Park authorities issue snow warning after hiker deaths

Taipei, March 24 (CNA) Taiwan's Department of National Park Service (DNPS) has reminded those planning high mountain treks to be mindful of snowy conditions after the bodies of two hikers were recovered on Sunday in Yushan, Taiwan's highest mountain.

Snow on mountains above 3,000 meters, including Yushan, Syue Mountain, and Hehuanshan, was slowly melting, which can be dangerous even for well-equipped hikers, the DNPS said in a statement.

Hikers currently in high-altitude areas within Shei-Pa, Yushan, and Taroko national parks are advised to tread carefully to avoid falling down mountain slopes, especially with snow control measures in effect until March 31, the DNPS said.

The agency also urged those planning mountain climbing trips to reschedule due to safety concerns following several incidents involving hikers becoming stranded or falling down slopes.

For those already in the mountains, the DNPS emphasized the importance of properly using the three essential pieces of snow gear -- helmets, crampons, and ice axes -- and remaining focused on their footing to avoid slipping and falling into valleys, which could endanger lives and strain rescue resources.

Individuals who travel to restricted areas in national parks without entry permits, or hikers who endanger themselves and need rescue because of poor preparation will face a ban on applying for the entry permits for up to three years, the DNPS said.

According to the Yushan National Park, the ongoing snow control measures were introduced on Dec. 19 because the weather conditions became no longer suitable for average hikers to visit areas above 3,000 meters.

The measures include closing certain areas and limiting entry permit applicants to hikers who have been trained for climbing in snowy conditions and have the experience.

Around noon on Sunday, the National Airborne Service Corps (NASC) recovered the bodies of two hikers who had been reported to have fallen down a mountain slope a day earlier while climbing the main and north peaks of Yushan, according to the Nantou County Fire Department.

The bodies of two more hikers, who had been reported missing on their way to different mountains, were also found later that same day, the fire department said.

Meanwhile, 16 hikers stranded by bad weather in Shei-Pa National Park since March 16, and 31 hikers suffering from altitude sickness in Nantou were rescued on Thursday and Friday, respectively, according to the fire department.