To encourage the public to embrace hiking and learn more from nature, the Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters cordially invites citizens to join us in ushering in the New Year by climbing Mt. Qixing, the highest peak in Yangmingshan National Park, during the "2016 New Year's Day Mt. Qixing Climb-A-Thon" on January 1, 2016. Yangmingshan National Park is the best place in Taiwan to learn about volcanic environments. The Park is committed to preserving natural ecology and also actively promotes environmental education and various natural and healthy leisure activities. The Headquarters hopes to be able to promote more environmental education events with everyone's continued participation and support. 

Previous New Year’s “Climb-A-Thon” events at Yangmingshan have always been full of cheerful mountaineers calling out “Happy New Year!" to one another and exchanging greetings along the route, spreading a renewed hope of passion, health, self-confidence, and positive energy. The event aims to boost the Gross National Happiness （GNH） of Taiwanese. We hope that citizens can enjoy spiritual happiness and health by getting closer to nature. 

The event is schedule to place after the flag raising ceremony at the Yangminghsan National Park Visitor’s Center at 7:30am on January 1, 2016. Participants will depart from the Visitor Center, pass by the Qixing Park crossroads, ascend the main peak of Qixing Mountain, and finally arrive at Xiaoyoukeng Visitor Service Center. The total distance of the route is 4.5 km. The challenge is open to all who are enthusiastic about mountaineering or hiking. The route’s impressive scenic beauty—including serene natural environments and crisp air—will surely be a memorable experience for every participant. 

The Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters encourages New Year’s Day hiker participants to arrive by public transport, which includes Bus 260, Red 5, and 230, and then transfer to Bus 108 at the Yangmingshan bus station and get off at the Headquarters Visitor Center. Other options include taking Bus 111, 109, or 681 and getting off at the Second Parking Lot in Yangmingshan National Park, or taking Bus 9 or 8 and getting off at the Headquarters Visitor Center and then walking to the front square. For the return journey, participants may take the Park Headquarters shuttle bus （running from 11:10 to 12:00） or Bus 108 from Xiaoyoukeng to the Yangmingshan Bus Station, where buses bound for MRT Jiantan Station and other destinations will be available. 

Participants who attend the flag-raising ceremony before climbing Mt. Qixing may collect a souvenir from the Headquarters Visitor Center （while supplies last!）. Participants are also invited to enjoy free hot ginger tea （while supplies last） at the Xiaoyoukeng Visitor Center. In order to save energy and reduce carbon emissions, paper cups will not be provided this year. Instead, we ask that visitors bring their own environmentally-friendly cups. 

Because the temperature on Mt. Qixing can reach 0°C at this time of year and weather conditions are often unpredictable, participants are reminded to wear warm attire, prepare adequate rain gear （including umbrellas and/or rain coats）, and bring any necessary medications. Visitors are also urged to be extra careful when driving in the vicinity of the Park. For more details about the event, please call +886-2- 28616341, or visit the Yangmingshan National Park website at http://www.ymsnp.gov.tw.