The ridge trail, which then proceeds due south over a succession of rocky outcrops, is regarded as the most dangerous trek in Taiwan, but is unrivaled in beauty. In some places the ridge is sharp as a knife, with cliffs on either side. The layers of shale, which make up the ridge, crumble underfoot. The coastal haze often creeps up the foothills toward the ridge but never seems to reach the sun-drenched summit. Chilai is far removed from everything coastal, low, industrial and loud.
Most hikers spend the second night camping atop the ridge, cooking dinner and admiring the view.
To the north looms the towering rock spike of Tapachienshan and far to the south is Yushan. Below and to the east are the twinkling lights of the east-coast quarry town of Hualien, and in the west is the glow of the setting sun. Mornings in the mountains tend to dawn bright and clear, while afternoons often bring rain a weather pattern that compels hikers to start early and pitch their tents before bad weather sets in. From Chilai Ridge the long trek down winds through bamboo forests and the tiny aboriginal settlement of Tianshih. From there, follow a 10-km trail to a logging road that leads to the town of Lushan.