining the ultimate piece in her baiyue conquest, Wen finally realized her dream of many years. On the peak, a fellow mountaineer held up a large sign commemorating the occasion and presented her with an inscribed plaque to congratulate her.

Originally from Taitung County’s Taimali Township, Wen married over to Jhuci Township in Chiayi County more than two decades ago, where Wen and her husband work in the cargo business. Moving heavy objects every day has given her the physical foundation needed to surmount Taiwan’s tallest peaks. Near where her husband’s family lives is the famous lone peak of Fongtianyan. Often climbing this mountain and drinking tea there with fellow mountain climbers is what eventually led her down the path of conquering the baiyue. After considering all the physical exertion needed to run a cargo business, Wen and her husband decided to start up their own orchid business, which has given the couple more time for mountaineering and hiking. Nurturing a keen interest in mountaineering, Wen secretly set the goal of climbing the baiyue.

Wen says that the mountains have pretty much become her home over the past few years. She always carries her own equipment, weighing 35kg. Having just finished climbing one of the baiyue, she returned home for only a few days, and was back out again challenging yet another summit. In order to squeeze in as many peaks as possible, Wen climbed 41 summits over the past year and a half. Wen was beside herself with joy when she finally climbed the last of the 100 tallest peaks with a fellow mountaineer at the beginning of May. She is grateful for support from her husband and family and all of the encouragement from her fellow alpinists.

(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. surmount v. 登上；克服；越過 

例: The obstacles couldn’t be surmounted in the end.

(這些障礙最後無法克服。)

2. exertion n. 努力；費力 

例: She couldn’t lift the box despite all her exertion.

(她使勁出力還是拿不起盒子。)

3. beside oneself idiom 極度興奮 

例: Bruce was beside himself with rage.

(布魯斯勃然大怒。)

嘉義縣竹崎鄉五十歲女山友溫秀霞，四年多前把攀登台灣百岳訂為人生目標，五月初在近二十位山友同行下，登上海拔三千五百一十八公尺的玉山西峰，完成攀登百岳最後一塊拼圖，實現企盼已久的夢想，在峰頂接受山友舉大字報及送上匾額祝賀。

溫秀霞出身台東縣太麻里，二十多年前嫁到嘉義縣竹崎鄉，與丈夫一起從事貨運業，每天搬運重物，奠定征服百岳的體力基礎，夫家附近有知名獨立山奉天岩，山友多在此泡茶聊天，開啟她的百岳之路；她與夫婿考量貨運業須付出很大的勞力，將事業重心改種蘭花，有較多時間登山健行，卻爬出興趣來，暗自許下完登百岳的夢想。

溫秀霞表示，近年幾乎到了以山為家的程度，每每全程獨力揹負重達三十五公斤裝備，剛征服一座百岳，回家待不到幾天，又登上另一峰，最後這一年半趕進度的衝刺期，就攀登四十一座高峰，五月初由山友陪同登上玉山西峰，集滿百岳，當下心情極為開心激動，感謝丈夫、家人支持及山友鼓勵。

（自由時報記者謝銀仲）